KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Read Dacher Keltner's "Generation We" speech here.

>> UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS SIGN UP HERE by April 6.

>> GRADUATE STUDENTS SIGN UP HERE by April 6.

Commencement Updates
More information will be available in the coming months on this webpage and through the Student Services Office which will make Commencement related announcements through the Psychology Majors bSpace site and Psychology Graduate Student bSpace site. Please be sure that you are subscribed with a current email address that you check regularly.

Commencement Sign-up
Students completing their Bachelor's or Doctoral degrees in Fall 2011, Spring, Summer or Fall 2012, or Spring 2013 (if the student will be studying abroad) may participate in the Commencement Ceremony. Students may only participate in one Psychology Department Commencement Ceremony.

If you would like to participate in the Psychology Commencement Ceremony on May 14, 2012 and/or have your name listed in the program, you need to sign-up through our online registration system no later than April 6, 2012.

Guests & Tickets
Graduating students may invite an unlimited number of guests. Please note, however, that tickets are REQUIRED and that guests will not be allowed to enter the Greek Theater without a ticket. INFORM YOUR GUESTS THAT TICKETS WILL BE COLLECTED AT THE GATE.

Each graduating student will be given three complimentary tickets. Additional tickets can be purchased for $10 per ticket (CASH ONLY). Tickets, both complimentary and purchased, will be available through the Student Services Office (3305 Tolman Hall) starting April 23. Hours for ticket sales will be announced via email. Please be prepared to show your Cal Student I.D. card and bring cash to purchase your tickets. There will be limited tickets available at the gates at 1:00 on May 14.

Commencement Location - Greek Theater
The Commencement Ceremony will be held at the Greek Theatre, a large outdoor amphitheater built into the Berkeley hillside. Please wear comfortable shoes, the location is hilly and there are steep steps in the theatre. The seating is concrete benches, so we suggest that you bring along a cushion to sit on. For those unfamiliar with the campus, please view/print this Campus Map which has the ceremony, reception, and parking information highlighted.

Reception - Campanile Esplanade
The reception will be held after Commencement Ceremony at approximately 4:00 p.m. at the Campanile Esplanade. No tickets are required for the reception. The reception will be catered by A.G. Ferrari Catering and will include light snacks and beverages.

Commencement & Student Speakers
The Keynote Speaker for the 2012 Commencement Ceremony will be Professor Dacher Keltner. In addition to the keynote speaker, there will be two student speakers. The Undergraduate Student Speaker will be the winner of the Departmental Citation Award. The Graduate Student Speaker will be selected by the graduating class.

Regalia Information
Cap and Gown rentals are available through Graduation Department of the Cal Student Store. Questions regarding regalia rental may be directed to the ASUC Store (642-9000 ext.681 or 642-7028). Honor Cords may be purchased at the store by undergraduate students who are enrolled in the Honors Program.

Grad Finale & Cal Student Store
Attend Grad Finale the week of April 3 - 6 for everything you need for graduation. The Graduation Department at the Cal Student Store opens on April 2, 2012. View their Student Information Flyer to get more information about what they have to offer.

Graduation Announcements
If you wish to inform friends and relatives of your graduation, generic announcements may be purchased at the Cal Student Store. Personalized announcements may be ordered any time online at jostens.com. Order early! (They take around 3 weeks to arrive). If you do not like the product offered, you can go to your favorite stationer and order your own design. A group of students ordering together might find a reduced price available for a bulk order.

Diplomas
Diplomas are not presented at the ceremony; they are usually available about 4 to 5 months after the end of the semester. Graduates may pick up their diploma at the Registrar's Office (120 Sproul Hall) or request that it be mailed to them for a charge. You must have all of your fees paid, returned all library books, and have no other outstanding concerns. If you have not already done so, please log onto Bear Facts to designate a specific mailing address for your diploma. For more information, contact the Office of the Registrar.

Photographs
There will be a professional photographer present during the ceremony. A picture will be taken of each student at the moment the commemorative scroll is given to the student by the Psychology Department Chair Dr. Richard Ivry. The photographer will contact you at the address you write on the card.

To prevent crowd congestion and to ensure the safety and comfort of all, guests may only take pictures and videos from their seats.

Weather Considerations
Please inform your guests that both the ceremony and reception are outdoor events that will take place rain or shine. Guests should be prepared for all weather conditions. Please note that the ceremony will probably take place in direct sunlight (no shade), and so people should plan accordingly (sunscreen, umbrellas, water, etc.).

Disability Accommodation & On-Site Medical Aid
Please inform the Student Services Office when you sign-up for commencement by April 6 if you or any of your guests require disability accommodations at the Greek Theatre (e.g., if they are disabled and/or will be using a wheelchair, if they need seating close to an entrance to reduce walking, or if they need an assisted listening device). Information on the campus' Disability Access Services can be found at http://access.berkeley.edu/.

There will be a registered nurse and campus security aides on duty during the ceremony should anyone need medical attention. The nurse will be backstage, near the North Gate entrance.

The reception is a short (10 minute), downhill walk to the Campanile Esplanade.

Parking
On-campus visitor parking is available in any designated student lot on campus, for a $10 fee. Parking lots near the Greek Theatre include: 1) Foothill Lot (Hearst Ave., east of Highland Ave.) and 2) Upper Hearst Structure, (Hearst & Gayley Rd.), and 3) Kleeberger Lot (Stadium Rimway, off Gayley Rd.). Traffic is likely to be heavy around the theater and parking may be difficult, so be sure to allow plenty of time to get there. Please see the Parking & Transportation web site for more information on parking fees, maps and locations, disability parking, and public transportation.

For disability parking information please see the Parking & Transportation Disability Access page. There is limited disability parking in the Bowles lot at the south entrance to the Greek Theatre. Please arrive early (by 1:00 p.m.) to ensure parking. There is limited disability parking near Memorial Glade in front of the Campanile Esplanade. Please see the Parking & Transportation web site for more information on parking fees, maps and locations, disability parking, and public transportation.

Visitor Information
Visitors coming from outside the Bay Area may wish to contact UC Berkeley Visitors Services at 510-642-5215. Information on local accommodations can be found at the Berkeley Visitors Bureau.

Commencement Day Procedures - Graduating Students
PLEASE ARRIVE AT THE GREEK THEATER ON MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012, AT 1:00 PM IN ROBE AND READY TO GO.

• The Greek Theatre gates will be opened at 1:00 p.m. The ceremony will start at 2:00 p.m.

• Degree candidates should congregate in the backstage area at 1:00 pm. You will then be given a color coded index card on which to print your first and last name. If your name is difficult to pronounce, it should be spelled phonetically on the card. All cards will be either blue or yellow, signifying whether you line up stage left or stage right for the procession. Although we cannot  guarantee that you will be able to sit near your friends, your chances of sitting beside them are greatly increased if you are next to each other in the same line backstage (in other words, ask for a card that is the same color as those of your friends). After receiving your card, it is almost impossible to switch cards (from A to B or vice versa), so make sure you know what line you want to be in before asking for a corresponding card.

• On cue, the lines will march into the Theater and into the student seating. Please remain standing until Dr. Ivry signals candidates to be seated.

• Towards the end of the ceremony, Dr. Ivry will present each student with a commemorative scroll on stage.
                 o Ph.D. candidates will be hooded individually by their Faculty Advisor.
                 o B.A. candidates will be given a card backstage which will have
                    directions regarding this process. Student Services Staff will be there
                    to guide you through this portion of the ceremony.

• Dr. Ivry will then end the ceremony. The audience will remain seated while the students leave the stage. 

• The ceremony usually lasts between two and two-and-a-half hours.

PLEASE INFORM YOUR GUESTS OF THESE DETAILS SO THEY DO NOT HAVE TO CALL THE STUDENT SERVICES OFFICE TO GET THE INFORMATION.

If you have questions, please contact the student services staff at psychsso@berkeley.edu