University Disability Services is pleased to offer the following accessibility information for Commencement 2018. The information contained on this website should be used in conjunction with the Commencement Office's website at www.commencement.harvard.edu and your school's commencement website. Accessible seating (please see ticket exchange process below) and other accommodations for individuals with disabilities are available by request in Tercentenary Theatre for Commencement Day.
Prior to or on Friday, April 20th —Graduating seniors should submit a request for exchange of general seating tickets for accessible seating tickets as soon as possible. Requests should be submitted at alumni.harvard.edu/accessibleseating prior to Friday, April 20. Confirmation of requested ticket exchange and instructions for claiming them will be emailed thereafter. After receiving this email confirmation, your accessible tickets will be available for pick up along with your remaining general seating tickets at Senior Desk in May.
April 21st or later —If you have not submitted a request to exchange prior to Saturday, April 21, then you may exchange general seating tickets for accessible seating tickets in person at Senior Desk.
For more information on the Senior Desk - please visit: http://alumni.harvard.edu/college/undergraduates/graduation-information
Accessible seating tickets are available for exchange on a first-come, first-served basis and will be distributed until all tickets are gone. In order to accommodate as many family members and friends with disabilities as possible in the reserved seating area, individuals with an accessible seating ticket will be permitted to have one companion accompany them into the accessible seating section. The companion must also have an accessible seating ticket.
The accessible seating section is located adjacent to University Hall and will be clearly marked with the International Symbol of Access. Please see: 2018 Commencement Accessibility Map.
As a courtesy, on Commencement Day wheelchair runner assistance is provided from the gate to the guest's seat in Tercentenary Theatre. Guests are encouraged to arrive early on Commencement Day to avoid some of the crowding that usually takes place after 8:30 a.m. Gates open at 6:45 a.m. First aid stations and wheelchair-accessible restrooms will be located in Sever, Weld, and Thayer Halls.
<embed>Graduate and Professional schools manage their ticket exchanges locally at the school. Please find below a listing of school Commencement websites. If you are not sure of your school's Commencement Coordinator, please feel free to reach out to disabilityservices@harvard.edu and we would be happy to provide the direction.
Accessible seating tickets are available for exchange on a first-come, first-served basis and will be distributed until all tickets are gone. In order to accommodate as many family members and friends with disabilities as possible in the reserved seating area, individuals with an accessible seating ticket will be permitted to have one companion accompany them into the accessible seating section. The companion must also have an accessible seating ticket. The accessible seating section is located adjacent to University Hall and will be clearly marked with the International Symbol of Access. Please see: 2018 Commencement Accessibility Map. As a courtesy, on Commencement Day wheelchair runner assistance is provided from the gate to the guest's seat in Tercentenary Theatre. Guests are encouraged to arrive early on Commencement Day to avoid some of the crowding that usually takes place after 8:30 a.m. Gates open at 6:45 a.m. First aid stations and wheelchair-accessible restrooms will be located in Sever, Weld, and Thayer Halls.
| Harvard Business School | HBS Commencement Website |
| Harvard Chan School of Public Health | Chan HSPH Commencement Website |
| Harvard Graduate School of Design | GSD Commencement Website |
| Harvard School of Dental Medicine | HSDM Commencement Website |
| Harvard Divinity School | HDS Commencement Website |
| Harvard Graduate School of Education | HGSE Commencement Website |
| Harvard Extension School | DCE Commencement Website |
| Harvard GSAS and SEAS | GSAS and SEAS Commencement Website |
| Harvard Law School | HLS Commencement Website |
| Harvard Kennedy School | HKS Commencement Website |
| Harvard Medical School | HMS Commencement Website |
HARVARD COLLEGE: University Disability Services has a limited quantity of wheelchairs which will be made available for courtesy loan to Harvard College undergraduates on a first come first served basis. The loan period is from midday Wednesday May 23rd to midday Friday May 25th. There is no cost for this loan. To request: please send an email to disabilityservices@harvard.edu. Pickup and drop off details will be provided upon confirmation. It should be noted, that our office does not have the staffing to provide pushers to accompany the wheelchairs. If you are looking for a longer term wheelchair loan (several days to a week), there are many local vendors also rent wheelchairs for a cost and they are listed below.
GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS: Contact your school's Commencement Coordinator to see whether they may have courtesy wheelchair loans available. If not, please see the rental resource information below.
LOCAL RENTALS: There are a number of medical equipment rental companies in the local area. Wheelchairs, walkers and scooters may be rented from local vendors that provide short term loans for a cost. Family and friends needing such wheeled mobility aids are strongly encouraged to reserve necessary equipment well in advance of coming to campus.
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1. Belmont Medical Supply |
2. Boston Orthopedic & Respiratory Equipment |
On Commencement Day, May 24th, there will be staff at the entry gates to Harvard Yard providing courtesy wheelchair rides from the gate to the guest’s seat in Tercentenary Theater, either to general seating or accessible seating. No reservation is needed for the wheelchair runner service.
<embed>Commencement Accessibility Map:
2018 Commencement Accessibility Map. This map includes general accessibility information, including the locations of the LED screens with captioning, accessible entry gates, ticketed accessible seating section, accessible toilet rooms, first aid stations, and the University Disability Services Information table.
Shuttle Service Map:
2018 Shuttle Service Map - Accessible and available for all guests.
Longwood Campus:
ADA Accessibility Map - PDF map of accessible entrances, lifts, elevators, bathrooms, and circulation across the HMS, HSDM, and HSPH campuses.
Cambridge and Allston Campus:
Harvard University Online Campus Map - interactive map with information on accessible pathways and building entrances.
<embed>Accessible Parking - Accessible and Available to All
Accessible parking is available on both Class Day May 23rd and Commencement Day May 24th at the Harvard Stadium Athletics complex on North Harvard St. in Allston or at the Soldiers Field Park Garage on the Harvard Business School Campus, located at 111 Western Avenue in Allston. Please note that all parking is on first-come, first-served basis, and is in satellite parking areas. This parking will be available beginning at 6:30AM on Commencement Day, May 24th, 2018. Guests with further questions on accessibility parking needs or accommodation please send an email to disabilityservices@harvard.edu to discuss.
Shuttle Service - Accessible and Available to All
Shuttle Service will pick up in the above mentioned parking locations on Class Day May 23rd and Commencement Day May 24th. The routes then travel across campus every 10-15 minutes.The shuttles are accessible to guests using wheelchairs and other mobility devices. You can track shuttle service and get real time information on www.shuttle.harvard.edu. Guests with other shuttle questions can call 617-495-0400. Please also see the 2018 Shuttle Service Map.
Van Service - By Request
Van Service may also be available by request for transportation to areas not served by the shuttle. Please send an email to disabilityservices@harvard.edu with information on your request if you are interested in exploring Van Service for your visit.
Please note public transportation,City of Cambridge parking, and public parking are not Harvard affiliated and Harvard is not responsible for availability or changes in service.
<embed>Hotel Accommodations: Many Boston-Metro hotels offer accessible lodging, for a listing of Harvard Square Hotels, please visit: http://www.harvardsquare.com/accommodations. Family and friends needing accessible lodging are strongly encouraged to reserve accessible hotel rooms as far in advance as possible. Please note www.harvardsquare.com is not Harvard affiliated and Harvard is not responsible for availability, accuracy, or changes in service.
ASL is provided for the Morning Exercises and Afternoon Alumni Program at the ticketed accessible seating section in Tercentenary Theatre. Guests needing ASL should exchange general seating tickets for accessible seating tickets. Please see the Accessible Ticket Exchange tabs for more details on how to request.
<embed>ALDs will be available for the Morning Exercises and Afternoon Alumni Program held in Tercentenary Theatre. The will be loaned out first-come first served from the UDS Information Table by Weld Hall. To arrange for an ALD loan, we recommend requesting in advance via email to disabilityservices@harvard.edu.
Open captions are provided on the video screens in Tercentenary Theatre. Please see the Commencement Accessibility Map for the locations of the screens. Closed captions are also provided on the live-stream at www.harvard.edu.
