In order to accommodate the increased number of visitors expected to attend next month's Commencement ceremonies, graduating seniors will be able to request a maximum of eight general admission tickets for family members and guests, College spokesman Alex Huppe said.
A record-number of people are expected to attend this year's ceremonies, which will be held in Memorial Field, because President Bill Clinton will deliver the Commencement address.
Huppe said graduates will be advised to request only as many tickets as they need and "some students won't need as many as eight."
A pool of the leftover tickets will be made available to faculty, students and the public the week before Commencement to try to accommodate everyone who wants to attend the ceremony, Senior Assistant to the College President Peter Gilbert said.
"I think that eight tickets will accommodate most of the graduates," Senior Class President Alyse Kornfeld said.
According to a press release, the earliest date for ticket distribution is May 22. "Specific days will be scheduled for graduates, staff, and faculty to pick up tickets," the release stated.
The Dartmouth College Athletic Department ticket offices and the graduate and professional schools will be responsible for the majority of the ticket distribution, the release stated. Faculty members and students must show their College identification cards to receive their tickets.
Faculty who choose not to march in the procession will only receive one ticket, while those who march in the procession will get two tickets, one for themselves and one for a guest.
College staff members will also receive one ticket each, while "limited tickets" will be made available to alumni, undergraduates and Upper Valley community members, the release stated.
The College will not have an alternate rain location for Commencement this year.
"We will all be sitting outside, even if there's a downpour," Huppe said.
Other universities often do not have alternate locations for their Commencement ceremonies, he said. Due to adverse weather conditions last year the College held Commencement ceremonies in Thompson Arena.
Gilbert said each graduate was limited to two tickets for guests last year because Thompson only holds 4,900 people.
According to Gilbert, a rain location such as Thompson "doesn't give us the ability to accommodate the number of people who are going to attend [this year's graduation]."
Memorial Field accommodates approximately 25,000 people, Huppe said.
The guests of students receiving bachelors degrees will also be able to watch the ceremony on televisions in Spaulding Auditorium, Moore Theater, Loew Auditorium, 105 Dartmouth Hall and Collis Common Ground in the Collis Center.
Additional security will also be provided due to Clinton's presence.
"All persons entering Memorial Field will be asked to pass through metal detectors," the release stated. Although cameras and video equipment are permissible, bags or carrying cases for photo equipment will not be allowed.
Once guests pass through security they will not be able to leave and come back, unless an emergency arises. But Gilbert said refreshments and restroom facilities will be available within the stadium.
Everyone will be requested to be seated by 9:30 a.m., "on a first-come, first-serve basis" and the gates "may be open as early as 6:00 a.m.," according to the release.
Gilbert said information regarding Commencement tickets and admission will be "posted around campus as early as tomorrow."
