Disability Services

Commencement Week and Accessibility

Disability Services coordinates services and accommodates for individuals with disabilities, including students and their guests, attending or participating in any of the Commencement week ceremonies. University Commencement as well as all individual school ceremonies and the Baccalaureate Service are held in wheelchair accessible venues. Services are available to guests who use wheelchairs, have limited mobility, are elderly and need assistance, and those who need sign language interpretation. During Commencement week events, Disability Services staff, Event Hosts, and Public Safety officers will be on hand to assist guests with disabilities.

You may check the following sections for additional information about accessibility at Columbia University during Commencement Week.

For more information about disability services at individual school ceremonies and the Baccalaureate Service, please contact Disability Services at disability@columbia.edu.

Parents, Families, and Friends for University Commencement, May 16, 2012

Designated Gates for guests with disabilities, limited mobility, the elderly needing assistance, or those needing sign language interpretation.

The following gates should be used:

• 116^th Street and Amsterdam Avenue
  Gate opens at 8:30 a.m.
• 115^th Street and Amsterdam Avenue (between Wallach and Hartley Halls)
  Gate opens at 8:30 a.m.

It is important that guests with disabilities enter campus through the above designated gates. The general admission gates on 114^th Street have stairs and considerable distance from the designated seating areas. The large crowds at Commencement will make movement on campus difficult.

Seating

There are two dedicated seating areas on campus during Commencement for guests with disabilities. Guests with disabilities do not need to alert the University in advance to reserve seating or to make other arrangements. No special tickets are required to enter designated seating areas; general admission tickets may be used. The locations of the two seating areas are as follows:
 

• Walk near Kent Hall (with seating, wheelchair accessibility and sign-language interpretation). The best gate to use to gain access to this area is at 116^th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.
• Tent adjacent to Hamilton Hall (with seating, wheelchair accessibility, sign-language interpretation and closed-caption video of the Commencement exercises). The best gate to use to gain access to this tent is at 116^th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.

Parking

There is no on-campus parking. However, there are several parking garages in the neighborhood. Drivers are advised to drop off and pick up passengers with disabilities at either of the accessible gates listed above. View a list of area parking garages.

Shuttle

A shuttle bus will circle the perimeter of campus to pick up guests with disabilities, their families and those who need special assistance. The bus will transport guests to the appropriate access gate. Event staff will assist guests to their seats. The shuttle bus is wheelchair accessible.

Services for Guests with Visual Disabilities

Large-print Commencement programs will be available at both disability access areas on campus.

Services for Guests who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

The University's Commencement exercises will include sign language interpretation in both disability access areas. The disability-seating area, in the tent on Hamilton Lawn, will also have closed-caption video of the Commencement exercises.

Contact Us

For further information, contact the Disability Services. 

Campus Access Information

Disability Access Map (pdf). Printed copies of the Disability Access Map are available at the Public Safety booths on 116^th Street at Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue or at the Disability Services office.

Please note: Only College Walk and lower campus (South Lawn) will be open to guests during the Commencement exercises. After the main ceremony is completed (at approximately noon), the entire campus will open, and guests with disabilities may use the elevator to upper campus at the east end of Dodge Hall. (Public Safety officers will be available to assist guests.)

Graduating Students

Commencement Day

Students requiring accommodations should contact Disability Services. Please note that the University Commencement is held on Low Plaza and the processional route for graduates includes stairs. Those graduates whose disabilities limit their ability to walk or negotiate stairs should contact Disability Services to arrange for accessible seating.

Disability Services can be reached via email at disability@columbia.edu or at (212) 854-2388.

School Ceremonies

Contact Disability Services with any specific requests for information about accessibility of the venues for these ceremonies or to request accommodations.

Disability Services can be reached via email at disability@columbia.edu or at (212) 854-2388.

Faculty and Staff

Contact the Disability Services at disability@columbia.edu for more information.

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