The CUNY Baccalaureate Blog

Grads who attended the June 9, 2008 commencement ceremony should consider donating their cap and gown back to CUNY BA if those items are still in very good condition and no longer needed; your donation may help a future student defray part of the cost of attending the ceremony.  Bring or mail your cap and gown to:  CUNY Baccalaureate, 365 Fifth Ave, Suite 6412, New York, NY 10016.  Thank you.

INFORMATION FOR GRADUATING STUDENTS ATTENDING

THE CUNY BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM COMMENCEMENT ON

                                                               Monday, June 9, 2008

 

 

CAPS AND GOWNS MUST BE PICKED UP AS FOLLOWS:

 

Where:         CUNY BA/BS Program office, 365 Fifth Avenue, Suite 6412 (between 34^th and 35^th Streets).  Please  bring your photo ID.

 

When:         Wednesday, May 28, 9:00am - 7:00pm

                             Thursday, May 29, 9:00am - 4:45pm

 

                             BRING A BAG TO CARRY YOUR ATTIRE HOME.

 

CAPS AND GOWNS CANNOT BE PICKED UP ON THE DAY OF COMMENCEMENT - NO EXCEPTIONS! 

 

You may have a friend or relative pick up the attire for you if necessary.  That person should bring a letter signed by you giving permission to take your attire.  They will need I.D. to enter the building.

 

For students who have their own attire: you must pick up your tassel and stole at the CUNY BA/BS office on the days noted above.

 

IF YOU FORGET TO BRING YOUR CAP AND GOWN TO COMMENCEMENT, YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO MARCH!

 

 

REHEARSAL:  Prior to the ceremony, at 9:30am, there will be a required rehearsal for all graduates to be held at The Cooper Union in the Wollman Lounge, located on the ground floor of the Engineering Building, 51 Astor Place, between Third and Fourth Avenues.  Please be on time. This location is across the street from where the ceremony will actually be held (The Great Hall). Your guests should go to 7 East 7^th Street at Third Avenue (the Foundation Building); you should arrive at 51 Astor Place 

– Other Details - 

 

ALUMNI, HIDALGO, and other SCHOLARSHIPS:  The deadline to apply is May 14.  The information about the scholarships is under Commencement at www.cunyba.cuny.edu.  NB: You can apply for the scholarship to CUNY BA by the May 14 deadline even if you have not yet heard from graduate schools with your acceptance, however, in order to receive the scholarship, you must submit proof of acceptance by May 26, when the scholarships recipients will be decided.

 

 

ATTIRE: Please wear only the black cap, black gown, red tassel, and red stole that are part of this ceremony.  Refrain from wearing stoles, medals, tassels, pins, etc. from other institutions and other ceremonies (including honor societies), as well as flowers, corsages, or other decorations.  Our goal is to have our graduates look the same; you are differentiated by the concentrations and awards we announce as you cross the stage.

BAG CHECK:  We cannot provide bag check facilities.  Please do not bring anything with you that you can’t carry in the procession.  

BICYLES: There are no provisions made at The Great Hall for bicycles.

BREAKFAST:  Will not be provided.  Please eat before you arrive. 

CHILDREN:  Do you want to hear babies crying during your commencement, or would you rather hear words of praise from CUNY faculty and others?  Childcare arrangements are NOT available; children under 16 are welcome as long as they remain with a responsible adult (other than yourself) for the entire ceremony.  Guests are asked to please take crying/agitated children out of the auditorium promptly.  Do your best to arrange to leave toddlers and infants at home with a babysitter if at all possible.

CEREMONY/RECEPTION: The ceremony will begin at 10:30am sharp and last approximately 90 minutes. A light reception of fruit and cheese will follow at The Cooper Union.

CLASS RINGS: You may order a CUNY Baccalaureate ring through the Balfour company, 1-877-225-3687.  Be sure to specify “CUNY Baccalaureate Program” when you call.  Can only be purchased by phone.

CUNY BA MERCHANDISE FOR SALE:  For the first time, we have made arrangements for students, alumni, faculty, etc. to purchase various items with our (new!) logo.  Go to http://www.cafepress.com/cunyba where you can purchase t-shirts, sweatshirts, mouse pads, mugs, notepads, tote bags and baseball hats, all quality materials with the CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies logo!  Not only is each item reasonably priced, but 10% of each sale directly benefits the CUNY BA Alumni Fund (which supports Alumni Scholarships and other alumni activities). 

 

DIPLOMAS: Diplomas will NOT be distributed at the ceremony. June 2008 diplomas will be available by October; Sept. 2008 diplomas will be available by December.  You will be contacted with instructions on how to receive your diploma when they arrive in the Program office.

DIRECTIONS TO THE GREAT HALL AT THE COOPER UNION, 7 East 7^th Street at Third Avenue (in the Foundation Building):

 

By car:

From the West Side of upper Manhattan, Cooper Union is best reached by driving south on the West Side Highway to 56th Street and continuing south on 12th Avenue (which becomes West Street).  At 12th Street, turn left and take 12th Street to Third Avenue.  Turn right on Third and drive to Cooper Square, which begins at 7th Street. 

From the East Side of Manhattan, Cooper Union is best reached by taking the East River Drive to Exit 6 (East 15th Street).  Take 14th Street Westbound to Second Avenue.  Turn left (south) on Second Avenue and drive to East 7th Street. Make a right on to East 7th Street and drive one block to Cooper Square. 

There is limited street and garage parking in the area.

 

By bus: Take any of the following buses and ask the driver to let you off nearest Astor Place or Cooper Square:  The M1 (5th and Madison Avenues), the M15 (First and Second Avenues), the M6 (7th Avenue/Broadway and Avenue of the Americas), the M101 or M102 (Third and Lexington Avenues).

 

By subway: Take the R or N (BMT Lines) subway to 8th Street, or take the No. 6 (IRT Lexington Avenue Local) to Astor Place. 

 

FACULTY MENTORS:  Faculty mentors have been invited, but please extend a personal invitation to your mentor(s).   Mentors interested in participating in the ceremony should contact Lidija Markes, Commencement Assistant at 212-817-8223, lmarkes@gc.cuny.edu

GRADUATES/GUESTS WHO REQUIRE SPECIAL ASSISTANCE:  Contact Lidija Markes by May 26.

GREAT HALL HISTORY:  The historic Great Hall has been an important gathering space since it was inaugurated by Mark Twain in 1859.  It was the platform for some of the earliest workers’ rights campaigns and for the birth of the NAACP, the women’s suffrage movement, and the American Red Cross.  Presidents Lincoln, Grant, Cleveland, Taft, Theodore Roosevelt, Wilson, and Clinton all delivered speeches there.

 

GUESTS: Ask your guests to arrive at The Great Hall, 7 East 7^th Street at Third Avenue, by 10:15am sharp (the ceremony will begin at 10:30am sharp).  Guests will be seated starting at 9:15am (no earlier).  Seating is NOT assigned for guests; it is on a first-come, first-served basis.  Picture-taking during the ceremony will be permitted, but guests will not be allowed to block any aisles while doing so.  Please let your guests know this in advance.

 

HONORS AND AWARDS:  If you have not already done so, or if you have more to add, please provide us with a detailed list of honors you have received (special awards, citations, scholarships and so forth).  A selection of these will be read at Commencement.  Email your information to Lmarkes@gc.cuny.edu or fax it to 212-817-1512.

 

INCOMPLETE COURSES:  If you find that you must take an “Incomplete” in one or more of your final courses, you may still join us for the ceremony!

           

NAMES:  Dr. Kim Hartswick will announce your name as you walk across the stage to receive your degree.  If you believe your name may be difficult to pronounce, please mail us a phonetic spelling of it and give us a number were we can reach you at during the day.  Please bring that phonetic spelling with you to rehearsal as well.

 

PARKING: Rates are listed for weekdays without tax (18.25%), evenings and weekends are slightly higher. Parking rates can change without notice, so be sure that you verify the rate before leaving your car.

AMAL CORP
14 East 1st Street (420-0753)
Up to 30 minutes - $3.81; 12 hours - $8.46

COOPER SQUARE PARKING GROUP
10-12 Cooper Square
Up to 1 hour - $5.07
12 hours - $9.30; 24 hours - $11.84

MINETTA GARAGE 122 West 3rd Street (777-3530)
Up to 1 hour - $11; 8 hours - $18; 12 hours - $24; 24 hours - $32 Early Bird rate - $13
(in before 10am, out before 5pm)

TRAVELERS GARAGE 160 W 10th Street (929-3041)
Up to 1 hour - $11; 8 hours - $18; 24 hours - $32; Early Bird rate - $13
(in before 10am, out before 5pm)

WASHINGTON SQUARE 2 Fifth Avenue (888-7400)
enter 8th Street between 5th Avenue and MacDougal Street
Up to 1 hour - $10; 2 hours - $15; 3 hours - $17; 10 hours - $18; 24 Hours - $30; Early Bird rate - $12 (in before 11am, out before 7pm)

 

PETS:  With the exception of guide dogs, pets are not permitted. 

PHOTOS: We have arranged for a professional photographer from Chappell Studio to take your photograph as you receive your diploma. There is no obligation to purchase. Chappell Studio (www.chappell.com) guarantees complete satisfaction with your photograph package or you’ll receive a full refund.  Chappell will e-mail you a link to online photo storage where you can access your photos. You will have the option of ordering from a variety of enlargement packages at reasonable prices. Students registered for commencement can preregister their email, and friends’ and family’s email addresses (up to 6) and Chappell Graduation Images will contact them as soon as their photos are available for online viewing and ordering. To register for this service, go to http://www.gradimages.com/Register.cfm

 

Your cooperation will help the day run more smoothly.

 

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, please call or email Ms. Lidija Markes, Commencement Assistant, at (212) 817-8223 or lmarkes@gc.cuny.edu.  She is generally available in the CUNY BA/BS office on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am-5pm.  If you get the automated recording on her phone, speak slowly and clearly and leave a detailed message, along with your full name, your phone number, and the best times to reach you.

 

 

Upcoming graduates who are not attending the CUNY BA commencement should please complete and return the answers to these questions by June 15, 2008 to Beth Kneller, bkneller@gc.cuny.edu - by email or fax to 212-817-1512.

NAME (please print) __________________________ DAYTIME PHONE (___)_________________

EMAIL _______________________________________________________

I. AWARD INFORMATION: List up to five recent awards, scholarships, prizes, or honors that you have received.  Include the full information — do not abbreviate any title. Specify which college gave the award, if applicable.  Make the information as clear and readily understood as possible.  TYPE OR PRINT NEATLY, PLEASE.

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

II. GRADUATE SCHOOL. If you are applying to or have been accepted to a graduate program, please tell us.  Include the name of the school, degree you will be seeking, and any special fellowship or awards you have received.  Indicate clearly which schools have already accepted you, which you are still waiting to hear from.  (If you get accepted after you submit this form, please email the updated information to bkneller@gc.cuny.edu)

SCHOOL & PROGRAM APPLIED TO:                     IS ACCEPTANCE MADE OR PENDING?:

________________________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

III. CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. If you earned a new position, promotion or raise as a result of earning the degree please tell us here:

________________________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

IV. STUDY ABROAD. If you did a Study Abroad program while in CUNY BA, did you go:

Full year _____     One Semester _____    Summer _____    Winter Intercession _____

If you did a Study Abroad program for summer or winter OR if you did not do a Study Abroad program at all, would you have done a full semester or a full year if funding had been available?

Yes___       No___

Thank you!

Beth G. Kneller, Deputy Director

 

April 7 is the deadline for signing up to attend the CUNY Baccalaureate Program Commencement.  Sept 2007, January 2008, June 2008, and September 2008 graduates are invited and enouraged to attend this special ceremony.  Registration will be accepted from April 8 to May 1, but a late fee will be required.  For the forms and details, go to http://web.gc.cuny.edu/cunyba/commencement.html.

Don’t forget:  we will award several scholarships to graduating students at commencement…but you are only eligible if you attend the ceremony.  See the link above for the announcement of the awards, the criteria for each, and details on how to apply.

This year’s keynote speaker will be journalist/author John Hockenberry; Professor John Krinsky, Political Science, CCNY, will speak on behalf of the Program’s 400+ faculty mentors.  Applications are still be accepted for the student speaker role.

The CUNY BA Program’s Commencement, for graduating classes Sept 07, Jan 08, June 08, and Sept 08, shall take place on Monday, June 9, 2008 in the morning at The Cooper Union in Manhattan. Graduating students will receive full details in late February.

CUNY Baccalaureate Program’s 2007 Commencement took place on Wednesday, June 6 at 10 am at The Great Hall at The Cooper Union, 7 East 7th Street at Third Avenue (the Foundation Building) in Manhattan.

The ceremony celebrated 260 graduates who received their BA and BS degrees in January, June and September 2007.

The guest speaker was Richard D. Parsons, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Time Warner Inc. (read or listen below)

  

The guest faculty speaker (read) was Professor Gertrude Lenzer, Professor of Sociology and Director, Children’s Studies Program and Center, Brooklyn College. 

The student speaker (read) was Karalyn Shimmyo who will be graduating with her BA in September 2007 with area of concentration in Experimental Social Psychology.

Noe Venable, a CUNY BA student with Religious Dimensions in Healing area of concentration, sang The National Anthem.

Administered by The Graduate Center, the CUNY Baccalaureate Program (CUNY BA/BS Program) is the university-wide individualized bachelor’s degree. The small program is intended for self-directed, academically strong students who have well-formulated academic and career goals. Most are working adults, many of whom are raising families; 80% are over 25 years old (49% are over 35 years old); and a significant number are returning to school, often after a hiatus of anywhere from 5 to 30 years. The Program has an enrollment of 700 students and has over 6,000 alumni. The program generates many graduates with compelling life stories, a few of which will follow soon.