Commencement

Ceremony Details

Important Commencement Update

The Commencement Committee recommended, and the President approved, the University move from two Commencement ceremonies a year to a single ceremony in the Spring. This decision was reached to first prioritize an on-campus outdoor ceremony that centers on robust goodwill and celebration. It was also made in an effort to offer all graduates from all programs and their families the opportunity to experience the Baccalaureate and Commencement celebrations.

For those of you completing your coursework this summer, please note that your degree will still be officially conferred on August 22nd and for those of you whose coursework will be completed in the fall semester, your degree will be officially conferred on December 20th – it is simply the ceremony memorializing and celebrating your achievement that does not take place until May 7th, 2022.

For questions about this change, please email commencement@simpsonu.edu.

Regalia

Caps/Gowns: Regalia is usually received around March or April. Please continue to check our website and your Simpson email for updates on when and where to pick it up. If you do not plan to attend Commencement but would still like your cap and gown, please fill out the Request to Mail Cap and Gown form and return to registrar@simpsonu.edu.

Honor cords are calculated by your final GPA or your previous semester’s GPA (if final courses are still In-Progress). They will be handed out with your caps/gowns.

Master’s Hoods are handed out with your caps/gowns.

Cap Tassels will be handed out at the GRADUATION REHEARSAL on May 6th.

Tickets: At this time, Commencement will be held outdoors and will not be ticketed, but please keep the seating needs of your fellow students and their families in mind when deciding how many people to invite.

• Cum Laude: 3.5-3.59 GPA (1 Cord)
• Magna Cum Laude: 3.6-3.84 GPA (2 Cord)
• Summa Cum Laude: 3.85-4.0+ GPA (3 Cord)
• Distinction: 3.8+ GPA (Degree Completion only)
• Highest Honors (Degree Completion only)

Commonly Asked Questions

• Q: Will my graduation fee be refunded if I choose not to participate in Commencement?

  A: No, students will not receive a refund if they do not participate in Commencement. Graduation and Commencement are separate. Graduation is completing your requirements, receiving your diploma, and having your degree posted on your transcript. Commencement is the ceremony where you walk across the stage. The graduation fee funds many aspects of graduation, including administrative costs, graduates’ diplomas, mailing, etc. This fee is paid by all students whether or not they participate in the Commencement ceremony. (See Simpson University Catalog).

• Q: When do I get my diploma?

  A: Diplomas are mailed 8-10 weeks after the conferral date. The conferral date is the date listed on your transcript as the date your degree was received, and for SP22 graduates, the conferral date is May 13, 2021.

• Q: When will my degree appear on my transcript?

  A: Degrees cannot begin to be posted until all final grades are in after the conferral date. It generally takes 1-2 weeks to post all degrees. Please be sure you do not have any outstanding balances on your account; this may cause your degree to be delayed. If you need proof of your degree before your degree is posted or before you receive your diploma, please fill out the Enrollment Verification form and return the Registrar’s Office or registrar@simpsonu.edu.

  If you have outstanding courses (for example, you are finishing credits at Shasta College and their term ends after ours) you will need to fill out the Graduation Exception Petition form and return this to the Registrar’s Office. If approved, this allows you to still walk in the SP22 Commencement and still have your degree posted for the SP22 term, even though you are technically finishing after the term ends.

  Transcripts take time to process; please allow 2 weeks for processing. To request a transcript, please fill out the Transcript Request Form and return to registrar@simpsonu.edu.