Four thousand Jayhawks will be marching down Campanile hill on Sunday on their way to Memorial Stadium, a Kansas University diploma and post-college life.

Jonathan Power will be at the front of the pack, carrying the ceremonial banner for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. But he’s taking the duty in stride.

“It’s a long tradition,” he said. “It’s an honor to be carrying the banner. But it’s just a formality. All the real work’s been done.”

KU’s 132nd commencement will closely resemble every commencement since 1924, the first year it took place at Memorial Stadium — or at least that’s the goal.

“There’s absolutely no change from the previous year,” said Jeff Weinberg, special assistant to the chancellor. “Much of the tradition goes back to the very first march. There are so many traditions involved, and they mean so much to the students, parents and guests that will be there. We don’t want to interrupt that.”

The march through the Campanile — which students aren’t supposed to walk through until graduation — will begin at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The procession is expected to last about an hour, with a 45-minute ceremony.

About 4,000 of the 6,400 members of the Class of 2004 likely will attend, judging by past participation.

Free parking will be available throughout campus, though Memorial Drive will be closed to traffic beginning Saturday evening. A free shuttle will run from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday with stops at the Kansas Union, Jayhawk Boulevard, Murphy Hall, the south parking facility, the Burge Union, Daisy Hill and the Lied Center.

The ceremony will be broadcast in Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union. It also will be shown live on KUJH, Sunflower Broadband Channel 32, and at www.digitaljayhawk.org.

University schedules ceremonies for graduating students

Sunday’s weather forecast calls for a chance for storms. In the case of inclement weather in the morning, an announcement will be made at 1 p.m. about a postponement. The announcement will be made on several local radio stations, the KU Info line (864-3506), on www.ljworld.com and on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.

If weather clears by early afternoon, the ceremony will take place at 4:30 p.m. If the weather is still bad, another attempt will be made at 6:30 p.m.

If it’s still raining then, the ceremony will be at 9 a.m. Monday.

Aside from the weather, Weinberg said everything else should be predictable about the ceremony.

“There are going to be 30,000-some guests at KU that day,” he said. “Campus will be beautiful, the ceremony will be traditional, and it will be a good time.”