GRADUATION HANDBOOK15 MARCH 2018

Contents

Applying to Graduate Graduation Date and Times Procession The Ceremony Procedure for the Conferment of Qualifications General Information Photography

Welcome

Nau mai, haere mai

The Whitireia graduation ceremony is a colourful and enjoyable event celebrating the completion of your qualification, something that has taken months or years of hard work. It is a time to celebrate your achievement with your family, friends and fellow graduands.

Please take the time to read this handbook thoroughly. It outlines all the information you need to know about this event.

Congratulations on your achievement. We look forward to seeing you at graduation and celebrating this occasion with you.

Applying to Graduate

All students who have successfully completed the requirements of their programme of study are entitled to graduate. This includes the requirement to have all fees paid and library items returned. The Application to Graduate form must be completed and returned to Whitireia either by post, email or in person by 15 February 2018. If the application is not received by this date then your award will be conferred in absentia.

If you are unable to attend the graduation ceremony, your qualifiction will be conferred in absentia and posted to you after the ceremony. You still need to complete the Application to Graduate form to ensure we have your correct address details.

The Application to Graduate form can be downloaded from the Whitireia website.

Withdrawal from the ceremony

If you register for this graduation ceremony but then are subsequently unable to attend, please email graduation@whitireia.ac.nz by 9 March 2018.

If you miss this deadline, your qualification will be conferred in absentia. Your qualification can only be conferred once, so you will not be able to graduate at another ceremony.

Graduation Date and Times15 March 2018 Te Rauparaha Arena, Parumoana Street, Porirua

12 noon Graduands assemble in the Atrium at the Porirua campus and line up in alphabetical order with their programme cohort

12:30pm Graduand procession begins

12:40pm Graduands arrive at the arena

12:45pm All guests to be seated*

1:00pm Ceremony begins

3:30pm Light refreshments

*Please note that late arrivals will not be permitted to enter the arena once the ceremony has started

Procession

The graduation procession will take place before the ceremony and is a highlight of this celebration.

Graduands are to assemble in academic regalia in the Atrium at the Porirua campus no later than 12 noon. You will be briefed and sorted into programme cohorts before processing along Wi Neera Drive to Te Rauparaha Arena at 12.30pm.

Follow the directions given by Whitireia staff members and traffic management staff. If you or someone else around you needs assistance, please notify the nearest Whitireia staff member.

Please note, the procession is for graduands only.

Cancellation

If the procession is cancelled:

• Messages will be posted on the Whitireia website, Facebook and Moodle on the day

• A text message will be sent to all graduands who have provided mobile phone details

• Graduands will be asked to meet at Te Rauparaha Arena at 12:15pm instead

The Ceremony

Guests are asked to arrive and be seated by 12:45pm; late arrivals will not be permitted to enter the arena once the ceremony begins. The ceremony will take approximately three hours. As a sign of respect for those graduating, please make sure that you and your guests remain seated until the end of the ceremony.

Order of ceremony

• Karanga

• Haka Pōwhiri

• Guests stand as the official party, academic staff and graduands enter the arena

• Karakia Whakapumau

• Welcome Speech

• Guest Speaker

• Conferment of Qualifications (see procedure on following page)

• Student Speaker

• Karakia Whakakapi

• Guests stand as the graduates, academic staff and official party leave the arena

Refreshments

Following the ceremony, light refreshments will be served to you and your guests.

Procedure for the Conferment of Qualifications

• Programme cohorts line up near the stage in alphabetical order

• When it is your turn, you will be announced by your full name as it appears on official Whitireia documents

• Walk across the stage to have your qualification conferred by the chair of the Whitireia Council

• If you are receiving a degree, the chair of the Whitireia Council will hold a ceremonial trencher over your head, cap you, and instruct you to put your trencher on your head. A photograph will then be taken.

• Proceed to your academic/programme leader who will hand you your qualification

• Leave the stage and return to your seat

General Information

Guest tickets

Graduands do not require tickets, however guests do. As there is limited seating, each graduand is only guaranteed four tickets for guests. We ask that you indicate the number of guests you will be bringing on your Application to Graduate form (even if you do not intend to have any). If you wish to bring more than four guests, please indicate on your Application to Graduate form. Each additional guest will cost $20 per head. If additional guests can be accommodated we will notify you by 4 March 2018, at which time we will discuss payment with you.

If you have a guest with special seating and/or access requirements, please let us know when you apply to graduate.

Parking

Please ask guests to factor in enough time ahead of the ceremony to get a carpark. There is limited parking at the venue and it may be necessary to park further away. Information on parking in and around Porirua is available on the Whitireia website.

Academic regalia

All graduands must wear full academic regalia. If you are not wearing academic regalia, you will not be permitted to take part and your qualification will be conferred in absentia.

Wearing your academic regalia

Academic regalia can consist of a gown, a hood or stole and a trencher.

• If you are having a diploma awarded, you wear the gown and the stole

• If you are having a degree awarded, you wear the gown, the hood and the trencher

• If you are having a postgraduate diploma awarded, you wear the gown, the stole and, if you already hold a degree, a trencher.

• If you are having a master’s qualification awarded, you wear the gown, the hood and a trencher.

How to wear your academic regalia:

• Gown – arms go through the slits

• Hood – neckband can be secured under your tie or with pins

• Trencher is worn with shorter peak to the front (degree students hold their trencher under their arm until they are capped and they place it on their head)

• Trencher tassel can hang on either side

• Embellishing your graduation regalia with garments of honour from your cultural tradition, korowai, ta’ovala, lei, sari, etc, is a welcome enrichment to the colour of the ceremony. These are worn under your hood or stole.

Collection and return of academic regalia

Your academic regalia will be available for collection a few days before and on the morning of graduation. Academic regalia must be paid for before it is collected. Check the Whitireia website for collection dates and times.

Regalia must be returned to the regalia room at Te Rauparaha Arena after the ceremony.

Cancelling your academic regalia order

If you are unable to attend the graduation ceremony, we will refund you for the full cost of your academic regalia hire. Cancellations of academic regalia must be emailed to graduation@whitireia.ac.nz before 9 March 2018.

Photography

A photographer will be attending this graduation ceremony and will photograph you as you graduate. These will be available online a few days after the ceremony.

Important information about photography

Images will also be taken by the official event photographer, Capture Studios, and will be supplied to Whitireia to be used for promotional purposes, including online and print.

Contact Us

graduation@whitireia.ac.nz 027 801 6757

DX Box: SX33459 3 Wi Neera Drive, Porirua 5022

www.whitireia.ac.nz