photo by: Mike Yoder

University of Kansas graduates participate in the 147th KU Commencement, Sunday, May 19, 2019, at Memorial Stadium.

It is time for Lawrence’s most famous walk down the hill — complete with a flipping of a tassel, and perhaps even some backflips from those who have been writing the tuition checks.

The University of Kansas’ spring commencement is Sunday at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, and if you are planning to attend, there are a few details you may want to know as several thousand people will converge on the football stadium and the Campanile that overlooks it.

Time: Commencement ceremonies will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Location: If you are from out of town and need directions to the stadium, type in 1101 Mississippi Street to your GPS of choice.

Parking: Some lists show KU’s Memorial Stadium as the oldest on-campus stadium west of the Mississippi. (Others list Oklahoma State’s as the oldest.) Regardless, KU’s stadium doesn’t show up on any list ranking ample parking. It won’t take long for the lots right next to the stadium to fill up. However, parking in any KU parking garage and most parking lots is free this weekend. You can ignore all the signs saying you need a specific permit to park in a lot. (Don’t ignore the handicap parking signs. Those are still enforced.) There also will be free, on-street parking available in the neighborhood just north of the stadium. It is first-come, first served, and don’t park too close to a corner, unless you don’t mind a ticket. Much like KU football game days, several houses likely will be selling parking spots in their yards.

Tailgating: No, you are not supposed to have any tailgate activities in a KU parking lot this weekend, according to commencement information KU has posted on its website. But, you might be able to tailgate in the parking spaces you purchase at a private residence.

Shuttle service: A free shuttle service from various KU parking lots to Memorial Stadium will run until one hour after the end of the commencement ceremony. The shuttle generally circulates throughout the main campus, meaning if you park in a campus lot, you should not be very far from a shuttle location. The shuttles run particularly close to the parking lots near Allen Fieldhouse, the Ambler Recreation Center and the Burge Union. Look for the big crimson and blue buses.

Weather: Sunday’s forecast calls for a high in the 70s and stormy weather early in the day. The commencement ceremony was originally scheduled for Sunday morning, but was delayed until later in the day because of the weather. Look for updates on KU’s social media and on ljworld.com. There is no plan to hold the ceremony in an indoor facility, in the case of inclement weather.

Entering the stadium: Know that if your bag or purse is too big, it could cause an entry problem into the stadium. KU’s official commencement website — commencement.ku.edu — says the following: “Personal items carried into the stadium should be limited to what can be carried in a one-gallon clear freezer bag, a small clutch purse (5.5 inches x 8.5 inches), or a clear bag no larger than 12 inches x 6 inches x 12 inches. Camera and computer bags, backpacks, and purses or other bags larger than clutch bags are prohibited.”

The Processional: The big-time tradition at KU commencement is passing the through the Campanile and walking down the hill to the stadium. Every graduate passes through the Campanile, but the processional splits into two lines as graduates make their way to the stadium. Which line a graduate is in depends on their school. Graduates in the following schools will be in the east line: Law, Medicine, Engineering, Business, Journalism, Health Professions, Nursing, Music, Professional Studies. Graduates in the following schools will be in the west line: Pharmacy, Education & Human Sciences, Architecture & Design, Social Welfare, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. If you don’t want to stand on the hill and watch the graduates come down, you can take a seat in the stadium and watch scenes of the processional on the large video board inside the stadium.

The Program: KU Chancellor Douglas Girod will provide opening and closing remarks, while the keynote address will be delivered by Steven Stites, chief medical officer of the University of Kansas Health System. Expect some reminiscences about the challenges this class faced due to the pandemic, as Stites also serves as chair of KU’s Pandemic Medical Advisory Team, which made key recommendations on how the university should operate during the pandemic.

The Graduates: KU anticipates about 5,000 students — some who finished classes this semester and some who finished in the fall — will participate in the ceremonies at the stadium.

photo by: Mike Yoder

A University of Kansas graduate wearing her decorated cap waits for KU Commencement ceremonies Sunday, May 19, 2019, at Memorial Stadium.