All members of the campus community are invited and encouraged to participate as marshals in the upcoming May Commencement Ceremonies for our August/December 2010 graduates and May 2011 candidates.
Commencement represents a significant achievement for students, their families and the campus community so participation by faculty and staff enhances the graduation experience for our students and their families. The details of this year’s ceremonies are:
- Friday, May 20, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Graduate Ceremony, Old Main Quad, New Paltz Campus
- Sunday, May 22, 10:00 a.m. -12 p.m.
Undergraduate Ceremony; Old Main Quad, New Paltz Campus
Individuals who wish to marshal need to register at my.newpaltz.edu to participate. Registration is now open and ends Monday, April 25. This is the deadline to ensure your name appears in the programs.
A marshal information session is scheduled for 10 a.m.- 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 20, at the Student Union Building, 401/405, where all procedures and new changes are reviewed. This will also be an opportunity to pick up clipboards and shirts for new marshals.
If you decide to register to marshal, please review the responsibilities and descriptions before you choose a specific responsibility. By registering, you are agreeing to participate for the entire time of the ceremony. The success of previous Commencement ceremonies was a result of each marshal committing to be fully engaged and working as a part of the team.
The interim president and vice presidents would like to express their appreciation for staff participation in College-wide events such as Commencement. Employees who volunteer to work on these days will receive either compensatory time or overtime, depending on employment status.
Professional Staff
Professional staff who contribute their time to the success of these College events and for which it is not part of their regular professional obligation will receive compensatory time off on a future date. For exempt salaried employees, this is not a minute-by-minute accounting. The supervisor and professional staff member may simply agree informally how and when compensatory time may be used. This time cannot be converted to monetary compensation.
Classified Staff
Classified employees may be assigned to work at these events as part of their regular workweek. Others who choose to participate are subject to the following rules: classified staff who normally work a 37.5 hour week will receive compensatory time for the first 2.5 hours of additional work time. For all classified staff, any time over 40 hours in a week is usually paid as overtime and noted on his or her time sheet. The employee is responsible for making the appropriate notations of compensatory time and overtime on his or her time sheet. There is an exception for those participating in the over 40 Comp Time Program, for which those program guidelines will apply. The employee must have the supervisor’s approval both to work overtime and to schedule and use any compensatory time earned.
All relevant information regarding the ceremony is on the Commencement Web site at www.newpaltz.edu/commencement. With your help, we look forward to giving our graduate and undergraduate candidates and their guests a memorable commencement experience. For questions, contact Lisa Sandrick at commencement@newpaltz.edu or x3972.