Guest & Ticket Info
Spring Ceremony Registration
All Eligible graduates must pre-register to attend their ceremony. An email with registration instructions was sent to all eligible graduates via their @CSUSM email. Eligible graduates must register by April 21, 11:59 PM in order for us to properly plan for your participation. Graduates may need to check their SPAM folder. If you have not received your commencement registration link, please email the commencement office prior to the April 21st, 11:59pm deadline. For more detailed instructions on how to register for commencement and how to access your GradPass and/or Guest Tickets, please visit the Commencement Registration Page.
If you are a Fall 2024 graduate, you will be participating in the December 2024 commencement ceremonies.
Guest Tickets & GradPass
During the registration process, each eligible graduate can claim up to 8 guest tickets. Guest tickets are not for sale, nor are they transferable.
Eligible graduates will register to attend their ceremony, select the number of guest tickets needed (0 - 8) and will then have access to email the guest tickets. Once the guest tickets have been emailed, the recipeint will have the option to print or save to their photos (best to mark as a favorite if saved to photos). Guests will need to have their ticket easily accessible when entering the Mangrum Track and Field for their desired ceremony.
Children age 6 and under do not need a ticket.
We understand that graduates may have more than 8 people that would like to attend so below are some alternatives for additional guests:
Standby Line: A standby line will be available for each ceremony. Guests in the standby line will only be allowed in at the start of the ceremony and if the venue is not at capacity. Standby line does not guarantee entrance into the venue.
Alternate Viewing Area: There will be an alternate viewing area located in the University Student Union (USU) 2nd Floor, Meeting Rooms 2310 A & B. The ceremonies will be livestreamed in the USU Meeting Rooms (2310 A & B) where seating and air conditioning will be available. The USU Meeting Rooms (2310 A & B) is also accessible to a restroom and water station.
For guests with mobility issues, they may be dropped off at Campus Way Circle and take the elevator to the second floor to the USU Meeting Rooms (2310 A & B). If you do not plan on walking to the Mangrum Track after the ceremony you may park on the 6th floor of Parking Structure 1 to have easy access to campus and the USU. If you plan on walking to the Mangrum Track after the ceremony, please park in Lots X, Y, C, or F, but it will be quite a distance to walk and there are no shuttles to take guests from the USU Meeting Rooms to the track. Guests are encouraged to use the CSUSM Interactive Map when on campus.
For guests with mobility issues, they may be dropped off at Campus Way Circle and take the elevator to the second floor to the USU Meeting Rooms (2310 A & B). If you do not plan on walking to the Mangrum Track after the ceremony you may park on the 6th floor of Parking Structure 1 to have easy access to campus and the USU. If you plan on walking to the Mangrum Track after the ceremony, please park in Lots X, Y, C, or F, but it will be quite a distance to walk and there are no shuttles to take guests from the USU Meeting Rooms (2310 A & B) to the track. Guests are encouraged to use the CSUSM Interactive Map when on campus.
Livestream: Each graduate will receive a unique livestream link at least a week prior to commencement via their CSUSM email. This link will display the graduate's name and major and provide a link to the graduate's assigned ceremony.
The livestream link will also be available via the CSUSM home page or the CSUSM Mobile App the day of the ceremonies.
Eligible graduates will be issued a GradPass, these will be emailed closer to the event date. You will use your GradPass as your entry into the venue, and keep it on-hand to scan before you cross the stage to have your name announced and shown on the screen.
Guest Seating
Tickets are required for guests over the age of 7 years old. All guest seating will be on the Mangrum Track and Field (folding chairs on grass) is first come first served, no seat saving. Graduates can claim their guest tickets via Marching Order when they register for commencement. Gates will open (1) hour prior to the start of each ceremony. Please no saving seats or moving chairs. Please speak to a commencement staff wearing a blue commencement polo for assistance.
There is very limited shade on the field. Umbrellas are permitted until the cerem10 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony.
For the safety of our graduates, faculty, staff, and all guests, graduate only areas are only for CSUSM graduates and any authorized personnel. NO guests are allowed in the graduate only areas. This includes children of guests and/or graduates. Guests in the graduate-only areas will be escorted out by a Commencement Staff, Elite Security, and/or University Police (UPD). We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
There will be a special seating area for individuals with mobility impairments. Space is provided on a first come, first served basis. Only one companion seat per mobility-impaired guest will be permitted in this area. Please keep in mind that wheelchair accessible seating is available
near gate 4 and directly behind the graduate seating area (noted in blue in the map
below) THERE IS NO SHADE IN THIS SEATING SECTION.
Wheelchair & Companion Seating
Guests who require wheelchair-accessible and companion seating may find the ADA seating section at the front of the guest seating area, directly behind the graduates as well as the in the large tent in the back of the field closest to the Sodexo and University Bookstore tents. Companion seating is for 1 person. The rest of the party will need to find seats in the general guest seating area.
Wheelchair-accessible seating will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis and is subject to availability. We ask that no more than one person accompany to allow for maximum use of the space.
Reminders
We will have a free live video stream of the event for those who are unable to attend on the CSUSM home page or the CSUSM Mobile App the day of the ceremonies.
A standby line will be available for any additional guests, pending venue capacity of ticketed guests.
There will be an alternate viewing area in the USU USU Meeting Rooms (2310 A & B).
All guests over the age of 6 years old must show a valid commencement guest ticket corresponding with the desired ceremony date and time.
All bags are subject to a bag check and the venue will be enforcing a clear bag policy. We highly encourage you leave bags and valuables behind. Please make sure to review the venue security policies.
Please note that CSUSM is a smoke & tobacco free campus. Smoking is prohibited in all indoor and outdoor facilities on university grounds.
Commencement Day activities may involve prolonged exposure to the sun. Sunscreen, water, and hats are recommended.
Guests and Graduates are allowed to bring an empty, reusable water bottle to fill up at the water tower locations on the track. Reusable water bottle must be empty prior to entering the Mangrum Track.
Please keep in mind that typically 2,000 - 10,000 guests attend each ceremony, which means that traffic coming in and out of campus will be extremely heavy. Please plan on extra travel time to ensure your guests are not late to the event.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we make this a safe and memorable for all graduates and guests.
Disclaimers
The University will continue to monitor county and state regulations. CSUSM plans to host in-person ceremonies, rain or shine. Attendance and participation will require advance registration and attendance will be limited. A livestream of the ceremonies will be made available on the CSUSM website and the CSUSM app.
Schedule is subject to change. If there is a change in commencement ceremony schedule, graduates will be notified via the email they registered with. Graduates will be responsible for notifying their guests of any schedule changes made.
Please continue to monitor this website for the most current details, protocols and safety measures regarding Commencement 2024. All persons attending commencement will be subject to a bag search and security screening. We will update the site regularly as state and local regulations continue to evolve. Please plan accordingly.