Auburn announces fall commencement plans

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Auburn’s fall 2020 graduates will be recognized at the university’s fall commencement ceremonies scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 12 in Jordan-Hare Stadium, contingent on current health and safety guidelines and weather.

In lieu of larger ceremonies featuring multiple colleges and students, individual colleges and schools will recognize graduates at set ceremony times, beginning with doctoral students at 8 a.m. Following brief remarks by the dean to families and guests, graduates will have the opportunity to walk across the stage, receive their copy of The Auburn Creed from their dean and pose for photographs with their name on the video board.

Times for each college and school are available on the commencement website, and graduates must arrive no later than 20 minutes before their scheduled time. Each ceremony will include a 10-minute break between each college and school. The ceremonies will be live-streamed for guests unable to attend or who have health concerns.

Due to the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including limits on in-person gatherings and interstate travel restrictions, the university made the difficult decision to postpone the May and August ceremonies. Spring and summer 2020 graduates can also participate in the December ceremonies. Any spring or summer graduate who would like to participate is asked to submit a registration form, available on the commencement website, to ensure they have a name card printed in advance.

More than 2,000 fall graduates are scheduled to graduate during fall semester. Families and guests will be required to physically distance in groups and are encouraged to wear face coverings. Graduates will be permitted to enter Jordan-Hare Stadium through Gate 10, while families and guests must enter through Gate 8. Students must wear face coverings at all times while inside the Harbert Family Recruiting Center and are only permitted to remove their face covering as they cross the stage for photographs. Hand sanitizer will be available and easily accessible for students and guests.

While the university anticipates hosting the commencement ceremonies in December, contingency plans have been developed in the event of changes to existing COVID-19 regulations or severe weather. These plans include transitioning the ceremonies to Auburn Arena, where they will be live-streamed without guests.

Fall graduates who need to order keepsake regalia should place orders through the Auburn University Bookstore. Regalia orders that are received before Oct. 23 can be picked up during the week of Nov. 9-13. Graduates can pick up orders placed after Oct. 23 during the week of Dec. 7-12. All graduates participating in commencement are expected to wear the proper regalia. Additional information is available on the commencement website, and information will be posted on the Auburn University Graduation Facebook and Instagram accounts.

For questions regarding commencement, please contact aucommencement@auburn.edu.

Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie’s Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn’s commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact.