Fall 2007 Commencement

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November 20, 2007

TO: All Graduation Candidates, Fall 2007
FROM: Kenith Simmons, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Aloha Kakou!

The end of the semester draws close and so, too, does Commencement Day. A wonderful ceremony is being prepared to honor you, with Keynote speaker Mr. Dustin Shindo, co-founder of Hoku Scientific, founder of Mehana Brewing Company, and graduate of Waiakea High School. Communications major Mr. Jeffrey Byrne will be speaking on behalf of the graduating class.

Here is important information concerning Commencement:

Rehearsal: Friday, December 14, 2007: 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., University of Hawai`i at Hilo New Gymnasium
Attendance at this practice is highly recommended. We will rehearse the entire ceremony and cover such details as the procession and recession, the seating order, and the receiving of your diploma covers.

Commencement: Saturday, December 15, 2007 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., University of Hawai`i at Hilo New Gymnasium
Between 7:30 – 8:00 a.m., go directly to the Athletic Locker Room-Training Area Courtyard and obtain your name card. The processional marshals will place you in the processional line according to your college degree and the order determined at the rehearsal. Please note that you are only allowed on-stage once, even if you are receiving multiple degrees. Leave your personal belongings with a family member or friend during the ceremony.

Dress and Academic Regalia:
Academic attire will consist of a cap, gown, and tassel, and for M.A. Candidates, a master’s hood. If you haven’t ordered these items, go to the UH Hilo Bookstore as soon as possible to ensure that they are available. Please wear footwear that is appropriate for such an important occasion.

Diploma covers:
During the Commencement ceremony, you will receive a diploma cover with instructions for diploma pickup. If you cannot attend commencement, please call the Records and Registration Office at 974-7385 for information about receiving your diploma and cover.

Music:
The Commencement Chorus will sing Hawai`i Pono‘ï, Ho‘onani I Ka Makua Mau, and Pulelo Ha`aheo during the ceremony. If you would like to join the chorus, contact Mary Ann Tsuchiyama at commence@hawaii.edu for details about chorus rehearsals prior to Commencement.

Additional celebratory music will be performed by the UHH Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Ken Staton and Ms. Courtney Turner.

Parking:
Parking will be available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis on the UH Hilo campus. Reserved stalls at the top parking lot fronting the New Gymnasium are for dignitaries and guests with disabilities.

Guests:
No tickets or advance reservations are required for your guests, but seating is limited and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The doors to the gym will open at 8:15 a.m. Please encourage your guests to arrive early and if rain threatens, to bring umbrellas for use while they wait for the doors to open. You may also want to suggest that they bring fans and bench cushions if they wish.

After the ceremony, guests can look for you outside of the gymnasium under the alphabet letter that your last name begins with.

Kupuna and Guests with Disabilities:
The New Gym is wheelchair accessible, alternate format can be made available, and sign language interpreters will be present. Ms. Susan Shirachi, Director of UH Hilo Disability Services, is accepting advance requests for assistance, including special parking arrangements, for kupuna and guests with disability-related needs. Arrangements do need to be made ahead of time, so please contact Ms. Shirachi as soon as possible if you or any of your guests will need assistance. She can be reached at 933-0816 (voice), 933-3334 (TTY), 974-7691 (fax), or via e-mail at shirachi@hawaii.edu.

Dignitaries:
A special seating area will be reserved for the dignitaries who will be in attendance; they will also be invited to use reserved parking. If you know that an official from your home plans to attend, please inform Mary Ann Tsuchiyama as soon as possible to facilitate that person’s welcome. She can be reached at 974-7555 or at commence@hawaii.edu.

Photographs:
An area will be set aside in the gymnasium for your family to take photographs. Additionally, a photographer from Picture Man of Hawai`i, Inc., will take a picture of you receiving your diploma cover. About one week after your graduation, please visit the Picture Man of Hawai`i website at www.picturemanofhawaii.com to review your photo. Enter your secure password of UHH127 (not case sensitive). All available proofs will be displayed in walking order with full instructions for ordering your color photographs. Print packages and prices will be posted online with an order deadline. We encourage you to ask ahead of time if friends and relatives will want photos so that you can order all of your photos at the same time. Weather-permitting, there will also be a UHH Banner placed at a photo opportunity site outside the gymnasium, where graduates can take photos with friends and family.

In Consideration of Others at the Ceremony:
In keeping with the formality of the occasion, and in consideration of those with health issues that may be adversely affected by sudden loud noises, we encourage you to please ask your friends and family members to refrain from the use of horns and other loud noise-makers during the ceremony.

Reception:
The University of Hawai`i at Hilo Student Association (UHHSA) is sponsoring a reception immediately following the Commencement Ceremony. We invite you and your guests to join us at the UH Hilo Campus Center Plaza for light refreshments.

Correct Address:
To ensure that correspondence reaches you in a timely manner, please update the Records Office in the Student Services Building if you have a change of mailing address. Their telephone number is: 974-7322

A final note. . .

Commencement Day will be a day of great pride for you, your family and friends. The entire University community looks forward to the opportunity to honor and congratulate you. Until then, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Mary Ann Tsuchiyama at 974-7555 or at commence@hawaii.edu.

September 24, 2007

NOTICE: Please check all commencement announcements and notices to ensure the correct spelling of your name. If you find an error, please contact records & registration at: (808) 974-7322 so that corrections may be addressed prior to printing the commencement program.

September 12, 2007

TO: All Graduation Candidates, Fall 2007
FROM: Kenith Simmons, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Pulelo ha`aheo ke ahi a na lehua a`o Hilo
The flame of Hilo’s lehua blossoms leaps triumphantly with pride
‘Ano ai kakou, proud members of the University of Hawai`i at Hilo Class of 2007.

As applicants for Fall 2007 graduation, you are cordially invited to participate in the Fall 2007 Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, December 15, 2007, at the University of Hawai`i at Hilo New Gymnasium.

The Commencement ceremony symbolizes the conclusion of a rigorous period of academic study, training, sacrifice, discipline, and perseverance. The UH Hilo faculty and administration look forward to your participation in the celebration of your achievement. Please plan to be a part of the following activities:

Commencement Rehearsal – Friday, December 14, 2007 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the UH Hilo New Gymnasium on Kāwili Street.
Commencement Ceremony – Saturday, December 15, 2007 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. at the UH Hilo New Gymnasium. Check-in time is from 7:30-8:00 a.m.

Your guests will not be required to have tickets.

In Early December, I will send you a reminder and specific information about all of the events planned in your honor. To ensure that correspondence reaches you in a timely manner, please update the Records and Registration Office on changes to your mailing address: http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/studentaffairs/records/

As part of the ceremony, a student representing the graduating class will address the audience. If you’d like to be considered for this high honor, please pick up an application form in the Humanities Division Office, Edith Kanakaÿole Hall Room 214. The application will explain the criteria that will be used to select the student speaker. Applications are due by noon on Friday, October 19, 2007.

The Commencement Chorus is comprised of faculty, staff, and students, traditionally singing Hawai`i Pono`ï and Pulelo Ha`aheo. If you are interested in singing at your commencement, e-mail Mary Ann Tsuchiyama at commence@hawaii.edu for details about rehearsal times.

Academic attire will consist of a cap, gown, and tassel, and for M.A. Candidates, a master’s hood. Enclosed with this letter is a mailing from the UHH Bookstore, providing you with information about ordering your regalia. Please wear footwear that is appropriate for such an important occasion.

To order gowns, class rings, & announcements, please contact the UHH Bookstore @ 974-7348.

Parking will be available in all areas of campus, free of charge and on a first- come, first-served basis. Pre-arranged reserved parking for dignitaries and people with special needs will be in the stalls fronting the New Gymnasium.

For guests, the doors to the New Gymnasium will open at 8:15 a.m. After the ceremony, guests can find graduates on the lawn encircling the facility under the letters of the alphabets indicating last names.

Ms. Susan Shirachi, Director of Disability Services, is accepting requests for assistance to küpuna and guests with disability-related needs. The Gymnasium is wheelchair accessible, alternate print format of the program can be made available, and sign language interpreters will be present. For these and other questions, contact Susan as soon as possible. She can be reached at 933-0816 (voice), 933-3334 (TTY), 974-7691 (fax), and shirachi@hawaii.edu. Those with special needs can make parking arrangements through the Disability Services Office. Accessibility Arrangements - ADA Office: 933-0816 (V), 933-3334 (TTY)

There will be a special seating area reserved for dignitaries. For more information, please contact Mary Ann Tsuchiyama by December 1st and we will facilitate that person’s welcome. Mary Ann can be reached at 974-7555 or commence@hawaii.edu.

You will receive your diploma cover at commencement, with a note about when your diploma will be ready. If you cannot attend commencement, call the Records and Registration Office for information about receiving your cover and diploma at 974-7385.

An official photographer from Picture Man Hawai`i, Inc. will provide you with information at commencement about the website in which you can order a picture of yourself as you receive your diploma cover. An area will be set aside in the stadium for family members to take photos, as well.

In the meantime, please re-confirm with your advisor that you have fulfilled all requirements for your degree and are eligible to graduate.

If you have questions, please contact the appropriate office:

Academic Questions: Contact the Office of the Dean of your college

CAFNRM: 974-7393
CAS: 974-7300
CoBE: 997-7400
Ka Haka `Ula o Ke`elikolani: 974-7342

General Information:

Mary Ann Tsuchiyama, Assistant Director
UH Hilo Conference Center: 974-7555
E-mail: commence@hawaii.edu

I am eager to make graduation day an event of great pride for you and your family!