MPA Commencement Ceremony
The Department of Accounting and the MPA Program Office wish to congratulate you
as you approach the end of your academic program at The University of Texas at
Austin. This page is intended to provide you with an overview of the information
you will need as the MPA Commencement Ceremony approaches. This ceremony is for
students graduating from the traditional MPA program and those graduating from
our 5-year program in accounting. Please share the information below with your
family and friends!
MPA Commencement Ceremony
RSVP
The Commencement RSVP survey is now closed. If you did not RSVP but would like to, please e-mail Madeline Chauvin at
MPAEvents@mccombs.utexas.edu.
Time/Place
The MPA Commencement Ceremony will be held on May 16 from 6 p.m. to
approximately 8 p.m. at Gregory Gym, located at 21st and Speedway. Prospective
graduates should report to the check-in table located in the Annex Gym of
Gregory Gym at 5:00 p.m. Please do not bring any valuables (i.e., cameras,
purses, backpacks, etc.) with you. There is no secure place to leave these items
during the ceremony.
Reception
At 3:30 p.m., you will be honored at a reception in the Special Events Room on
the third floor of the McCombs School of Business to which your family and
friends are invited.
Parking
Parking for Commencement activities is free in designated areas on a first-come,
first-served basis. On Friday, all university parking garages will be available
in addition to campus lots marked "C" Parking. On Saturday, with the exception
of spaces marked "At All Times," all university parking garages as well as most
surface lots are available.
Parking garages are located as follows: San Jacinto Garage (SJG), San Jacinto
Boulevard and 24th Street; Brazos Garage (BRG), MLK Boulevard and Brazos Street;
27th Street Garage (TSG), University Avenue and 27th Street; Manor Garage (MAG),
Robert Dedman Drive and Clyde Littlefield Drive; Speedway Garage (SWG), Speedway
and 27th Streets; and Trinity Garage (TRG), Trinity Street and MLK Boulevard.
Additional parking
information is available online.
Academic Dress
Traditional academic regalia is required of all students participating in the
Department of Accounting or any other University commencement exercises. The
Masters Regalia Package (Cap, Gown, Tassel, Hood) costs $48.69 plus tax.
MPA students earning their BBA and MPA degrees concurrently only need to buy
this one outfit, which they can wear to the BBA ceremony. May 2 is the last day
to buy Master's Regalia. It is not possible to rent regalia through the
Co-op.
Academic regalia, personalized invitations, and similar items are available for
purchase from campus-area bookstores. More information can be found at
http://www.universitycoop.com/.
The tassel is the color "drab". The tassel is worn on the right before the
degree is conferred.
Please leave your hood in the bag until the day of graduation. Once you arrive
at the Annex Gym of Gregory Gym, you will be able to take the hood out of its
bag and put it on as is. You will not need to adjust your hood in any way.
Services for Graduates/Visitors with Disabilities
Special services are available to accommodate the needs of individuals with
disabilities at all Commencement programs. If you require special
accommodations, please contact the Equal Opportunity Services office at
512-471-1849 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at least five days prior to
arrival at the Commencement activities.
If you or your guests require a sign-language interpreter at the MPA
Commencement, please e-mail
MPAEvents@mccombs.utexas.edu or call the MPA Program Office at 512-471-6559
by April 18 so that arrangements can be made.
Gregory Gym will have unloading areas, ramps, and an elevator for guests to use.
Graduation Pictures
A professional photographer will take your picture as you walk across the stage,
and the photography company will contact you by mail at your permanent address
after the ceremony. They will provide proofs and information about the ordering
of pictures. Please make sure that your address is correct on the "address
update" link, located on the ROSE Online Services web page:
http://www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/rose/.
When you RSVP to attend the ceremony, you will be asked if it is not OK for us
to give your personal information to the photographer (though this means that
you will not receive photos).
Ordering a Videotape
A VHS tape or DVD of the entire ceremony will be available for you to order. In
order to get a copy, you need to:
- Go to the Post Office and purchase a Videotape Mailer (for VHS) or padded envelope (for DVD) and the $4.80 Priority Mail postage stamp. Please do not purchase the plastic Priority Mail Envelope.
- Address the Mailer to yourself or family.
- Please bring the addressed mailer to the MPA Program Office, GSB 4.112C, by May 23, 2008, and specify which video format you would prefer to receive.
General Property Deposit Form
When you enrolled at UT, you were required to make a $10.00 General Deposit. The University holds this deposit for 60 days past your graduation. After 60 days you may request a refund from the Bursar's Office.
Alternatively, if you would like to donate your General Property Deposit to the Master in Professional Accounting Council (MPAC), please complete the General Property Deposit form and return it to the MPA Program office in GSB 4.112C.
Diplomas
Diplomas are mailed about six weeks after the student's graduation, so please make sure to keep your information with UT current. You can update your contact information on the "address update" link, located on the ROSE Online Services Web page: http://www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/rose/.
MPA students who are taking the integrated approach will receive two diplomas- one for BBA and one for MPA. They will be mailed separately.
Letters for Parents of International Students
If your parents need a letter from the MPA Program Office for Visa purposes, please stop by the MPA Program Office to fill out a "Release of Information" form. Once you advisor has the form he or she can write the letter on your parents' behalf.
Area Accommodations
Guests requesting information on hotel and motel availability should contact the Austin Visitor Center at (512) 478-0098 or (866) 462-8784. You can also find information on their website here: http://www.austintexas.org/visitors/center.
Air Horns
It is requested that family members refrain from excitedly sounding an air horn/siren when their graduating student walks across the stage. It is not fair to the following student, whose name will not be heard over the sound of the horn. It will also distort the audio on the videotapes.
Additional Information
If you need additional information on the MPA Commencement, please call the MPA Program Office at (512) 471-6559 or e-mail us at MPAEvents@mccombs.utexas.edu.
Also, please note that as a graduating student, you are also eligible to attend the University-wide Commencement (see below). MPA graduates who are taking the integrated approach are also eligible to attend the McCombs Undergraduate Commencement on Friday, May 16 at 9 a.m. in the Frank Erwin Center. Tickets are not needed for graduates or guests. Please call the Undergraduate Programs Office at 471-0690 for more information on this ceremony.
University-Wide Commencement Ceremony
Time/Place
The University-wide ceremony is scheduled for 7 p.m., Saturday, May 17, 2008 in front of the Tower on the South Mall (Frank Erwin Center in the event of rain).
Public Seating
Public seating for the evening university-wide ceremony is available on a first-come, first served basis. For reasons of safety, standing is not allowed in the outdoor seating area. When outdoor seating is at capacity, Commencement staff will direct guests to adjacent indoor air-conditioned sites to view the live telecast.
Tickets
All degree candidates participating in the UT-wide Commencement are required to present a ticket when lining up for the grand procession. Free procession tickets will be available to graduating students- more information will be posted online here: http://www.utexas.edu/commencement/ when it becomes available. Family members and friends do not need tickets.
Academic Dress
Traditional academic regalia is required to participate in the UT-wide ceremony. See "Academic Dress" in the MPA Commencement Ceremony section above for more information.
Services for Graduates/Visitors with Disabilities
Special services are available to accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities at all Commencement programs. If you require special accommodations, please contact the Equal Opportunity Services office at 512-471-1849 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at least five days prior to arrival at the Commencement activities.
Additional Information
For more information on UT-wide Commencement 2008 activities, please telephone the Office of Relationship Management and University Events at (512) 471-7753 or visit the following web site:
http://www.utexas.edu/commencement/
