University Announces Safety Protocols for Spring Commencement Aug. 1

July 17, 2020

OBU will hold its Spring Commencement Saturday, Aug. 1, on the south lawn of Raley Chapel on the university’s campus in Shawnee. The ceremony will be held outdoors to follow physical distancing guidelines and will begin at 8:30 a.m. to protect attendees from the August heat. United States Senator James Lankford will deliver the address. A livestream of the event will be available on the OBU website for those unable to attend in person.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the university has enacted numerous safety protocols for the protection of all attendees. Face coverings will be required of all graduates and employees participating in the ceremony. Guests are encouraged to wear face coverings and are asked to bring their own seating for the event. To maintain physical distancing, each graduate will be limited to four guests seated on the south lawn area, with guests gaining access to the lawn via a wristband distributed to graduates during commencement rehearsal July 31 at 3 p.m. Graduates who are unable to attend the commencement rehearsal will be allowed to retrieve their wristbands Saturday morning, Aug. 1, from 7 to 8 a.m. A table will be set on the west patio of the Geiger Center for distributing wristbands.

Guests with wristbands will be allowed to enter the south lawn to claim their seating area beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday morning. Each graduate’s group of guests will select an area surrounding pre-staked flags on the lawn which have been spaced apart to maintain physical distancing. Guests are asked to stay close to their group surrounding the flags to allow as much distance as possible between groups. A large 16-by-9 foot LED screen will be positioned adjacent to the stage so that attendees may have a closer view of the ceremony even if they are seated further back on the lawn.

Restrooms will be open and available to the public in the Geiger Center and also in the Noble Complex. Raley Chapel will not be open for public use.

Graduates will gather in Raley Chapel’s Potter Auditorium by 8 a.m. Aug. 1, remaining physically distanced as they prepare for The Walk to the ceremony.

Graduates and their guests may park at the Noble Complex, Kerr Residence Hall or The Oval. View the commencement campus parking map.

View the full list of details regarding Spring Commencement and follow OBU on social media for the latest updates: @obunews on Twitter and Instagram, and Oklahoma Baptist University on Facebook.