FAQ

The ceremony will occur Sunday, June 15, 2025 at 10 a.m. on the Oval Green on the OSU-Cascades campus, rain or shine. Graduates are to RSVP to walk. Tickets are required for guests.

Yes. OSU-Cascades has a Clear Bag Policy for the 2025 Commencement ceremony. All graduates and guests must follow this policy — please plan ahead!

• Clear bags are required to enter the commencement ceremony venue.
• Guest Services and security staff may search bags, strollers, wheelchairs and guests at the ticket tent.
• All graduates and guests attending OSU-Cascades Commencement Ceremony must follow the Clear Bag Policy.
  • Guests who arrive at the gate with a prohibited bag will not be permitted into the stadium and will need to return their bags to their vehicles.
  • No bag check is provided at Commencement.

Approved Bags

• Clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags that do not exceed 12" x 6" x 12".
• One-gallon clear, resealable plastic storage bags.
• Small clutch bags no larger than 4.5" x 8.5" (approximately the size of a hand) with or without a handle or strap.

Graduates are to RSVP by June 3.

Line-up for the processional begins at 8:30 a.m.  

All graduates are to report to the Bruckner Courtyard, between Tykeson and Obsidian Halls.

The formal Processional to the Oval Green will launch at 9:50 a.m. sharp.

Baccalaureate degree candidates graduating in Summer 2024, Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025, and Summer 2025 are invited to participate in the 2025 Commencement Ceremony. 

Master's and doctoral degree candidates completing requirements in Summer 2025 may attend Commencement if enrolled for at least 3 credits in the summer term and if they file a diploma application by April 5, 2025.  

To confirm if you are a graduation candidate, search for "View application(s) for Graduation" in the Beaver Hub portal.

Be sure to:

• Check your holds for any deficiencies
• Watch your ONID email for messages from the Office of the Registrar regarding status updates
• Check your MyDegrees
• Check in with your academic advisor  

While diplomas will be distributed the day of Commencement, we cannot determine a student's specific eligibility until preliminary grades are received and the student’s OSU College verifies all degree requirements have been met up to that point. 

Summer 2025 graduates will not be eligible to receive their diploma at Commencement, but may still participate in the ceremony. 

Yes, we will notify you through your ONID email account.

Degrees are cleared approximately two weeks after the term ends. You can see if your degree has been awarded by checking the Beaver Hub portal unofficial transcript section. Additionally, an email notifying you of your graduation status will be sent to your OSU email account. Be sure to monitor your OSU email account closely for a minimum of one month after the term for which you are a candidate for graduation.

Unfortunately, programs will not be available prior to the event. Printed programs will be available at the Commencement Ceremony, in limited supply, to avoid waste and support sustainability.

If you have already RSVP'd for the event and can no longer attend, send an email to the event staff at commencement@osucascades.edu.

Seating arrangements are by academic program. When you check-in, you'll receive a card and staff will guide you to your placement.

If you need special accommodations at the Commencement Ceremony, please email commencement@osucascades.edu with specific details.  A staff member will contact with you with next steps.

All requests for accommodations must be completed by June 6, 2025.

The commencement RSVP will remain open until June 3, 2024.

No, reserved seating is NOT available.

Yes. OSU-Cascades has a Clear Bag Policy for the 2025 Commencement ceremony. All guests and graduates must follow this policy — please plan ahead!

• Guest Services and security staff may search clear bags, strollers, wheelchairs and gusts at the ticket tent.
• All graduates and guests attending OSU-Cascades Commencement Ceremony must follow the Clear Bag Policy.
  • Guests who arrive at the gate with a prohibited bag will not be permitted into the stadium and will need to return their bags to their vehicles.
  • No bag check is provided at Commencement.

Approved Bags

• Clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags that do not exceed 12" x 6" x 12".
• One-gallon clear, resealable plastic storage bags.
• Small clutch bags no larger than 4.5" x 8.5" (approximately the size of a hand) with or without a handle or strap.

For the safety and security of graduates and guests, the following items are prohibited at the Commencement ceremony.

• Drones
• Alcohol
• Flags, signage, posters, fliers, or banners prohibited (in event seating area)
• Balloons (in event seating area)
• Umbrellas (in event seating area during procesional and ceremony)
• Artificial noise makers or horns
• Firearms
• Knives
• Weapons of any kind
• Fireworks or explosives
• Pets, including dogs (service animals permitted)
• Tobacco products
  • Includes electric cigarettes or vapor products.
  • Smoking on campus is prohibited.

Yes, graduates and guests should expect to be seated outdoors in direct sunlight.  We recommend you bring sunscreen and visors/hats for sun protection.

Umbrellas, tents, or other non-wearable sheltering items will be NOT be allowed at the ceremony, unless guests choose to stand at the back of the venue.

The ceremony will take place as scheduled. If rain is predicted, guests may want to bring a hat and/or rain poncho, or other types of covering.

Umbrellas are not permitted.

The Commencement Ceremony will last roughly 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

A number of special services are made available to accommodate those guests with hearing impairments, mobility problems, special seating and parking needs. 

If you are a guest with disabilities who may need accommodations at the Commencement Ceremony, please email commencement@osucascades.edu by June 6, 2025.

The following items are not allowed into the event:

Prohibited Items

• Drones
• Alcohol
• Flags, signage, posters, fliers, or banners prohibited (in the event seating area)
• Balloons (in the event seating area)
• Umbrellas (in the event seating area)
• Artificial noise makers or horns
• Firearms
• Knives
• Weapons of any kind
• Fireworks or explosives
• Pets (service animals permitted)
• Tobacco products
  • Includes electric cigarettes or vapor products.
  • Smoking on campus is prohibited.

Note: All bags are subject to search by Campus Safety/Security.  Guests declining inspection or in possession of prohibited items will not be allowed into the event. Guests in possession of prohibited items inside the event area will be asked to leave immediately. Guests who do not leave when asked will be considered a trespasser. Guests who are disruptive during the ceremony will be removed from the event immediately.

The OSU Grad Fair will take place in April at the OSU Beavers Store on the Corvallis campus.

OSU-Cascades graduates are invited to participate, but most students will simply buy regalia from the online store HERE.

Regalia may be purchased at the OSU Beaver Store.

Announcements may be ordered directly through Jostens or the OSU Beaver Store.

Students are also responsible for purchasing additional items such as honor's cords, stolls, etc., if they are desired.

You may use your own black Jostens cap and gown, but be sure it has the correct insignia and proper cap. Undergraduates should have the mortar board, not another type of cap.  Other colors of cap and gown will not be permitted.

Please review the degrees with distinction criteria. Students who meet the criteria outlined on that web page can purchase commencement honor cords at the OSU Beaver Store.

Yes. While they are not formally recognized by OSU, other cords, stoles, and regalia may be worn during the Commencement Ceremony.

While diplomas will be distributed the day of Commencement, we cannot determine a student's specific eligibility until preliminary grades are received and the student’s college verifies that all degree requirements have been met up to that point. 

Summer 2025 graduates will not be eligible to receive their diploma at Commencement but may still participate in the ceremony. 

Yes, we will notify you through your OSU email account.

The MyDegrees audit is a good faith preliminary audit. After the term ends, a full audit will be completed during the degree clearance process, using final grades and final advisor and college input. You will be notified if there are any deficiencies at that time or you will receive a notification that you have successfully graduated.

Spring graduates who are not attending the Commencement Ceremony will be able to order their diplomas after spring degrees have been conferred. Emails will be sent to graduates’ OSU email accounts with instructions on how to order. 

For OSU-Cascades, because we individually read all of the names of our graduates, it is imperative that graduates arrive on time to check-in.  While you may still get your diploma at the end of the ceremony, coming in late will jeopardize our staff's ability to properly place you in line, resulting in your name potentially not being read and you not being able to walk across stage.  

Diploma size for all graduates is 8.5 x 11 inches. 

Frames are available for purchase through the OSU Beaver Store.

Your academic advisor has the most information about your specific program of study and should be your first point of contact for questions related to your specific issues.

The Office of the Registrar monitors grades daily looking for improved preliminary grades or successful final grades. The hold will be removed as soon as an improved grade is received.

Please visit the graduate school website for more information and connect with your program advisor if you have questions.