UNT sets commencement rain plan

[Harry]

The first mass commencement ceremony for the University of North Texas at Apogee Stadium is days away, and staff members have released an official weather plan if the rain continues into Saturday night.

If there is inclement weather, the universitywide commencement will move inside the UNT Coliseum, according to the plan. The commencement will feature Gov. Greg Abbott as speaker and will begin at 8 p.m.

The exception is the College of Arts and Sciences graduates, who have their “break-out” ceremonies at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturday. These ceremonies are like UNT’s former commencements — students are in small groups and walk the stage in front of family and friends.

For these two ceremonies, the graduates will have their degrees conferred at their events, rather than at the mass commencement ceremony that evening if it is held at the Coliseum.

Then, the attendees of those two ceremonies can watch the universitywide commencement on TV screens in the Murchison Performing Arts Center and the Gateway Center Ballroom.

If this is the case, the university won’t bus attendees from lots that are located farther away to get to the ceremony, said Capt. Jim Coffey of the UNT Police Department.

read more: http://www.dentonrc.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20150513-unt-sets-commencement-rain-plan.ece