Behind the Scenes: What It Takes to Put on Commencement

Commencement Day - May 20, 2015. For the thousands of Columbia graduates and their families, it was a moment to remember forever - a single day representing the culmination of years of studying and learning.

For the hundreds of Columbia University Facilities and Operations team members responsible for setup, safety, volunteer coordination, disability services and more, Commencement and the full week of associated Class Days mark the end of a year-long planning and execution process, and the start of preparations for the next year's ceremonies.

The Core Team

The Commencement core team, which consists of Operations, Public Safety, Strategic Communications, University Event Management and Disability Services within Facilities and Operations, along with University Programs and Events, convenes in January to begin official planning, review schedules and discuss changes made to the event from the previous year.

While the Core Team officially comes together in January, they have been working since the previous ceremony to make the coming year's events even better.

A Year-Long Process

As Facilities and Operations team members put on Commencement Week events, they are noting ways to make the following year's event more efficient, safer and at less cost.

For instance, during the summer after Commencement 2014, Facilities installed built-in power at Alma Mater, and in previous years installed power at the Sundial and electrical conduit running underneath the South Field lawns. These advancements save money in the long run by eliminating the need to set up temporary power each year, while also improving aesthetics and safety (reduces wires that people can trip over).

Improvement projects like these take place during the "Commencement off-season" (typically summer/fall) so that the enhancement can be ready for the next year's ceremony.

In addition to improvement projects, the off-season is used to make any tweaks needed on a planning map which shows the location of everything from risers and bleachers, to stanchion placement and gate installation.

Operations shares that map with Public Safety, which superimposes guard posts onto it, and together they tweak the setup plan.

Inventory, Fabrication and Details

In March, the labor shop inventories the availability of everything from temporary fences to metal barricades and ramp parts, assessing what needs repairs and what they need to build new. Other items are fabricated, including replacement metal sign holder frames, stanchion poles, support pieces for the audio/visual equipment and more.

At the same time, the Grounds, Waste Management and Recycling team is keeping an eye on the campus, particularly the grounds as winter snow often hides damage to plants and other campus structures and hardscapes.

The Campus Operations team, led by Assistant Vice President Don Schlosser, begin weekly campus walkthroughs, keeping an eye on "a high level of detail that others are not focusing on," according to Schlosser. These are typically items that impact aesthetics, safety, or both, such as masons fixing damaged bricks on College Walk, which could easily be a tripping hazard during a crowded ceremony, or spotting areas on campus that need power washing. As Commencement Week gets closer, the walkthroughs help with keeping the team a step ahead of the vendor work and load in happening at that time. Often members of the Public Safety events team join the walkthroughs.

The custodial department cleans the windows and internal public spaces in buildings during this stage, particularly those buildings in the quad that receive heavy foot traffic during the graduation ceremonies.

All of this work is happening during the busiest time for events on campus, where the same people who are helping to create a great, safe experience for those events are also making preparations for Commencement.

It's Beginning to Look Like Commencement

In mid to late April, Commencement setup begins in earnest, evident with visible signs across campus that graduation is near.

Bleachers, the stage, fencing, tents, banners - they are all being set up across campus, requiring coordination with multiple vendors and all done with safety and minimal disruption to regular campus life in mind.

"For Commencement, we are taking a bare campus and turning it, essentially, into a stadium for thousands of people. It's not always obvious what a huge undertaking that is, but we work hard to minimize the impact," explains Mary Waldorf, director for work management and scheduling. "We need to move steel bleachers on College Walk and Low Plaza - bringing forklifts to the most trafficked area of campus - while maintaining safe egress for the community who need to get to their class, lab or office."

In addition to the recognition of safe access, Waldorf's team stays in close communication with Disability Services when setup impacts an accessible route on campus. "Communication is key, and we do our best to collaborate and minimize disruptions on people's lives," said Colleen Lewis, director of Disability Services.

Commencement setup is also at the mercy of the weather. There is a high volume of work to complete on a tight schedule, and rainy spring days can slow progress and speed at which tasks can be completed.

Commencement Day (Week) Has Arrived

"Thinking of Commencement as a single day is a misnomer," said John Murolo, director for special operations and events at Public Safety. "There are Class Day ceremonies, other events and regular university business taking place throughout the week. We need to staff Public Safety guards not just for Wednesday's University Commencement, but for all of the week's activities, and the other core team members experience the same stress on personnel."

Commencement week is all hands on deck, with so much work taking place behind the scenes to ensure a smooth experience for graduates and their friends and families. The Strategic Communications team fills signs across campus and its perimeter directing attendees and graduates on where to go, and leads volunteers during the ceremonies. Custodial staff towels off each seat in between ceremonies, and Grounds and Waste Management empties trash and recycling cans throughout each day while keeping the grounds clean and beautiful.

Transitions between Class Day ceremonies and Commencement present some of the biggest challenges. At the conclusion of Columbia College Class Day, the Campus Operations events team takes down the tents on the South Lawns to allow room for more seats, only to reinstall the tents at the conclusion of Commencement for the last Class Day ceremonies the following day. With all guests entering campus on 114th Street for Commencement, workers labor overnight to prepare for the ingress and egress of thousands of guests.

In the end, despite the challenges and hard work, everyone involved recognizes the effort is worth the end result.

According to Mary Waldorf, seeing the look of awe on the faces of parents makes her realize the event's success. "We help create a beautiful memory for the students involved. There's so much teamwork required to make it successful. Everyone involved in the process can be proud."

Each year John Murolo pauses for a moment at the Sundial once the Commencement ceremony has begun to admire the panoramic of the graduates and spectators. "Look at what our team has done."

It's a finite moment when everyone involved in Commencement can take a breath and smile - until the following day when Class Day ceremonies are completed and preparations for next year's Commencement begin.