2022 Planning Letter to Families of Seniors
Winter 2022
To: Families of the Class of 2022
From: Karl Schonberg, Vice President of the University and Dean of Academic Affairs
Paul Redfern, Vice President for University Communications
Subject: Commencement Planning
The faculty and staff who serve on the Commencement Committee join us in extending congratulations to you as you anticipate the last semester of your senior’s undergraduate education at St. Lawrence. We work to prepare seniors for final responsibilities throughout the spring semester and with families as you anticipate our ceremonies in Newell Field House at 10 a.m., Sunday, May 22, 2022.
Please note that this letter is sent to families whose students are coded “2022” in our database and does not reflect any student’s individual circumstances.
Please retain this letter and contact information. We’ll communicate with students directly through campus email and we maintain an updated web site to keep you apprised of plans. (https://www.stlawu.edu/offices/commencement)
If you wish to receive copies of the monthly email notices sent to seniors, please send an e-mail to Anne Chism at achism@stlawu.edu and she will create a listserv. Please cite “Senior Parents” in the subject line of your e-mail. These updates will also be available on the Commencement web site.
For Your Information
Academic regalia: Academic regalia may be purchased at Brewer Bookstore during Senior Week. We do not custom order regalia, so no advance reservations are necessary.
Accessibility: The University designates special seating for individuals who have accessibility or other physical challenges, such as hearing impairment. If a family member has such challenges, please contact Anne Chism in advance by calling 315-229-5656 to discuss your needs. We will reserve one seat for the person who has physical challenges and one additional seat for a family member. To accommodate those guests with physical challenges, we cannot seat entire groups in this section.
Accommodations: Seeking housing for your family members and friends for Commencement weekend? Due to limited hotel availability in the Canton area, St. Lawrence University offers you the opportunity to register guests to stay in a University room on Friday and Saturday nights, May 20 and 21. We always have plenty of room! Reservations must be made online after Spring Break and a link will be posted on the Commencement site at that time.
Reservations will be taken from March 21, 2022, through May 18, 2022. The cost per night is $49 for age 14+, $25 for children ages 5-13, and free for children under the age of 5. Full payment must be made when you book your online reservation. Cancelled reservations will be refunded up until May 13, 2022. Please share with your guests that the University provides linen, as well as a pillow, towel, and blanket for each bed, but guests should bring any additional amenities to make their stay comfortable. No meals are included in this price. Check out is Sunday, May 22, by 6:00 p.m.
Housing assignments are made on a first-come, first-serve basis. Special arrangements may be made for some health problems (please be sure to reference this at the time of reservation). Please also note that Theme Cottages, Steiner Senior Townhouses, Hulett, Jencks, Sykes, Dean Eaton and Douglas will not be available for commencement housing due to the large number of seniors living in these buildings. Guest check-in will be in the Sullivan Student Center on Friday, May 20, and Saturday, May 21.
Announcements: Graduation announcements may be purchased by seniors through Brewer Bookstore.
Events: The weekend’s events begin on Saturday, May 21, in the afternoon with a Commencement concert by the Laurentian Singers.
On Sunday morning, we hold a baccalaureate service of reflection at 8:00 a.m., followed by Commencement at 10:00 a.m. A punch and cookies reception follows Commencement, which generally lasts about two hours; Dana Dining Hall will host a luncheon at which Class of 2022 members are our guests and others will pay $9.50 per person for age 6 and older and free for those younger than 6. The full schedule of events will be posted to the web site.
Meals: The St. Lawrence web site https://www.stlawu.edu/restaurants provides information and links to the Best Western County Seat Restaurant and area restaurants through the Canton Chamber of Commerce and St. Lawrence Chamber of Commerce web sites for those who wish to enjoy dinner on your own Saturday evening. Reservations for dinner and for lunch on Sunday are encouraged.
Residence halls will close at 6 p.m., Sunday, May 22.
Photography: Genesee Photo Systems captures the moment each student receives his or her diploma. Genesee will send proofs directly to students’ homes (through postal mail or email) and families may elect to purchase photos directly from this firm.
Families are invited to photograph or videotape the awarding of degrees from the designated area at the left side of the stage and should not impede the academic procession.
Tickets and Guests: Commencement itself requires no tickets. Graduates and families may invite as many guests as you wish to attend the weekend.