Monthly Archives: May 2016

Graduation – Final Instructions

Graduation

GRADUATION DAY

Wednesday, May 21

University Commencement

Schedule:

8:30 a.m. General admission gates open (West 114th Street and Broadway)
9:00 a.m. Degree Candidates line up (enter campus 117th & Broadway)
9:30 a.m. Degree Candidate Procession begins
10:15 a.m. Ceremony begins with the Academic Procession
12:00 p.m. Ceremony concludes

Webcast: http://bit.ly/CUcommencement16

Guest Seating: Tickets allow entrance into Morningside Campus on Commencement Day however they do not guarantee a seat. Seats are on a first come first served basis, they are unassigned, and cannot be reserved. University Commencement is a highly popular event and therefore space is very limited.

General admission gates are located at West 114th Street and Broadway

All guests with disabilities should enter Morningside Campus at the following gates:
116th Street and Amsterdam Avenue
115th Street and Amsterdam Avenue (between Wallach and Hartley Halls)
The Levien Gymnasium of the Dodge Fitness Center will also serve as an indoor, weather-friendly, accessible viewing location for any guest with a general admission ticket.
Gates open to Commencement ticket holders at 8:30 a.m.

Graduates will be sitting in the bleachers, left staircase, on the Dodge/Lewisohn side of Low. Wear sensible shoes, especially if it is raining.

The best place for parents to sit to see you in the bleachers is on the Amsterdam side of the campus. Don’t forget to remind them to bring their Commencement tickets, a camera and/or cell phone. Many students call their parents so they can wave to them at the appropriate moment. The University Commencement ceremony is an outdoor event which is held rain or shine. Prepare yourself appropriately for the weather conditions. Please bring sunscreen and a hat as well as an umbrella, raincoat, towel, and plastic bags should there be inclement weather.

After the ceremony it will be very difficult getting around so please pick an obvious place to meet your loved ones. Off campus is best, for example, in front of “Morton Williams.” The campus will be a mass of confusion with the graduates and families all trying to find each other. Patience is the word for the day as well as the use of cell phones.

Graduate Seating: Journalism graduates must enter the Earl Hall gate on Broadway at 117th street (east side of Broadway, opposite the Barnard gates) wearing your cap and gown (please have CUID too). Please note access to the Journalism building from that side of campus will be impossible. If you need anything from the building, get it before lining up. Also, bathroom breaks are difficult once the event begins.
Weather: The University Commencement ceremony is an outdoor event which is held rain or shine. Prepare yourself appropriately for the weather conditions. Please bring sunscreen and a hat as well as an umbrella or raincoat, should there be inclement weather. There is also an indoor, weather-friendly viewing location in the Levien Gymnasium of the Dodge Fitness Center, which can be accessed with general Commencement admission tickets.

Street Closures: For those planning to drive or park near campus during Commencement Week, please note that many streets surrounding Morningside Campus will be closed (to both traffic and parking) by the NYPD.

After the ceremony: The ceremony will end shortly after noon. We recommend that graduates and their families choose a designated area off campus to meet after the ceremony. With more than 30,000 people on campus, it can be very difficult to find someone — even with a cell phone — without planning ahead.

Bags: For security reasons and to save time, we ask that everyone refrain from bringing bags to campus on Commencement Day. Any bags or packages brought to the ceremony will be subject to search and must be kept in the owner’s possession at all times. Bringing bags will slow down entry and cause delay.

Graduating Student Instructions: For those who have purchased academic attire to walk in the University Commencement, we will congregate next to Low Library on the Broadway side just north of the flag pole (see map) at 9:00 am. Don’t be late. Look for the sign and Dean Huff and our student marshals Lora Moftah, Astha Rajvanshi, and Kevin Stawicki.

Meet Dean Huff and your student marshals at Section 11 per this map:
http://www.columbia.edu/files/columbia/content/degree_candidate_line_up_map.pdf

J-School Graduation

3 pm-5 pm (seating begins for guests at 2:15 pm)

Lerner Hall, entrance at 115th street. Roone Arledge Auditorium; CUIDS are
required for faculty, staff and graduates. Non-graduating students may not attend.

Doors for seating open at 2:15p.m. Your guests must present Journalism School Graduation ceremony tickets at the entrance. Guest seating is general admission.

Guests who would like a seat in the auditorium should arrive early as Arledge auditorium will be at maximum capacity this year.

Strollers are not allowed in the auditorium and children have to be removed from strollers prior to entry. Strollers will have to be left in the foyer.

Student seating will be assigned by your program and core course (PhD, Knight Bagehot, Spencer, M.S. Reporting or M.A. Seminar in Discipline). A numbered chart will be given to you as you enter the event.

This event will be webcast live by Columbia University for the audience in all corners of world at this link: bit.ly/cjslive

At the appointed moment, you will directed to the stage with your fellow
classmates where your name will be read and you will receive handshakes,
congratulations and your diploma placeholder envelope (diplomas will arrive in the mail in early June) from the deans and your primary instructor. Dress is afternoon wedding or business attire.

Graduates will be photographed with their diploma envelopes as they exit the stage, and will have options to purchase these photographs (custserv@islandphoto.com or 516-767-1234). Personal cameras are OK but please caution anyone who will be taking pictures to stay in their specific seating section.

A reception immediately follows on Furnald Lawn between Lerner Hall and the Journalism School. In the event of steady rain, it will be held at the Journalism School. We recommend all guests exit the Auditorium and meet their guests at the reception.

gradface

MAJOR MEMO: Graduation Tickets

Getting Things Done, Graduation, M.A. Program, M.S. Program, Part-time Students, PhD

To receive your tickets you MUST complete the graduation survey at

http://bit.ly/CJS16survey

The survey is used to create a class directory, employment statistics and a database of employment information indicating the types of position openings in which you are interested. This is very important in determining how we can better help graduates find the best jobs as quickly as possible, and how the school can help make that happen by also collecting feedback on career services. You willingness to allow career services to circulate your resume is also indicated on the survey.

The survey is also used to gather feedback on other aspects of your Journalism School experience that cannot be captured through course evaluations.

You may pick up your tickets from Chanel Roche or Evelyn Corchado in room 207A once you have completed your online graduation survey and are in compliance with the Sexual Respect Initiative.

They will verify receipt of the survey (and SRI compliance) and have you sign for your ticket envelope containing both sets of tickets.

Only those who registered that they are attending graduation and requested tickets receive tickets.

The survey can done 24/7, but the office is open for ticket pick-up on weekdays from 10 am-5 pm only.

If you are a part-time student and it is impossible for you to come in, you may contact Chanel Roche about having tickets mailed. Survey receipt verification is still required.

REMINDER: You must be in compliance with the Assessment System requirements to graduate.  Those who do not submit their materials by the May 13 deadline will be removed from the list of graduating students.

DEADLINE TO PICK UP TICKETS: MAY 17, 5 P.M.

 

ACTION ITEM: Immunization Compliance

Getting Things Done, Healthcare Issues, M.A. Program, M.S. Program, Major memos

Dear New Students:

Welcome to the Journalism School! We look forward to meeting you soon! We will be in touch later in June about registration and mandatory orientation.

Right now, I am writing to notify you about something you must do before we will be able to register you for classes.

New York State public health law requires that all students document immunity to Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), as well as document that they either have received the Meningitis vaccine or have declined to receive it.

All students must be in compliance with these laws before being registered for classes.  Detailed information and instructions are available at http://health.columbia.edu/students/immunization-compliance-requirements/immunization-compliance-requirements

Please act as soon as possible to supply Health Services with the required documentation.  Please do not send me or anyone else at the Journalism School your health records.  Only Health Services can certify that you are cleared and can be registered.

The deadline for completion of this task is May 11 for new part-time students and July 1 for all new full-time students !  We will be unable to register you for classes without your having submitted this documentation.

Please DO NOT contact my office with questions about this requirement, you must contact Health Services at (212) 854-7210 with any questions regarding immunization compliance. Alternately, send email to immunizationcompliance@columbia.edu

Thanks!

MAJOR MEMO: Year-End Manual 2016

Alumni, Graduation, Major memos, Useful Websites

Dear Graduating Students:

Please carefully read this End-of-Year Manual for information about building access, locker clean out, equipment use, alumni services and more.

Use of Journalism Building Facilities After May 18.

Use of Building:

Members of the Class of 2016 will have access to the building and its facilities through June 30, 2016.

Exceptions include: any area under construction, and any classrooms and computer rooms being used for summer classes or special programs. If you are in one of these rooms when a class is scheduled to begin, please leave immediately. Refusal to cooperate may result in the termination of your access to the building.

Equipment

All current fines must be paid by Monday, May 9 or a hold will be placed on your student account. All equipment must be returned to the Equipment Room (405) by Monday, May 16th. Action will be taken to repossess equipment from outstanding checkouts after May 16. After graduation, students will be allowed to check out equipment (if all bills paid), as available, until Friday, June 10th. Please remember that scheduled summer school classes and master’s project students, as well as necessary equipment maintenance upgrades, have priority for equipment and editing rooms. The equipment room will be operating on summer hours starting Thursday, May 19th from 10am-6pm and will be closed on Graduation Day. 

Please be aware that individual computer rooms will be closed at different times for maintenance and upgrading. Though it is likely, it is not guaranteed that there will always be a computer room or terminal available. Due to maintenance schedules, summer class schedules and the master’s projects, it is possible that you will be unable to use a computer at a specific time.

Student Lockers:

All May graduates must empty their lockers by noon, Friday, May 13.

Continuing part-time students and documentary students may keep their lockers. Graduates who will be working on a demo tape or other approved projects during the month of June may also keep their lockers. To request such a locker extension, please send e-mail to Derek Gano at dg2382@columbia.edu with your name and the reason for your request.

Graduates’ lockers that have not been vacated by noon on Friday, May 13, will be have their locks removed and contents moved to a storage bin and eventually discarded. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GRADUATION CEREMONIES UNTIL YOUR LOCKER IS EMPTIED. All locker questions should be directed to Derek Gano at JSchool-Building@lists.columbia.edu

Student Mail Folders:

The mail folders of graduating students may be used until noon, Friday, May 20. All items remaining in boxes after that date will be discarded.

Computer Account and Class Shares:

Access to J-School computer accounts for all graduating students will remain active until June 30, 2016.

All personal server space and class shares (posted below) will be deleted on May 30. Please be sure to backup all of your files to external media or cloud services (external hard Drives, DropBox, Amazon S3 etc.) before your account is deactivated. These shares will no longer be available to you and the data will be unrecoverable. Even if you are not graduating this May please also note these shares will be deleted as they are for class work only, so do not continue to use them. New shares will be provisioned for summer courses.

Shares:

Photo

City News Room

CNS

DigitalMedia

Radio

OnAir

Video Newsroom

Magazine

Masters

Nightly

Broadcast

TVReporting

August

University Services After May 18

Health Services

You have access to Health Services and are insured through August 15.

University Libraries

Recent alumni will retain full library privileges, including borrowing privileges and access to licensed electronic databases, for a period of three months beyond the degree conferral date. Access information can be found at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/services/lio/access/. Library Services for alumni can be found at http://www.alumni.libraries.columbia.edu/

Dodge Physical Fitness Center (aka the Gym): You may use the gym over the summer with your current CUID. However, you will have to pay the $91 gym use fee. Beginning in September, you will be eligible for alumni gym use. Please see http://www.dodgefitnesscenter.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9610&ATCLID=205330326

Alumni Benefits and Services

A variety of benefits and services are available to Journalism School graduates. This page answers most of your most questions and concerns, from auditing a class at Columbia to updating your address information, from obtaining a transcript of your time here to using Columbia’s recreational facilities – http://bit.ly/alumni_benefits

Please note that you will automatically be subscribed to your class listserv using the real world e-mail address supplied in your graduation survey (more details en route from Career Services). To update any of your contact information with us or sign up for a regional listserv, use this form:

http://bit.ly/cugsj_update

LionMail: You keep this account forever.