Graduation, Commencement, and Diploma Issuance

Excelsior University faculties have established the degree requirements for graduation. Upon satisfactory completion of all requirements following the final evaluation and transcript posting by the Registrar's Office, student degrees are conferred monthly. Degree faculties and deans have delegated to the Registrar’s Office the approval of students for graduation and the responsibility for administrative processing of individual candidates for each degree program.

Diplomas are mailed to graduates after the student’s conferral date and verification that all financial obligations have been met. The conferral record is considered permanent and cannot be changed after the student has graduated. Graduates may submit a request for a replacement diploma through the Registrar’s Office.

Graduates are invited to the annual commencement ceremony, which is an opportunity for students to celebrate their academic achievement. Students may request an exception to participate in the Commencement ceremony before their degree is conferred. A student who has received a degree in a previous year and wishes to participate in Commencement is welcome to participate in the ceremony. However, a student is eligible to participate in only one Commencement ceremony per degree conferral.

Procedure

Approval of Graduates

Within the Registrar’s Office, a specially trained team of graduation processors approve students for graduation, which is automatically initiated upon verification of a student’s final degree requirement(s). Student conferral dates are assigned using the Graduation Processing Parameter due dates, which are published annually. If there are extraordinary circumstances, students may submit a request to the Registrar to hold graduation processing.

Diplomas Reissuance

Replacement diplomas shall carry the following information contained on the original – name, degree program, conferral date, diploma number, and honors designation. Students seeking a legal name change should follow the process outlined in the Change of Records procedure.

Replacement diplomas will be issued in the current format and all signatories will be current administrators. To protect the institution and continuity of records, the new diploma will have the following printed on its face “Diploma Reprint.” Graduates requesting a replacement diploma will be subject to the current fee for such diplomas. Replacement diplomas will not be released to students with fiscal holds.

Marching at Commencement Before Degree Conferral

Advisors will ask interested students to write a brief statement summarizing their reason for requesting to march in Commencement prior to their conferral date. Emails are sufficient, and all student requests must be submitted to their Academic Advisor no less than two weeks prior to the Commencement registration deadline. The Advising Executive Director will review requests for approval.