Spring Commencement 2009

On Sunday, May 10, the School of Information and Library Science (SILS) will conduct its spring commencement ceremony and celebration for students who have completed their degree requirements.

Ceremony

The SILS ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Frank Porter Graham Student Union. All members of the SILS community, and especially all graduating students and any friends and family they'd like to have join them, are invited to attend.

Students and Faculty: Please plan to meet at noon on the steps of Manning Hall for a group photo. All students participating in the graduation ceremony will need to report to room 209 of Manning Hall by 12:15. Faculty, please assemble in the lobby at 12:30.

Guests: Proceed directly to the Great Hall of the Student Union and be seated prior to the beginning of the ceremony.

Commencement Speaker

We are delighted to share that Barbara Semonche will be the featured speaker for the commencement ceremony. Semonche is a SILS distinguished alumna who served as library director at the UNC at Chapel Hill School of Journalism and Mass Communication for nearly 20 years.

Reception

A reception sponsored by the SILS Alumni Association will immediately follow the ceremony in the lobby of the Great Hall.

Regalia

The school has a small number of caps, gowns and hoods available from previous commencement ceremonies that may be borrowed. Contact Michael Penny at 919-962-8366 in the SILS Dean's office beginning April 30 if you would like to borrow any of these items.

Caps and gowns will go on sale at Student Stores on Friday, April 24 through May 10 or you may order online from April 1 through April 30. For more information, please visit the Student Stores.

• Undergraduate Regalia: $44.99
• Master's Regalia: $54.99
• Doctoral Regalia: $69.99

Graduates may wish to consider donating their regalia to SILS after the reception for future ceremonies.

Parking

Limited parking is available in the Morehead Planetarium lot on Franklin St., which is accessible from Franklin Street. Rates are $1.25 per hour. See map for details.

Additional parking is available in the Rosemary Street parking deck. Rates are $1 per hour. Shuttles are also available to and from several pick-up points on campus. See unc.edu/commencement for more information. For disabled guests, handicapped parking permits will be honored in lots across campus.

University Commencement Activities

SILS students are encouraged to participate in the university ceremony, which will be held at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, May 10, in the Kenan Football Stadium. This year's spring commencement speaker will be South African anti-apartheid champion and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu. For more details about the university's ceremony, please check UNC's Commencement Web site.

Class of 2008 (spring).