Instructions to Candidates of Graduation

What should I keep in mind to make my graduation worthwhile for me and my family?

What to do before the Commencement Exercises

1. Please make sure you have already made reservations for issuance of academic toga and cap and claim them on the schedule announced by the XU Bookcenter.

2. Inform parents/spouses/guardians where to go for the Baccalaureate Mass (GYM) or where to meet you for the hooding ceremonies (on graduation day). Give specific directions as to which lanes are you gathering for assembly especially if your parents/guests are coming later than you.

3. Get your parents’ commencement admission tickets or special ribbons from your college Seats for parents, except that of the PhD and awardees, shall be at the upper-level bleachers of the Gym.

4. Admission tickets will be required for the Mass and Convocation. However, seats will be on a first-come, first-served basis. (Attendance of your parents during the Baccalaureate Mass is highly encouraged but not compulsory.)

5. Practice hooding with your parents, guardians or spouses at home. Remind them to bring safety pins to secure your

6. Prepare the required graduation attire and other things you might want to bring (e.g. fan, water bottle) for the mass, convocation, and Check twice if you have brought them upon going to the campus.

7. Explain to relatives and friends that picture and video taking during mass and commencement are prohibited. They are allowed to do so only during the hooding ceremony and after the graduation

During Assembly and Processional

1. Please come to the campus at least 30 minutes before the start of the assembly. Remember that it takes time to process through the campus gates for inspection and the line may be long.

2. Ensure that you have eaten something before coming to the campus as the proceedings will take long. There will be no more break time during the commencement exercises as the program will move along. The campus canteen will however be open to serve your needs and that of your parents or guests.

3. Immediately proceed to your assembly area when the announcement is called and start forming your line according to what has been rehearsed. Please pay close attention to your college coordinators and follow their instructions.

4. Distances apart during lining up:

   1. Along main lane: one arm-length front and back, two arms-length side-to- side

   2. Along the side lanes – surrounding the Church, and towards SBM building: one arm-length front and back and side-to-side

5. Before hooding (during Commencement day only): Parents/spouse/guest should stand at the side edge of the lane, at least 1-2 meters away from you. This is needed for the hooding ritual of the graduand stepping forward towards their parents/spouse to offer their hood and cap.

6. After hooding, you will need to reform your lines and get ready for the processional. Check your hood and academic gown and cap if they are in the proper place.

7. During the processional, walk in pairs. You must have established beforehand who your partner will be during the lining up.

8. Latecomers are not allowed to cut in the line when the processional is already going on. You will have to wait at the sides until the last persons have processed and then proceed to the gym. Please wait for or approach designated ushers or usherettes or college coordinators to discretely lead you to a seat or your pre-assigned seat.

9. Please do not pause or break ranks for pictures during processionals.

On Picture-Taking

1. XU Book Center: Official XU Graduation Photo In-Charge

2. Every graduate will have three sets of poses to be taken

3. Requests for blow-ups will be entertained after graduation and upon claiming of pictures

4. A designated photo booth or room is allocated for your studio quality picture with your family. However, they are only open outside of the time for the graduation proceedings, i.e., baccalaureate mass, convocation, and commencement exercises.

During the Baccalaureate Mass

1. Wear your For undergraduate colleges, KEEP CAP ON for the entire duration of the Mass, tassel hanging over left side.

2. Bring your

3. Please observe basic “Church Decorum” during the

4. Help maintain the solemnity of the celebration by:

   1. Not making unnecessary noise/movements;

   2. Actively participating    (listening    to    the    readings/homily;    singing, responding, going to communion for the Catholics, etc.);

   3. Turning off cell phones or placing it in silent

REMINDER: Please bring your own water bottle/jug. Single-use plastics are not allowed to be brought in and used inside the campus.

On Graduation Day

Before the Exercises

1. Remind parents to bring the issued admission tickets for NO TICKET, NO ENTRY to the gym.

2. Bring safety pins to secure the hood for the hooding

3. Eat a full meal or Allot enough time for preparations and security checks at the entrance gates.

4. Graduands MUST BE ON CAMPUS AT LEAST 30 MINS BEFORE THE START OF THE

5. The front and back gates of XU shall be open to human traffic but shall be closed to vehicular traffic from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Parking inside the campus shall be limited to faculty and special guests only.

6. Free parking spaces inside the campus is very limited and only allotted for university faculty and staff. In general, dropping off and picking up at the gates is preferred. Otherwise, please park vehicles in the public or paid parking areas outside of campus, e.g., along Hayes, along JR Borja. The Corrales Ave stretch between JR Borja and Hayes is a no parking zone. (Please refer to the parking guide.)

7. Candidates are reminded to bring their school ID for the turnstile upon

8. Make sure you have everything you need with you, especially your toga, cap (with tassel) and

9. Do not bring too many Bring a handkerchief and a small clutch or pouch bag (for ladies) for your personal items.

* Entrance Express Lane will be provided for those with no bags.

10. Corsages, bouquets, leis and/or gifts are not allowed BEFORE conferment of The proper time to receive them is only AFTER the ceremonies.

11. Maintain proper distances during the assembly, especially for the hooding

12. Please do not pause or break ranks for pictures during the

13. For safety reasons, children who are, or may appear to be under 13 years old are not allowed inside the gym. In the absence of one or both parents, sibling/s above 14 years old and/or any adult family member/s may be allowed entry, provided that the maximum of two guests per graduate will still be

14. Other members of the family may view the ceremonies in designated viewing areas (XU Peace Park and Magis Building) or via live streaming on XU social media platforms.

During Ceremony Proper

1. Pay attention to the proceedings. Applaud only at appropriate times. Do not applaud while the Dean is not yet finished reading all the names of graduates from his/her college or

2. The entire proceedings, including the Baccalaureate Mass and Convocation, are streamed live on media sites. Behave formally and with proper Do not make unnecessary movements and noise during the ceremony. Do not fan yourselves too vigorously.

3. Please observe the proper decorum on receiving the diploma, shaking of hands with Father President, and the bowing beside the mace. They are meant to demonstrate respect to the importance of the graduation rites. Doing antics to draw one’s attention diminishes this sense of respect.

4. Turn off your cell phones or keep them in silent Refrain from using them during the proceedings even for taking pictures or videos.

5. Do not bring large bags or fans with you when you climb the stage to receive your

6. Don’t chew gum or eat anything during the If you have to take candy, let it melt slowly in your mouth.

7. In situations of personal emergency, do not hesitate to call the attention of any usher/usherette or college coordinator or graduation committee member, especially for health reasons and you need to be led to the nearby medic station.

8. At the end of the ceremonies, please allow stage party & faculty to go out of the gym before you break ranks.

9. In case it rains during the assembly period, instructions will be announced where to assemble and form lines. Parents/guests must proceed immediately to the gym. Processional will proceed following an alternative route following the contingency plan. Once inside, graduands shall be instructed to impose the hoods upon themselves without the help of

10. When an emergency situation arises and an evacuation is called, please closely follow the safety protocol as demonstrated during the graduation rehearsals. Wait for the signal to evacuate, and walk briskly (not run) to the directed exit in two lines towards the designated assembly area. Do not leave the assembly area until everyone has been accounted for and the signal to disperse has been given by the command officer.

11. In regular conditions, graduates can obtain their actual diploma right after the graduation rites at rooms designated by the Registrar. Only for the degrees that are waiting for the Special Order from CHED will the diploma be claimed later.

Live streaming or Webcast

The Commencement Exercises will have live streaming through designated official XU social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, YouTube).