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Graduation Guidelines
The health and safety and comfort of our graduands and guests are very important to us. We would like you and your guests to enjoy this celebration of your achievement and would therefore ask you to read the notes below and abide by the procedures. Please inform your guests of the sections relevant to them.
  1. graduation Graduands and guests
  2. Entrance
  3. Disabled Access
  4. Tickets
  5. Seating
  6. Academic Dress
  7. Photography
  8. Mobile Phones
  9. Outdoor Clothing & Bags
  10. The Graduation Ceremony
  11. After the Ceremony


Graduands and Guests

Please note that this College event is by invitation and that the College reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone (graduand or guest) whom we consider may disturb other guests or disrupt proceedings.
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Entrance

The ceremony will be held in The Town House, Cadzow Street, Hamilton ML3 6HH. The entrance for graduands and their guests is in Lower Auchingramont Road. You must enter via this doorway in order to gain access to the Avon Room where registration, robing and photography are located. Access is available from 5 pm onwards.
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Disabled Access

We want to make this event as accessible as possible for both our graduands and their guests.  Please let us know in advance if you or any of your party requires disabled access and we will make the arrangements in advance with the hall manager to plan access for the graduands and to arrange for sufficient space and reserved seating to allow the whole guest party to sit together on the ground floor.
If you do not let us know in advance, we will still be able to accommodate wheelchair users, however, it may not be possible for the whole party to sit together.

Graduands are asked to contact the ceremony administrator or the Head of Student Services to discuss any specific needs for themselves or their guests.  A "walk-through" of the ceremony can be arranged earlier in the day to ensure arrangements are suitable.
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Tickets

Each graduand will be issued with three guest tickets, which may be collected from the Advice Centre during the week prior to the graduation or when registering on the day. All guests must have a ticket and children will not be permitted to sit on an adult’s knee. Please note that lost tickets cannot be replaced.

In order to gain re-entry to the hall before the ceremony starts, any guest who leaves the hall should ensure a ticket is obtained from a member of staff prior to leaving the hall. As a courtesy to all who are graduating, except in an emergency, guests and graduands will not be permitted to leave and/or enter the hall once the ceremony has started.
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Seating

Graduands must be seated 15 minutes before the start of the ceremony. Seats will be labelled with graduands’ names. Please ensure that you sit in the correct seat as the names will be read out in the order in the programme. Please note, if you are not seated in time, you may not be permitted to graduate.
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Academic Dress

two female graduates All graduands are required to wear academic dress (ie a black gown and appropriate hood for their qualification), including a white dress or white blouse and black skirt/trousers (women); and white shirt with tie and black trousers (men).  Graduands who wish to wear national dress may do so in addition to their academic robes.  Please note that you will not be permitted to graduate without the appropriate dress. four graduates

Ede & Ravenscroft have been appointed to supply robes for the ceremony. You may book your robes online through their website www.edeandravenscroft.co.uk or with the booking card. Your robes will be available in the Avon Room from 5 pm onwards and should be returned after the ceremony before 8.15 pm. If you have made prior arrangements to hire the robes for an additional day, you will be personally responsible for their return to Ede & Ravenscroft.

Please note that only the robes are worn prior to graduation. The hood should be carried over your arm. You should ensure that you order the correct hood for the level of qualification as the hoods for HNC and HND are different.
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Photography

Success Photography will be in attendance to take individual and/or family photographs both before and after the ceremony. You can book your photography session in advance on their website www.successphotography.com or with the booking card. If you wish, you may arrange to have your graduation photograph taken by another photographer outwith the venue. The photographer will be available in the Avon Room between 5 pm and 7.15 pm and after the ceremony until 8.15 pm.

Guests are permitted to take both video and still photography during the ceremony; however, we ask guests to remain seated and to give consideration to other guests at all times.
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Mobile Phones

Out of consideration for the graduands and other guests, please ensure that your mobile phone is switched off before the start of the graduation ceremony.
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Outdoor Clothing and Bags

Graduands should leave any coats and bags with their guests. In addition to the risk of tripping, after you have graduated you may not be returning to your original seat and therefore you cannot leave your bag/coat underneath the seat.
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The Graduation Ceremony

The ceremony will be held in the Town Hall and will start at 7.30 pm. Graduands and their guests must be seated by 7.15 pm at the latest. The ceremony is likely to last approximately one hour and all graduands and their guests should remain in their seats until the ceremony is over and the achievement of each individual graduand and prize winner has been celebrated.

Graduands should observe the usual courtesy and stand for the entry of the platform party, taking their seats when the Principal and platform guests take their seats. Each row of graduands will go out in order to the side of the room and wait in line until their name is called. When the row in front is half full, the next row should quietly leave their seats in order and join the queue of graduands. A member of staff will be waiting at the front where you should wait until your name is called. The hood should be kept folded over your arm until you reach the top of the stairs. At the top of the stairs, you should hand the hood to the member of staff, who will put it over your head. You then proceed along the stage to collect your scroll. Remember to relax, smile and enjoy the moment as you are likely to be photographed several times.

After leaving the stage, you should return to the next empty seat in the row. Please note that this may not be the seat you have left.
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After the Graduation Ceremony

Graduands should stand at the end of the ceremony for the exit of the platform party. Under no circumstances should graduands leave the hall during the ceremony or leave their seats before the platform party and the Principal´s guests have passed out of the hall. Graduands will leave the hall behind the platform party and Principal´s guests, row by row, starting from the front.

Guests are asked to remain seated and are invited to applaud the graduands as they leave the hall after the platform party. At this point, graduands and their guests can meet together to have photographs taken if they have not already done so.
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