Getting Started 

Written notices regarding the Commencement website are mailed in February to participants that have officially applied for graduation. If you have not received a postcard, please contact the Registrar’s Office at 724.852.3389 or email kpurnell@waynesburg.edu to confirm your eligibility status.

Graduation is not an automatic process!  The Registrar’s Office can answer many of your questions about receiving a diploma.  Specific questions regarding degree requirements should be directed to your academic advisor. Questions regarding Commencement eligibility, application for graduation, or a degree audit should be directed to the Registrar’s Office.

Although academic advisors and the Office of the Registrar assist students in course selection and registration, it is the responsibility of each student to see that he or she fulfills all degree requirements.

Degree Audit/Academic Plan:  An academic plan is available in Self-Service for those students who have completed a degree audit with the Registrar’s Office.   Review the academic plan to confirm all requirements are in progress or complete.   If there appears to be a discrepancy, please contact the Registrar’s Office. 

Application for Degree:  In order to be considered a degree candidate, students must complete an application for degree.  This form is made available during the review of the student’s degree audit.   If you have not requested an audit, please do so by stopping by the Registrar’s Office.  If you have any questions, please contact the Registrar’s Office.

Deadlines: Every student must declare the date he or she intends to complete work for a degree.  This must be done by formal application through the Office of the Registrar in accordance with the following schedule:

Month all work to be completed:                      Application to be submitted by:
December                                                        Third Friday in July
May                                                                 Second Friday in November
August                                                            Second Friday in April

Note:   Degree candidates within 8 credit hours, or two courses, of degree completion may be permitted to participate in Commencement exercises; however, these individuals are not eligible for honors recognition at the Commencement ceremony.  The diploma will be issued following completion of all the graduation requirements.  Students must submit an application for degree to be considered for participation.
 

NOTE:  Students are required to make settlement of all financial obligations to the University, and no degree/transcripts will be issued until all such obligations are satisfactorily met. 

Graduation Meeting:  There will be a mandatory informational meeting for bachelor's degree candidates on Thursday, May 2, 2013, at 3:00 p.m. in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center. Following this meeting, at 4:00 p.m., there will be a presentation of the senior class gift to President Thyreen with a brief reception in Johnson Commons. Graduate and Professional Studies candidates (AACE, RN-BSN, BML, master's and doctoral) are exempt from the campus meeting.

Commencement Attendance Policy:  The Board of Trustees requires prospective graduates to be present at Commencement exercises to receive a degree.  Anyone who has a valid reason for release from this obligation, however, must petition the Board of Trustees through the Office of the Registrar.   Submit this completed form online.  Alternately, you may submit a written request to:  Office of the Registrar, Waynesburg University, 51 West College Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370 or email kpurnell@waynesburg.edu.  Please contact the Registrar’s Office if you need additional information.

Late Arrivals on Commencement Day:  Any late-arriving graduate must report to the Gymnasium for further instructions from a representative from the Office of the Registrar.  Once the Commencement procession begins, it is not interrupted. A late arrival will be seated at the end of the procession and will be recognized with his/her degree following all other degree candidates.   A blank diploma cover will be received during the ceremony and the student will need to report to the Registrar’s Office within one hour of the completion of the ceremony to receive his/her diploma, if available. 

HONORS RECOGNITION INFO:

The University has adopted the following policy on acceptable honor cords for graduation ceremonies.

Waynesburg University wishes to preserve the dignity of the graduation ceremonies for all students while appropriately recognizing students who have earned academic honors. To that end, the following guidelines have been established.

Only cords may be worn and only cords that are:

1. Issued by the Waynesburg University Office of the Registrar, the Waynesburg University Honors Academy (WUHA), or approved national collegiate honorary societies with a local chapter and a Waynesburg University faculty sponsor
2. Based on academic performance by the student wearing them

The Provost must approve all national collegiate honorary societies and any exceptions to this policy in advance of graduation ceremonies.

DISPLAY OF ACADEMIC HONORS:
Only cords and Academic Excellence pins shall be worn on the robe during the ceremonies. No other pins or decorations are to be displayed on either the cap or gown. Graduates are not permitted to carry or wear flowers during the ceremonies.
ANY DEPARTMENTAL RECOGNITION CORDS, SASHES, MEDALS, ETC. ARE PERMITTED ONLY AT THE ACADEMIC HONORS CEREMONY IN APRIL.

BACHELOR’S DEGREE WITH HONORS:
Bachelor’s degrees with honors are conferred in accordance with the following cumulative grade point averages on work completed at Waynesburg University. These designations apply only to candidates for the bachelor’s degree who have completed 60 or more graded credit hours of work at Waynesburg University.

Cum Laude 3.500 - 3.659
Magna Cum Laude 3.660 - 3.899
Summa Cum Laude 3.900 - 4.000

Students in adult programs earning less than 60 credit hours at Waynesburg University are honored by the designation of Academic Excellence in Adult Programs and receive a lapel pin bearing such designation. This pin is worn on the graduation robe at Commencement exercises.

Honor cords that represent the Latin honors and Academic Excellence pins may be obtained in the foyer of the Gymnasium immediately following Baccalaureate until just prior to Commencement line-up at 1:00 p.m. Other cords (i.e., WUHA, national collegiate honorary society) approved in accordance with the above policy should be distributed by the program director or faculty sponsor in advance of graduation ceremonies.

GRADUATE STUDENT HONORS:
Master's and doctoral degree programs are not eligible for honors designations.