Fall 2026 Commencement Ceremony Information for Families and Friends

The ceremony will take place in the Alumni Field House. Review the campus map to see the location of the Alumni Field House and nearby parking.

Traffic on campus will be busy, plan to arrive early. Upon arriving to campus, look for signs or University Police Officers to direct you to open parking.

Each graduate will receive six (6) tickets for guests to attend the ceremony in-person

• Only guests with tickets will be permitted to enter the Alumni Field House. (See the "Live Stream" section below for info on how anyone without a ticket can watch the ceremony.)
• Tickets are required for anyone over the age of 2.
• Graduates must send tickets directly to their guests in advance.

Doors to the Alumni Field House will open at 10 a.m., one hour prior to the ceremony.

The ceremony will start promptly at 11 a.m.
 

Non-ticketholders will be able to watch a live stream of the ceremony in the Hodgdon Instructional Resource Center, Lecture Hall #3, or from the comfort of their homes. A live webcast will be streamed during each ceremony and archived on SUNY Oneonta's YouTube channel after commencement.

What to Bring

• Your guest tickets. You must obtain your guest tickets directly from your student. They are electronic tickets that your student can send you via text or PDF to print out. The university cannot distribute tickets directly to guests.
• Comfortable shoes that you can walk and navigate stairs in. We also recommend bringing a sweater/jacket. The building is climate controlled, but for your personal comfort, you may want to dress in layers.
• Any mobility or assistive devices. (see “Guests with Special Needs” section for more information)
• Cash and/or credit or debit card if you would like to purchase any items on campus. (Red Dragon Outfitters and onsite florist accept both)

What Not to Bring

• Alcoholic beverages. Alcohol (including champagne) of any kind is not permitted anywhere on campus.
• Signs, banners/flags, selfie sticks or any other objects that might block the view of others or interrupt the ceremony. These are not permitted in the Alumni Field House.
• Noisemakers of any kind or balloons. These are not permitted in the Alumni Field House.
• Large bags/backpacks and bulky jackets. Guest seating is in bleachers and does not allow for storage of bags and bulky items. The university reserves the right to search bags and other items.
• Pets and other animals. The ceremony is indoors - except for official Service Animals, animals are not permitted inside any buildings on campus. Animals cannot be left in cars or tied up outside of the ceremony location. It is a long day, please keep any and all pets safely at home.

Special parking and seating locations will be available to ticketholders with disabilities. Closed-captioning of the primary ceremonies will be available for the hearing-impaired. For special accommodations, email commencement@oneonta.edu or call 607-436-2748 before December 1.​

Visitors are respectfully requested to remain in their seats for the duration of the ceremony. Guests may take photos and videos from their seats using a zoom lens but should refrain from taking photos or videos at other locations, as this will disrupt the ceremony.

Genesee Photo, a professional photography firm, will offer special portrait packages of each graduate, taken at the ceremony. The firm will contact the graduates' families by email and mail after the ceremony. Scan the QR code to pre-register for graduation images.

Light refreshments will be served in the back of the Dewar Arena upon completion of the ceremony.

Flowers will be available for sale on Commencement day located near the guest entrance to the Alumni Field House from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Pre-order flowers

Announcements and class rings can be ordered through the Balfour website.

Red Dragon Outfitters will be open from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.