Although much of our work in SIO is with new students, we also get to work with students at the end of their college career. Two of us—Carol and Poukhan—are members of the commencement committee and all of us answer questions from soon-to-be graduates planning the celebration of their accomplishment. With the RSVP deadline only a week away (April 13), 996 students have already confirmed their attendance. There are also 70 students on the waiting list—students who will be graduating at the end of summer or next fall who would like to attend the May ceremony. A surprising number of students are still being added to the spring ceremony by their advisers and we admit to some curiosity as to why. Did they forget to apply? Miss the deadline? Not realize they were so close to completion? Although we do our best to accommodate these students, additional late appliers will be in the pool with the waiting list students and April 27 is the last date we can squeeze any names into the Commencement booklet before sending it off to the printer.

Because of the large numbers of graduates and guests who attend the spring ceremony, there are actually two ceremonies and this year guests will need to have a ticket to be admitted. Coffman Union will be the overflow location where guests without tickets can watch the ceremony remotely. The speaker will be John Bul Dau, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. Here are the details (including how you can volunteer to work at commencement).

In orientation news (there is always orientation news), the first batch of welcome letters to new first-year students awaits only the orientation newsletter from Orientation & First-Year Programs—our part is folded and stuffed and waiting in bins for the final piece, which we hope will come today. Even before receiving our letter, eleven students have found their To-Do List on the web and signed up for orientation, and twenty-six PSEO students are confirmed for tonight's early orientation.

P.S. - For a fun history of academic dress at commencement ceremonies, see the Caltech commencement site.