STORRS, CT — The University of Connecticut is expanding its spring commencement schedule beginning in May 2027, spreading graduation ceremonies across additional days in an effort to ease traffic and parking congestion while giving graduates and their families more time to celebrate.
Officials said the changes follow a review of guest feedback and logistical challenges associated with the university's traditional commencement schedule, particularly on Saturday and Sunday.
Since 2008, when UConn began holding individual ceremonies for each school and college, the university has scheduled its six largest graduation events over the two-day Commencement Weekend. Three consecutive ceremonies typically have been held each day at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts and three at the M&T Bank Center at Gampel Pavilion.
However, graduating classes have grown substantially since then, bringing larger numbers of family members, guests and vehicles to campus, officials said.
The tightly scheduled ceremonies required attendees to leave venues within 15 minutes after each event and clear the surrounding areas within 30 minutes to allow organizers to prepare for the next ceremony.
The arrangement also created parking and traffic challenges, with departing guests encountering long lines at parking garages while arriving families worried about finding parking in time for the next ceremony, officials said.
Under the revised schedule, UConn will distribute commencement events across multiple days, beginning Friday, May 7, and continuing through Tuesday, May 11. The School of Law ceremony will take place the following Sunday, May 16, at its Hartford campus.
The revised schedule includes four ceremony time slots over Saturday and Sunday, with additional ceremonies moved to Friday and Monday.
The university said the changes are intended to give families more opportunities to gather, take photographs and celebrate with graduates without feeling rushed to leave campus.
Doors will open one hour before each ceremony.
Friday, May 7
- 6 p.m. — School of Social Work, Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts.
Saturday, May 8
Sunday, May 9
Monday, May 10
Tuesday, May 11
- 9 a.m. — Master's degrees, M&T Bank Center at Gampel Pavilion.
Sunday, May 16
- 10:30 a.m. — Law degrees, UConn School of Law campus in Hartford.
Additional information and the updated commencement schedule are available at UConn Commencement
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