Of the 814 University of Idaho candidates for graduation this fall, approximately 450 are expected to participate in the winter commencement ceremony at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the Kibbie Dome, said Dave Putensen, UI assistant registrar.
The graduating students will earn a total of 841 degrees – 529 undergraduate, 249 master’s, 43 doctoral, 12 law and eight specialist degrees. This is an increase from last fall’s projected 745 graduates earning 782 degrees, Putensen said.
This brings the grand total of UI graduates since the university was founded to 103,264 and degrees to 110,880.
Putensen said the Registrar’s Office is in charge of checking requirements for graduating students to ensure they’ve actually earned the degree they’re walking for.
“There’s an important distinction to make,” Putensen said. “There’s commencement and walking in the ceremony versus actually graduating, which are two separate things. We play somewhat of the policing role.”
It’s possible for students to walk in commencement, and figure out afterward they didn’t actually graduate, Putensen said.
“We have the commencement ceremony a week before finals, so it’s possible for students to fail a class that they needed to graduate,” he said. “Grades don’t come in until right before Christmas time, and then it’s a six-week processing period before diplomas are actually generated and mailed to students.”
Putensen said during the six-week processing period, the Registrar’s Office double checks every student that applied for graduation to make sure they’ve fulfilled requirements.
Throughout the semester, the Registrar’s Office also checks graduating students’ degree audits to clean up any “issues,” such as a class substitution, etc.
Putensen said the “higher-ups” of the university — the president, deans and a reagent — will lead Saturday’s procession, followed by a line of faculty for students to walk through. Once everyone is in seated, the ceremony will begin with a series of introductions and brief speeches by academic provosts and UI president M. Duane Nellis.
Bruce Pitman, UI dean of students, will give the commencement address.
Pitman said his speech will emphasize congratulating those who have overcome a lot to get their degrees and have accomplished a great deal.
“I’m going to be putting a focus on a good goodbye, and there’ll be a brief trip down memory lane for these folks,” he said. “I’ll talk a little bit about a few of the funny things that have happened along the way.”
Pitman said his commencement address will be light on advice.
“I think that, frankly, this is a time when graduating students and their families are in a pretty celebratory mood, and they’ve taken an awful lot of advice . . . over the last four or five years,” he said.
Following Pitman’s speech is a special moment for ROTC students, Putensen said.
He said Nellis will then confer all of the students’ degrees, before they cross the stage to be recognized individually.
Putensen said the ceremonial portion will take a bulk of the time on Saturday. Students will cross the stage as their name and honors — if applicable — are read aloud, shake Nellis’ hand, receive their diploma case and pause for a picture.
A photographer will be present, and students will have the opportunity to purchase photos after the ceremony.
The President’s Reception will immediately follow commencement on the main floor of the Kibbie Dome. Graduating student’s family and friends are welcome to attend.
“This is such a signature university event,” Putensen said. “We want to make sure we put on a good show, and showcase our students the best we can.”