Faculty & Staff FAQs

Below you’ll find the answers to commonly asked questions from faculty & staff regarding their role in Commencement. If you have a question that isn’t answered below, please reach out to the Commencement Team by emailing us at usm.commencement@maine.edu.

Commencement 2024 will be held on Saturday, May 4th, 2024 at 9 am at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland.

For guests and community members who wish to watch Commencement but cannot attend at the Cross Insurance Arena, USM will be holding a Commencement Watch Party at 9 am on May 4th, in Abromson Center, Hannaford Hall on the Portland Campus. Guests and community members who wish to attend can park in the Abromson parking garage.

If the faculty and staff are participating in or volunteering for Commencement, no ticket is needed. Faculty will need to have their regalia with them to participate in the ceremony.

Faculty and staff who want to volunteer at Commencement can do so by signing up in mid-April. More details will be released as Commencement approaches. Please note for many of the volunteer assignments, there is a mandatory training required during the day on Friday, May 3rd. We appreciate your help!

Faculty and staff who are volunteering should arrive at the Cross Insurance Arena no later than 7:00 AM. Student Robing Area Assistants should be in place from 7:30am until 9:30am. Faculty marching in the ceremony are requested to arrive by 8:15 AM.

Faculty and staff wearing regalia should order through the University’s Oak Hall storefront.

Please note: The last day to order is March 20th.

Rental orders will be available for pickup in Portland at 218 Abromson Hall on Friday, April 26th, Monday, April 29th, and Tuesday, April 30th.

Picking it up is not required (Unless you are participating in the Nursing Ceremony on May 3rd) as these will be sent down to the Cross Insurance Arena a few days ahead of the Saturday, May 4th Commencement.

After successfully entering your rental order from Oak Hall’s website, you should receive an email confirmation from support@oakhalli.com.

Rentals will be paid for by the USM Commencement Committee. We will need to get your rental back from you either directly after the event in the Faculty Robing Room or during the following week at the University Store at 212 Abromson Hall on the Portland Campus.

All faculty and staff will need a ticket, which is required for entry, and if applicable, regalia if you are bringing your own or have already picked it up from the University Store. Large bags and backpacks will not be allowed into the arena and there is no storage for personal items during the ceremony. If you are unsure of what to bring, please check out the Cross Insurance Arena’s list of prohibited items.

Parking for faculty and staff who are not volunteering will be available from Unified Parking Partners in Portland, at 1 Portland Square (with overflow to 2 Portland Square). The lot entrance is at 50 Cross Street, and the back of the lot is open for walking traffic on Spring Street. Please show your USM ID card for no-fee access from 7am to 3pm.