Fall Commencement - December 12, 2020

Commencement ceremonies for fall graduates is at 10:00 am, December 12, 2020 in the Donald E. Young Sports and Fitness Center.

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation! Below is information to help you plan for this exciting day. If you have questions, please feel free to contact the Registrar’s office at 605.642.6567 or Email April.Meeker@bhsu.edu.

Are you graduating?Share your future plans with us!

Commencement practice for the graduates will be held Friday, December 11 at 2:45 p.m. in the Young Center.

Graduation Ceremony:
Graduates need to be in the Field House of the Donald Young Center by 9:30 a.m. to line up. The ceremony begins at 10:00 a.m. and will run for approximately 1 hour.

Graduating with Honors:
To graduate with honors, baccalaureate candidates must complete a minimum of 60/64 BHSU credits and associate candidates must complete a minimum of 30/32 BHSU credits, depending on Catalog year. In addition, both the BHSU institutional and the overall cumulative GPA’s must be as follows:

• 3.500 Cum Laude (Baccalaureate)
  With Honor (Associate)
• 3.700 Magna Cum Laude (Baccalaureate)
  With High Honor (Associate)
• 3.900 Summa Cum Laude (Baccalaureate)
  With Highest Honor (Associate)

Honor cords will be distributed at rehearsal. They will also be available prior to commencement for those who are unable to attend rehearsal. For ceremonial purposes, honors are based on your GPA as of October 1. Final honors will be posted to your diploma and transcript only after all grades have been calculated.

NOTE: Honors are not awarded at the Master’s level.

Reception:
A reception honoring all graduates will be held in the Young Center Field House immediately following the graduation ceremony. All graduates, family, and friends are invited to attend.

Photographs:
Lifetouch Special Events will photograph you during the ceremony. You may view and purchase your photographs online at events.lifetouch.com/bhsu one week after the ceremony.

Final Grades:
Grades for the fall term are due December 21.  A final review of your credits will begin after the grading deadline.  Students are reviewed in alphabetical order until all degrees are posted.

Incomplete Grades:
May graduates with an incomplete grade at the end of term will have until January 15, 2021 to complete the course and still receive a December-dated diploma.  Completions after this date will delay the student’s diploma until the next award date.

Transferring Final Coursework:
Graduates transferring additional coursework to us for the completion of their degree must do so by January 15, 2021 in order to receive a December-dated diploma.  Transcripts received after this date will delay the student’s diploma until the next award date.

• Transcripts should be sent directly to:
• BHSU Registrar
  1200 University Unit 9666
  Spearfish, SD 57799-9666

Transcripts are not required from USD, SDSU, NSU, DSU or SDSM&T because we utilize the same database and can access these directly.

Mailing Diplomas:
During the ceremony, you will receive a diploma cover to house your diploma. The actual diploma will not be mailed until all final reviews have been made. Diplomas will be mailed the last week in January.

Missing Requirements:
If we determine that you are missing a requirement to complete your degree or have other questions for you, we will communicate with you via email to your BHSU account. Please check your email on a regular basis until you receive your diploma.

Final Transcripts:
Requests for official transcripts must be made in writing by one of the following methods:

• Fax: 605.642.6022
• In person: Woodburn 103
• Mail: Send a letter of request to
  BHSU Registrar
  1200 University Unit 9666
  Spearfish, SD 57799-9666

Requests should include:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone Number
• ID Number
• Address to which you want transcript sent
• Signature

Make certain to indicate that you want us to wait until your degree has been posted so the transcript does not get inadvertently sent prior to the posting.

Official transcripts are $9.00 per copy. Please remit your payment with your request. Your check should be made payable to BHSU. If you are faxing your request, please make payment by including a Visa or MasterCard number along with expiration date and cardholder’s name.

Changing Your Graduation Date:
If your plans to graduate in December change, please contact us at 605.642.6567 or email April.Meeker@bhsu.edu to change your graduation date.

Announcements & Graduation Apparel:
Order your graduation announcements and apparel through CB Announcements at www.CBGrad.Balfour.com. Your order will be shipped directly to you. Prices for announcements vary based on style and quantity. Apparel package pricing is outlined below. Items are also sold separately for those who don't need a complete package. Single item pricing can be found on the Balfour website.

Associate Cap, Gown & Tassel            $34.99
Bachelor Cap, Gown & Tassel              $34.99
Master Cap, Gown, Tassel & Hood       $79.98

Guests:
The number of guests for commencement is not restricted. You may invite as many people as you wish.

Diploma Address:
You will receive a mailing with information about where your diploma will be mailed. Please review the diploma address sent with this mailing. If it is incorrect, email the new address to April.Meeker@bhsu.edu.

RSVP:
Return your RSVP card to the Registrar’s office no later than November 20, 2020.

Exit Exams:
All bachelor’s degrees require an exit exam or alternative capstone experience such as a portfolio or an interview. Exit exams will be given on December 10. You will receive a separate communication from your Dean’s office with specific details. Questions about this requirement should be directed to your Dean’s office.

Graduation Rehearsal:
A graduation rehearsal (approximately 1 hour) will be held on Friday, December 11, at 2:45 p.m. Check-in for rehearsal will be in the Field House of the Donald Young Center.