The University of Arizona’s 151st commencement will feature pomp and pageantry and plenty of water.
Anxious to avoid a repeat of last year, when more than a dozen graduates and guests were felled by heat sickness after water ran low, planners have a new system in place that does away with crowded staging areas and makes water more widely available.
Cooler weather should also help. Saturday’s high temperature is expected to be in the mid-70s, compared to last year when it was around 100.
Whatever the weather, “we are focused on making sure it’s great experience,” said UA Vice President Kasey Urquidez, who oversees the school’s graduation planning efforts.
This year, “We will not run out of water, for sure,” she said.
Among the changes:
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- The undergraduate processional is no more. Instead of having thousands enter Arizona Stadium one at a time — a process that caused long delays last year — undergraduates will start taking their seats at 5:30 p.m., two hours before start time. The UA plans to keep them amused with an interactive pre-show with music and dance cams. Only graduate students will be part of the formal processional that marks the start of the main ceremony.
- Grads each will receive a pint of chilled water as they enter the stadium. Two large water tanks with 1,000 servings each will be set up on the field. Water also will be available near concession stands in large orange thermal jugs, similar to those used on construction sites.
- The entire stadium will be open for seating, including the west side, which was closed off last year. The UA has lowered the stage and added a third jumbo screen to make the spectacle visible from all seats.
- All entrance gates into the stadium will be open this year unlike last year, when some were closed. About 300 volunteers will help students and guests find seats.
- A free mobile UA graduation app is available for download. Users will get real-time information and updates, for example, directions to the least crowded stadium gate. See the website commencement.arizona.edu for details.
The UA will issue 5,703 degrees: 4,245 to undergraduates and 1,458 graduate degrees.
More than 4,000 graduates and about 40,000 guests have registered to attend the ceremony, which will be capped by a fireworks display.
They will hear a commencement address by Jon Huntsman Jr., a former Utah governor and U.S. diplomat.
Huntsman is one of seven people who will receive honorary degrees from the UA on Saturday.
The others are community volunteer Betsy Bolding; rancher P. Andrew Groseta; health-care executive Peter W. Salter; a past chairwoman of the UA Foundation board of trustees, Sarah Brown Smallhouse; public health leader Will Humble; and neuroscience expert Brenda Milner.
