Commencement

THE COLLEGE-WIDE CEREMONY

The seventy-third Commencement of the College of Staten Island will take place on Thursday, May 26, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. The ceremony will be held outdoors on the Great Lawn, rain or shine. You will need to be at the College no later than 8:15 a.m. to participate in this ceremony. ​

All graduates should report to Alumni Walk, located between the campus center and the library (see campus map), with the exception of the School of Business reporting to the front of building 3N, the School of Education reporting to the front of building 3S, the Mathematics Department reporting to the front of building 1S, the Chemistry Department reporting to the front of building 6S and the English Department reporting to the front of building 2S.

The Commencement Ceremony will be livestreamed. We will have several camera feeds so your family and friends at home or abroad will get a high-quality experience. Open captioning will be available.  The livestream link will be on the CSI website by 9:00 a.m. on May 26th.
 
This year, all departmental ceremonies and other Commencement-related events will be held virtually in the days before the College-wide event, and those details will be communicated separately by the organizers.

COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS

In the interest of public health and well-being, we will adhere to guidelines in effect at the time to ensure a safe event for our students, faculty, staff, and guests. All candidates for graduation have received information via email regarding protocols on Friday, May 13th, 2022 to their CIX and preferred emails listed in CUNYfirst. Please email studentaffairs@csi.cuny.edu if you have any questions.   

On the day of the event, your three (3) guests will need to provide either proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test no more than 7 days before the ceremony in accordance with the CUNY Visitor Policy.

 
PARKING AND OTHER TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION
Please be mindful that parking is extremely limited and will be available at all marked lots on campus.  Please make every effort to carpool to the College. Please convey this to your guests as well.
 
Please note that all MTA buses (including the S93) will stop at the main gate on Victory Boulevard, and a CSI shuttle bus will pick people up and bring them onto campus near the Great Lawn.

TICKETS FOR GUESTS
Guests will not need to have an invitation or ticket to attend the College-wide ceremony on the Great Lawn. However, seating is extremely limited, so we allow no more than three guests per graduate. 

STUDENTS WITH ACCESSIBILITY REQUESTS
Special arrangements will be made for degree candidates with disabilities. If you require assistance, contact the Center for Student Accessibility at 718.982.2510 or csa@csi.cuny.edu.  

Preparing for the Ceremony

Caps and Gowns
All degree candidates (for January, June and August) who have not ordered their cap and gown yet must purchase their cap and gown directly from The CSI Bookstore located in building 1C, room 105. You may check store hours on the bookstore website.

Senior Portraits 
PICTURE THIS is your official senior photographer, and appreciates the opportunity to capture your graduation portrait. Your photographs will be taken for personal and family use. 
PICTURE THIS has set aside multiple dates for your graduation portrait to be taken: You must make an appointment by calling their office at 718-447-4607, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM-7:00 PM. There will be a $10 sitting fee. Cash, money orders or checks payable to CSI-ASC will be accepted. SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT NOW TO GUARANTEE AVAILABILITY. SITTINGS ARE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. 
Portraits will be taken ON CAMPUS in the Campus Center (1C), Room 215.  The studio is following all of CSI's COVID-19 precautions and protocol for your safety. Cap & gown poses, as well as your own attire, will be included. Limited graduation regalia will be available to use and sanitized after every use. To order your own cap and gown, see the information provided above.

Degrees and Diplomas

• Degrees will be awarded in CUNYfirst on the 15th of January, 15th of June, and 31st of August. Shortly thereafter, graduates will be sent a congratulatory email to let them know their degree has been awarded, and any transcripts they request going forward will verify their degree information.
• All emails will be sent to your preferred email address listed in CUNYfirst. To update your contact information, including your mailing address, in CUNYfirst, follow these directions.  While doing so, please check the spelling of your name as it appears in CUNYfirst to ensure we have the correct spelling of your name for your diploma.  If you have difficulty with this, please email us at degreeaudit@csi.cuny.edu for assistance.
• 6 - 8 weeks after degrees are awarded, graduates will receive an email notification with instructions for electronically claiming their diploma through the Parchment website. Please be advised that any holds that would prevent a transcripts' issuance will also prevent the diploma from being sent out ( Financial Aid Exit Interview). Please email degreeaudit@csi.cuny.edu once the hold is lifted, and the team will be able to send the diploma to you via Parchment within 1-2 business days.

To claim your Parchment account, please follow these 3 simple steps:

• Check your email for the award notification from Parchment.
• Follow the link to set up your Parchment digital credentials account.
• Share your digital diploma on Facebook and LinkedIn or download a secure .pdf version.

Benefits of a Digital Diploma

• Your digital diploma will always be accessible through your Parchment account.  You can login and download or share it again and again -- at no cost to you. Once you claim your account and log in, you can share your achievements!
• Easily share your digital diploma with employers with a secure and verified link.
• Share with family and friends on social media like Facebook and LinkedIn.
• View your digital diploma online at any time with permanent access through Parchment.com.
• Download your digital diploma and save it as a PDF.  Digital Diplomas can serve as an Alternative to the Apostille.
• Many countries recognize digital diplomas. Parchment Award diplomas are supporting the needs of international credentials.

Paper Diplomas

• Once you can access and view your digital diploma on the Parchment website, your paper diploma will not be far behind. Diplomas will be shipped via the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to the mailing address we have on file for you, and you can check the status of your order through the Parchment website. To update your contact information, including your mailing address, in CUNYfirst, follow these directions.  While doing so, please check the spelling of your name as it appears in CUNYfirst to ensure we have the correct spelling of your name for your diploma.  If you have difficulty with this, please email us at degreeaudit@csi.cuny.edu for assistance.
• Once you log in to your Parchment Account, click on Orders at the top of the page.
• On the next page, you will see the status of any diplomas you have requested and their status. Digital diplomas will show Delivery Type: Electronic, while paper diplomas will show the Delivery Type: Mail.

If you have difficulty accessing your Parchment account or issues with your login, you can contact Parchment directly for assistance on the Parchment website.
Note:  If you ever need an additional copy of your paper diploma, please click here.
If you graduated in January of 2020 or earlier and need assistance claiming a diploma, please contact degreeaudit@csi.cuny.edu

Day of the Ceremony

ROBING AND LINING UP FOR THE PROCESSION
All graduates should report to Alumni Walk, located between the campus center and the library (see campus map), by 8:15 a.m. in their cap and gowns, with the exception of the School of Business reporting to the front of building 3N, the School of Education reporting to the front of building 3S, the Mathematics Department reporting to the front of building 1S, the Chemistry Department reporting to the front of building 6S and the English Department reporting to the front of building 2S. 

Department signs will be posted, so you may quickly identify your group. This map of the line up is helpful.   Within departments, you will line up in the following order: Associate’s degree candidates, Bachelor's degree candidates, Master's degree candidates, and Sixth Year Certificate candidates. Faculty from each department will follow.
 
ROBING INSTRUCTIONS
Caps are to be worn flat on the head. Associate’s and Bachelor’s degree candidates wear tassels on the right; Master's degree candidates wear them on the left. Since the procession and ceremony will be held outdoors, it is suggested that degree candidates consider weather conditions and wear appropriate clothing and footwear. Robing, lining up, and moving in the academic procession involves being on your feet for a considerable time. Therefore, comfortable footwear is recommended.
 
SECURING PERSONAL BELONGINGS
There will be no place for securing personal belongings. Bring with you only items that you can carry. No backpacks, fanny packs, umbrellas, or other bags will be allowed in the procession.
 
PROCESSIONAL 
As a degree candidate, you will be led by a member of the faculty or a graduating student who will be carrying the departmental banner. The procession will move from Alumni Walk, through the Center for the Arts courtyard, into the Atrium and onto the Great Lawn. 

DECORUM
The Commencement Ceremony lasts about two hours and is a momentous occasion. All participants are expected to comport themselves appropriately during the ceremony. During the ceremony, cell phones and other electronic devices should be switched off or to vibration mode.
 
PRESENTATION OF DEGREE CANDIDATES AND CONFERRING OF DEGREES
The Provost formally presents each group of degree candidates (AA, AS, AAS, BA, BS, BFA, MA, ME, MS, MSW, MSEd, EdD, DNP, DPT, and Advanced Certificates) to the President. January and June graduates will be presented first, followed by August graduates. The Provost will ask each group to rise and remain standing until all degrees have been conferred. The President will read a statement conferring degrees. At the conclusion of the President’s message, all Bachelor’s and Associate’s degree candidates may move the tassels on their caps from right to left.
 
RECESSIONAL
At the close of the exercises, graduates will be led from the Great Lawn by the faculty marshals.

THE PROGRAM
Commencement programs will be distributed to graduates and their guests on Commencement Day. It will feature a QR code that has a link to the Commencement booklet that will list all of the degree candidates.

THE COLLEGE-WIDE CEREMONY 

The College-wide seventy-third Commencement of the College of Staten Island will occur on Thursday, May 26, 2022, at 9:30 a.m., at the College of Staten Island (2800 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, New York). It will be held outdoors on the Great Lawn, rain or shine. 

The music prologue begins at 9:00 a.m., and the ceremony starts promptly at 9:30 a.m., but we encourage you to arrive at 8:15 a.m. with your graduate since there will be delays at the front grate due to COVID-19 check-in procedures. 
 
The event will also be livestreamed. We will have several camera feeds so your family and friends at home or abroad will get a high-quality experience. Open captioning will be available.  The livestream link will be on the CSI website by 9:00 a.m. on May 26th.

COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS 

VACCINATED AND UNVACCINATED GUESTS:
In the interest of public health and well-being, we will adhere to guidelines in effect at the time to ensure a safe event for our students, faculty, staff, and guests. On the day of the event, vaccinated guests can show proof as follows: CDC Vaccine Card, NYS Excelsior Pass/Plus, NYC Safe or other government-issued proof of vaccination documentation.  Unvaccinated guests can show proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular (PCR) test dated no more than seven (7) days prior to the ceremony. Be sure to circle the negative test results with a pen so that our Public Safety officers can quickly identify whether the test is negative.  Facial coverings/masks are recommended.

VACCINATED AND UNVACCINATED SMALL CHILDREN:
Children 6 and older will need proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 molecular (PCR) test dated no more than seven (7) days before the ceremony. Children between the ages of 2-5 are exempt from testing and proof of vaccination, but facial coverings/masks are strongly recommended. 

PARKING AND OTHER TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION
Please be mindful that parking is extremely limited and will be available at all marked lots on campus. Please make every effort to carpool to the College with your graduate.   

The Great Lawn, where the College-wide Commencement Ceremony will be held, is a considerable walk from the College’s parking lots (see campus map). Therefore, comfortable footwear is recommended. 

The campus map may help you navigate the grounds of the College.

Please note that all MTA buses (including the S93) will stop at the main gate on Victory Boulevard, and a CSI shuttle bus will pick people up and bring them onto campus near the Great Lawn.
 
TICKETS
It is unnecessary to have an invitation or ticket to attend the College-wide ceremony on the Great Lawn. However, seating is extremely limited, so we allow no more than three guests per graduate. 
 
THE PROGRAM
Commencement programs will be distributed to graduates and their guests on Commencement Day. It will feature a QR code that has a link to the Commencement booklet that will list all of the degree candidates.

 
GUESTS WITH ACCESSIBILITY REQUESTS
Guests who are wheelchair users or have other mobility concerns should inquire at the entrance gates about special on-campus transportation. They will be directed to a designated drop-off point where they and one companion can access special transportation to and from the ceremony site. If a particular need should arise while on campus, please notify a uniformed Public Safety Officer. For other accommodation requests, please contact the Center for Student Accessibility at 718.982.2510 or csa@csi.cuny.edu.  

LIVESTREAM
The Commencement ceremony will also be livestreamed. We will have several camera feeds so family and friends at home or abroad will get a high-quality experience. Open captioning will be available.  The livestream link will be on the CSI website by 9:00 a.m. on May 26th.
 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
If you need additional information about Commencement, caps and gowns, or the ceremony, please call 718.982.2335 during regular business hours. 

We are graduating!

Please join us in commemorating our achievement  with a donation to The 2022 Class Gift.

This tradition is a way for graduating students to give back to students who may need assistance to earn their degrees and who follow in our footsteps. This year, our goal is to show our generosity with an outdoor state-of-the-art mobile charging station to offer much-needed technology support to help the next generation of CSI students.  

All who donate $10 or more will receive blue and gray spirit cords to wear at Commencement and be entered into a drawing to win a set of AirPods!

Your participation counts so please make your  2022 Class Gift donation today! 

Tributes to the Class of 2021