Faculty

Academic college deans are members of the stage party and play an important role by briefly addressing graduates prior to degree conferral, participating in doctoral degree conferral (if applicable), and congratulating candidates as they cross the stage. 

Associate deans are members of the stage party and primarily coordinate student speaker and banner carrier selection for their respective college. During the ceremony, the associate deans congratulating candidates as they cross the stage. 

Departmental chairpersons and program directors represent academic leadership as well as the academic “home” of degree candidates. 

The grand marshal is a faculty member who is nominatedto represent the college and then must be reviewed by the Provost for this role. This person may carry the mace and is the first one to process in and out.

Degree candidate guides lead the undergraduate and graduate candidates into the ceremony, direct them on and off the stage to receive their scrolls and lead them out during the recessional. They are part of the faculty processional and work closely with the ceremony floor coordinators during the conferral of degrees.

Faculty marshals will lead the faculty in and out of the ceremony and are members of the faculty processional.

Each academic college designates a lead marshal who work collaboratively with the dean, associate dean, chairs, Commencement Committee, and Office of the Provost to coordinate and share information about faculty participation in Commencement.  Additional aspects of the lead marshal position include:

• inviting and encouraging faculty to attend the ceremony as part of the processional

• distributing parking passes to members of the faculty processional

• being the college's point of contact in the faculty robing area in the Towson Center on ceremony day

Marching Order Scannes and Name Card Readers scan the canidate Marching Order cards and are on standby in the event that the automated reader voice malfunctions. The scanners sit on opposite sides of the aisle for seamless access to either side of the stage if needed. 

Faculty marshals, degree candidate guides and faculty members who march and sit on the arena floor during the ceremony are members of the faculty processional. On ceremony day, members of the faculty processional report to Towson Center, Athletic Lounge (on the first floor).

• The target number of processing faculty participants per college is dependent on the number of processing degree candidates.

Specific details about your participation in Commencement are typically sent via email from your college's lead marshal, a member of the Commencement Committee, or a representative from the Office of the Provost prior to your college's ceremony. 

Faculty members who participate in the ceremony as part of the stage party or the processional are required to wear academic regalia. Faculty may rent regalia from the university's vendor, or borrow regalia from their department, or the Commencement Closet, an initiative of the Office of the Provost (when available).

Pricing is based on items that you rent. Please contact the U-Store, ustore@towson.edu, for pricing and delivery information. 

Colleges will deliver parking passes for Lot 8 to processing faculty prior to the ceremony. The Office of the Provost will provide Lot 7 parking passes for faculty in the stage party.

Instructions for parking, arrival time, robing room locations and refreshments are shared approximately two weeks prior to your college's ceremony by the Office of the Provost and your lead marshall.

Parking permits are limited and cannot be replaced if lost. Please display your parking pass on your windshield when driving on campus so that you may park in the designated area. You will not be admitted to the lot without the designated parking pass. 

You may also carpool or take shuttle transportation from the Union Garage or Glen Garage stop..

• Lead marshals and Commencement staff members will be available upon arrival to check faculty in and assist with robing and processional instructions.  
• Refreshments are provided for members of the faculty processional prior to each Commencement ceremony. 
• The Commencement procession will begin with the degree candidates at the stated ceremony start time. Faculty process in after the students and just before the stage party.

Processing faculty will spend approximately 20 minutes standing. We strongly recommended that you wear comfortable shoes that day. However, if you cannot walk long distances, stand for a period of time, or need another accommodation, please contact commencement@towson.edu to request alternate arrangements.