Commencement Weekend - May 18-20, 2007

Dean Stephen W. Bosworth and the faculty and staff of the Fletcher School cordially invite you and your guests to the annual Commencement Weekend exercises and events of the Fletcher School to be held May 18-20.

All graduates are expected to participate in the Saturday Class Day Ceremony and both parts of Sunday's Commencement Ceremonies: the All-University Commencement and The Fletcher School Ceremony. We hope that graduates and families will consider attending the luncheon receptions on both Saturday and Sunday. Members of the class of 2007 who will not be graduating are welcome and indeed encouraged to attend all the events of the weekend.

The following information about the ceremonies should assist you in planning your participation.

The Fletcher Class Day Ceremony - Saturday, May 19

The Fletcher School's Class Day Ceremony begins at 11:30am (assembly at 11:15am). The ceremony will include an entrance processional, welcome by Dean Bosworth, songs by the Ambassachords, the presentation of the Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in the Conduct of Public Diplomacy and brief remarks by the recipient, remarks from a Fletcher alumnus, presentation of class gifts, a keynote address by Dr. Shirin Ebadi, awarding of the Dean's Medal to Dr. Ebadi, and recessional.

The ceremony will be held under a tent on Fletcher Field (between Mugar Hall and Professors Row) adjacent to the tennis courts. Unlike Sunday's Fletcher Commencement Ceremony, graduates will not need to line up in alphabetical order nor wear gaps and gowns. Business attire, military uniform, or national dress are appropriate.

All-University Commencement Ceremony - Sunday, May 20

The All-University Commencement in which all schools participate includes the academic procession, the awarding of honorary degrees, recognition of faculty emeriti, recognition of degree candidates by school, and the All-University Commencement address.

This ceremony will be held on the lawn between Ballou and Bendetson Halls. It is at this ceremony that Dean Bosworth asks our graduates to stand as a group and formally confers Fletcher degrees. All Fletcher graduates are expected to participate. Formation for the Fletcher School student procession will begin at 8:30 a.m. in Blakeley Courtyard. Unlike the Fletcher Ceremony which follows later in the morning where students receive their diploma, there is no alphabetical marching order.

At 7:45am (before the All University Commencement Ceremony), a light breakfast for Fletcher students will be served, under a tent in Blakeley courtyard, including champagne toasts delivered by several members of the graduating class. Please arrive at the breakfast in cap and gown.

The Fletcher School Commencement Ceremony - Sunday May 20

The Fletcher School will hold its diploma awarding ceremony at approximately 11:15 a.m., immediately after the All-University Ceremony ends. It will be held under the same tent on Fletcher Field that was used for the Class Day Ceremony. There will be a student procession, and all Spring 2007 Fletcher degree candidates and Fall 2006 degree recipients should assemble inside Blakeley Hall Courtyard by 11:15 a.m. or immediately after the conclusion of the All-University ceremony, whichever occurs first, in order to line up in alphabetical order. Students who received degrees last Fall may march in the May ceremony if they have not marched in a prior commencement ceremony.

The ceremony will include the presentation of degrees to individual students, presentation of the Stewart Prize to an outstanding first-year Fletcher student, presentation of the Gullion Prize to an outstanding second-year Fletcher student, presentation of the West Group Law Prize to a student who has excelled in the law-related courses at Fletcher, presentation of the James L. Paddock Teaching Award to a member of the Fletcher Executive Faculty (i.e., full time, permanent) who best exemplifies excellence in teaching, a faculty address by the Paddock prize recipient, and remarks by two graduating students selected by the Class of 2007.

Academic Robes

All degree recipients are expected to be attired in appropriate academic robes for both the Saturday and Sunday ceremonies.

Ph.D. recipients should be attired in academic robes to receive their Ph.D. hoods. The Ph.D. hoods will be provided by The Fletcher School, and recipients will be "hooded" at the Fletcher School's Sunday Commencement Ceremony. Academic robes can be purchased at most university bookstores. If a Ph.D. recipient wishes to purchase a Tufts Ph.D. cap and gown, these will be available for $48.98 from the Bookstore on or after April 4th. For those Ph.D. candidates unable to come to Medford before Commencement, we will purchase the cap and gown for you if you return a form and a check for $48.98 made out to Barnes & Noble before April 9th. Please indicate your height and cap size on your check, as well as your Tufts ID number. Please send a check to: Shelley Adams, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Cabot 405, Medford, MA 02155. The gowns may then be picked up in the main lobby of Cabot from 8:30-8:45 a.m. on Sunday, May 20.

Caps, gowns, and hoods for Master's recipients will be available for purchase on April 4th at the Bookstore. Graduates need to wear all three items. Caps and gowns cost $40.98. Hoods cost $30.98. Rentals are available at the Bookstore for both Ph.D. and Master's degree recipients and orders can be placed starting on March 5th. Rentals can be picked up from the Bookstore anytime after May 14th.

Photographs at the Fletcher School Commencement Ceremony

A photographer will be available to take photos on Sunday as each graduate crosses the Fletcher stage and is congratulated by the Dean. You may contact the photographer directly to purchase prints: Ed Malitsky, 337 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02201 at (617) 451-0655 or ed@edmalitsky.com. They will be available online 3 weeks after graduation at www.edmalitsky.com. To expedite the ceremony, it is important that the area in front of the stage be kept clear.

Accommodations

Because hotel and motel space in the Boston area is at a premium this time of year, we urge you to make your reservations as soon as possible if not already arranged. The University's Conference Bureau will provide on-campus dormitory housing. This year's rates are $42 per night for a single and $54 per night for a double. To make a reservation, please contact the Conference Bureau at 108 Packard Avenue, on the Medford Campus at 617-627-3568 or fax at 617-627-3856. There are a number of hotels in the Boston area. Please inquire with the hotels to see if they offer special Tufts rates.

Parking

Given the larger number of visitors to campus on Commencement Day, parking will be scarce. Parking in all University lots will be on a first-come, first-serve basis so early arrival is recommended. Parking will be available in the parking lot across from Cousens Gym, the Stearns Village lot between Cousens and Eliot-Pearson, and in the Dowling Hall parking garage on Boston Avenue. Shuttle service will be available from College Avenue to the Commencement site from 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Friday Night: Social Hour & New England Clambake

Graduating students and their guests are invited to join the Fletcher community and Fletcher alumni at the annual alumni Reunion Clambake on Friday evening, May 18. The event will take place on Fletcher Field, under a large tent, and will begin at 6:00 p.m. Tickets will be available beginning Tuesday, April 17. Additional information regarding the purchase of tickets for this event will be placed in students' mailboxes on/or about April 15th by the Fletcher School Office of Development and Alumni Relations. You can purchase tickets for the clambake online here.

Saturday & Sunday Luncheon Receptions

Following both the Fletcher Class Day Ceremony on Saturday and the Fletcher Commencement Ceremony on Sunday there will be luncheon receptions for all members of the community and their families.

Saturday's reception will occur in Carmichael Hall (the dining hall above the Fletcher parking lot). Sunday's reception will occur under the "clambake" tent on Fletcher field, adjacent to the commencement ceremony tent.

If you have any questions about your participation, please do not hesitate to contact Shelley Adams at (617) 627-3085 or shelley.adams@tufts.edu. We look forward to seeing you and your family and guests during the weekend.