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Bournemouth University has, for this year's final year students, six ceremonies in November over three days, and one Ceremony in April 2000. Each Nov ceremony is for between 300 and 500 students, and the April Ceremony is for those finishing between 30.09.99 and 30.03.2000. (Possible total of 3,055). We currently write to all eligible students with a comprehensive information pack in August/September, when the majority have finished, and include a Registration Form, with a deadline for return. We charge £5.00 for each registration form received after the date stated. We do not charge the graduand for attending, nor their first two guests. Because we use the Bournemouth International Centre we have plenty of room and charge £5.00 a ticket for additional guest tickets. The graduand receives a free booklet (which is very smart and covers all the Ceremonies) on their seat and we sell booklets to their guests - currently £4.00 each. Any graduand that doesn't attend is sent theirs with their certificate after the Ceremonies. A seating plan is prepared and displayed outside the graduands entrance to the Hall. There are also plenty of general marshals pointing people in the right direction and also course marshals who are always someone the graduands knew at BU. In their 2nd pack the graduands are sent their tickets, indicating which block and row to report to, plans of the venues, their guest tickets and further information re the facilities on the day, car parking etc. The Course marshals record attendance on a list of names which has already been annotated - * those we haven't heard from, crossed through those who have confirmed that they are not attending and we leave blank those we know are attending. No-one who is entitled to attend is refused entry and we have procedures for late arrivals. We have marshals meetings prior to the events and detailed information packs for marshals. A Deputy Chief marshal is available to advise and the Chief Marshal (Master of Ceremonies) oversees the arrangements. Once the appropriate part of the Ceremony is reached the Course marshal lines the graduands up and does a final check. They then lead their course to the stage and hand the correct fina list of names to be read out to the Chief Marshal. The Head of the appropriate School/course presents the recipients, who cross the stage, collect their certificate and are met by a marshal the other side and directed back to their seat. The Heads of Schools are sent the lists prior to the Ceremonies so that they can practise pronounciation, and we often change the reading lists so that the names are shown as they are said, and not as they are read! Guest tickets are numbered. We have found in the past that when the tickets weren't numbered people would always leave a seat between themselves and others, resulting in many people not being able to find seats with loads of single seats dotted around the auditorium! We seat disabled guests with their accompanying guests in the front rows and if we are informed of any special circumstances we will accommodate - aisle seats, near exits etc. We will seat divorced parents with their new partners at opposite sides of the hall. It is up to individual Schools to organise pre-ceremony/post-ceremony events. More often than not, however, the complaints do not justify the amount of time spent on organising these kind of teas/lunches etc. However, with the initial pack is the information re the Graduation Ball which is held at the BIC on the night of the last Nov ceremony. Every effort is made to ensure that the graduands and their guests have a thoroughly enjoyable day which they will remember for the rest of their lives. If anyone of you would like additional information and/or to visit our Ceremonies please do get in touch. Jane McAlpine Conferment Officer Registry Bournemouth University 7th Floor Studland House 12 Christchurch Road Bournemouth Dorset BH1 3NA 01202 503863 (direct dial) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%