First things first: congratulations on the impending completion of your degree. Your hard work, successes, and contributions to the NYU community are a source of pride for us, as they should be for you and your family.

We want to alert you to a change in the date and customary location of our 2008 Commencement so that you and your family can plan accordingly. (This refers only to our University-wide Commencement, not to your individual school's ceremony).

Let us begin with some background so you will understand why this change is necessary. NYU's customary location for Commencement has been the public park at the core of our University, Washington Square Park, where we have been privileged to hold our University-wide outdoor graduation over the last 32 years. This winter, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, which has jurisdiction over the park, began a large-scale renovation project in Washington Square Park, which will preclude Commencement being held there this year.

The Parks Department had this project on the drawing board for some time, and we had been anticipating this possibility for two or three years. Accordingly we had evaluated-in consultation with students, faculty, and administrators-other sites in the city. Ultimately we concluded that the most advantageous sites were the city's two baseball stadiums, Yankee and Shea.

We are pleased to be able to tell you that the New York Yankees have graciously offered to host NYU's 2008 Commencement in their storied stadium. But, because of the Yankees playing schedule, our original date of Thursday, May 15, 2008, had to be changed. Commencement will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, with gates opening for you and your fellow graduates at 9:30 AM.

If you have family who is expecting to attend, we urge you to notify them of this change so they can adjust plans accordingly.

Washington Square Park holds a special place in our heart and in our traditions. Though Commencement will not be held there this spring, the University is committed to your having a memorable and joyous Commencement, one that fully honors your achievements. Though we will miss our customary home, holding Commencement in Yankee Stadium will mean some advantages compared to Washington Square Park: more tickets for family members attending the ceremony (in Washington Square Park, we could furnish only two per graduating students; at Yankee Stadium, students will be entitled to receive six guest tickets), better sight lines, and more amenities for visitors. New York University and the New York Yankees are both prominent-indeed, world-renowned-members of the group of important New York institutions. If our Commencement cannot be held in Washington Square Park, there is no more fitting setting than the home of another iconic New York institution.

Over the coming days, we will be working with a group of student leaders -- including members of the Student Senators Council -- to solicit input about how to enhance Commencement-related activities given the new circumstances. We are also working with the University Registrar to reschedule the small number of final exams that are scheduled for May 14.

More information on our 176th Commencement at Yankee Stadium and other Commencement-related events will be available in the coming days on the Commencement Web site: www.nyu.edu/commencement.