Accessibility
View information about accessibility at Commencement.
Additional questions or accessibility needs can be submitted in email to TU’s ADA
Coordinator at ada AT_TOWSON at least 5 business days in advance of the
commencement ceremony you are attending.
Navigation, Transportation and Parking
Accessible parking spaces are in Lot 8 within a 15-minute walking distance to the SECU Arena. Lot 8 is adjacent to the entrance at Towson Center. A state-issued accessibility placard is required to park in Lot 8.
Alternatively guests can park at the Union Garage or the Glen Garage and then take a shuttle ride directly to the SECU Arena. This option requires the least amount of walking and standing.
Navigation Addresses for GPS
- Union Garage
Towson, MD - Glen Garage
Towson, MD
About the Shuttle
Shuttles typically run every 3-5 minutes before and after the ceremonies, and every 15-20 minutes in the middle of the ceremonies and are accessibility equipped.
Entrance
Towson Center Entrance
The entrance of the Towson Center is adjacent Lot 8. Please have your tickets. Each guest should have their ticket on their phone (instead of one person in the party holding all the tickets). Once inside the Towson Center volunteers will direct students to the staging area and guests to SECU Arena.
Entering through the Towson Center enables staff to direct guests to mobility station, for those guests who need mobility assistance. The university can provide wheelchair transport and mobility assistance to and from accessible seating in the SECU Arena from Towson Center. Once inside the arena, Event and Conference Services (ECS) staff will assist with accessible seating.
Wheelchair transport is provided as a convenience. Guests are responsible for their own personal use wheelchairs, or other medical equipment, if they require it. If a guest does not have a personal use wheelchair for the day, medical equipment vendors provide daily wheelchair and scooter rentals.
SECU Arena Entrance
Guests are not required to enter through Towson Center, they may go directly to the arena gates for entry, accessibility signage and instructions are posted at the SECU Arena entrances.
Local Wheelchair/Scooter Day Rental Vendors
| Vendor Name | Contact Information | Hours of Operation |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Pharmacy and Medical Equipment |
6701 Harford Road |
Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. |
| Austin Pharmacy |
10757 York Road |
Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. |
| Mobility City of Central Maryland |
6020 Meadowridge Center Drive, Suite P2 |
Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. |
SECU Arena Accessibility and Seating
Entrances open 90 minutes prior to the start of each ceremony. Ceremonies have general seating; there is no reserved seating. Tickets are required for entry. Seating is secured by guests on a first-come, first-served basis. Each ceremony lasts approximately 90 minutes, and all graduates in attendance will be recognized on stage.
Accessible seating and wheelchair seating areas are located on the concourse level of the SECU Arena which is a flat surface. Guests who require accessible seating or wheelchair seating should notify an usher when they enter the arena, and the ushers will provide physical assistance if needed. Due to space limitations, accessible seating is available to the guests in need plus one additional companion only. If two guests accompanying one another need accessible seating, they are each other’s companion.
Guests using accessible seating will be required to navigate one to three steps and physically maneuver around other guests in the area.
Elevators and Accessible Restrooms
Elevators and accessible restrooms are available throughout the facility. Guests are responsible for themselves when using restrooms, ushers, ECS staff, and wheelchair transport volunteers will not assist guests to the restrooms or in the restrooms.
After the Ceremony
Guests requesting wheelchair transport post ceremony should alert ECS staff; it may be a 30-minute wait. Wheelchair transport requests are placed in a queue, and guests are transported dependent on their place in the queue after the guests have cleared the concourse level. Once transported back to the Towson Center lobby, the guest must vacate the wheelchair. Wheelchair transport does not go outside. A small number of chairs are available in Towson Center lobby. Please plan for family meet ups before and after the ceremony.
ASL Interpretation
For guests in need of ASL interpretation services for Commencement, Section 104 in the SECU Arena is the reserved seating for this service. There is signage pointing to Section 104 and guests can ask ushers for assistance to the section upon arrival at the arena. Seating in Section 104 is first come, first served and guests using this service may have one companion only seated with them.
Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals
Service Animals and Service Animals in Training are allowed at Commencement ceremonies. A service animal is defined as an animal specifically a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. It is helpful if you inform TU ahead of time that a service animal will be accompanying a guest to commencement.
Emotional Support Animals and all other animals are prohibited at the ceremony and other University Buildings. Guests with Emotional Support Animals will be turned away from entering university buildings, including the SECU Arena.