Getting to Humboldt

Figure out how to get here, where to stay and eat, and what to do in and around Cal Poly Humboldt. Check out the comprehensive guide if you are traveling from out of the area. We look forward to seeing you!

Guest Tickets

Guest tickets to attend a Commencement ceremony are not required for entry at this point in time. For planning purposes, graduates will be asked to RSVP the number of guests attending as part of the graduate registration process. Registered guest counts will be considered in the planning process as capacity at each venue is limited. Accommodations for additional guests after registration closes may not be possible, so graduates are asked to be as accurate as possible when registering. All seating is first come, first served.

Things to Know

• The on-campus Commencement will be held outdoors and will go on rain or shine. Please be prepared for any weather.
• In the event of an emergency, remain calm and listen for instructions from the stage.
• Please stay for the entire ceremony out of respect for graduates and their families.
• Humboldt is smoke- and tobacco-free and smoking is not permitted anywhere on the Humboldt Campus.
• Dogs are not allowed in Redwood Bowl or in any campus building, with the exception of service animals. This rule applies to The Saban Theatre venue as well. 
• Bring your own reusable water bottle. There will be hydration stations for graduate and guest use for the on-campus ceremonies.
  
• Graduates will be notifying the Coommencement Coordinator of any guests in need of disability-related accommodations to attend Commencement and will be asked to provide those details when registering for Commencement. The Commencement Coordinator will work together with the Campus Disability Resource Center to arrange reasonable accommodations. Some accommodations may take several weeks to arrange. If your graduate requested an accommodation during registration for their guests, your graduate will be sent details about available accomodations closer to the event and will be asked to share those details with you.

Parking & Accessibility

For the on-campus ceremonies, graduates and guests may park in all general lots on campus, but G11, G12, G13, and G14 are recommended. Parking permits are not required on the day of Commencement and all meters within campus are free to use except those on Rossow, Harpst and B streets. 

The green lots shown on the Commencement event map (coming soon) are open for graduate/guest/general parking and the blue lots are recommended for ADA and shuttle access. No general vehicle traffic, parking or drop-off will be allowed past the barricades at 17th and Union Streets or Laurel Drive and B Street due to pedestrian safety. Please note: 17th Street will have single lane west bound traffic only on Commencement day due to shuttle access needs. 

ADA parking is available in FS9 (the faculty/staff parking lot at the end of Rossow Street, between Gist Hall and Student Business Services). Shuttles for those with mobility issues will run continuously from the FS9 lot by Gist Hall at the end of Rossow Street and will drop off at the south entrance of Redwood Bowl in between the Recreation & Wellness Center and Forbes Gym. The number of shuttles available is limited which may result in lengthy waits at the shuttle pick up and drop off locations. If you do wish to utilize the shuttles, we encourage you to plan to arrive at the pick-up location early. If needed, graduates and guests can also utilize the accessible paths of travel (please see campus ADA map for details).

Due to the limited number of shuttles available for the on-campus ceremonies for those with mobility limitations, the shuttles will be prioritizing getting graduates and their guests to and from Redwood Bowl and the parking lots. Unfortunately, we will not be able to take anyone to receptions or celebrations. 

Once at the shuttle drop-off on-campus, guests who have difficulty walking can request a wheelchair escort into Redwood Bowl. This service is provided free of charge. There are wheelchair/accessible seating areas on the first row of the east bleachers in Redwood Bowl as well as the designated seating area on the field on both the east and west. There is room for up to one guest to accompany the person in the wheelchair or who has a mobility limitation in these seating areas. Seating in these areas is first come, first served. 

American Sign Language Interpreters will provide in person interpretation at the on-campus ceremonies, and they will be located near the stage. They will be interpreting the script with the exception of graudate names during the presentation of degrees. If a graduate or guest would like a name interpreted, there will be a request form near the interpreter's designated location. Graduates will need to be identified to the ASL Interpreter when the graduate is lined-up near the stage. Ushers are available to assist in this process.

The Center for Translation & Interpretation will be offering live in person simultaneous interpretation for Spanish speakers at the on-campus ceremonies. They will have a table at the south end of Redwood Bowl where guests can check out devices before the ceremony. An item must be left with them for collateral (such as keys, ID, etc.). They ask that devices are returned immediately after the ceremony for further Commencement event usage. Devices will be offered on a first come, first served basis.

For the Regional Commencement, information about accessibility accommodations will be forthcoming to those that register. 

Please contact grad@humboldt.edu if you have questions about accommodations.

Watch Online

The on-campus ceremonies will be livestreamed so that families, friends, and the campus community can watch and help graduates celebrate their big moment. Live captioning will be provided on the livestream in English and in Spanish. The links to the livestream will be available on the day of the event on the Commencement website and humboldt.edu. Guests can simply click on the link to view (no registration needed). A video will be available to watch online after the ceremony at commencement.humboldt.edu in the weeks following.

Photos

GradImages photographers will be on hand to capture official graduation photos at all ceremonies. After the ceremony, graduates will be sent a link to preview their images. There is no obligation to purchase photos. Graduates can pre-register Commencement photos and get 20% off.

Pre-Order Grad Photos

Commencement Flowers

Leis and other Commencement flowers from Haggerty Designs will be available for purchase for the on-campus ceremonies. They offer local delivery or pick up options. Pre-sales are available and are recommended to ensure availability. The last day to pre-order is May 1. Limited supplies will also be available for purchase day of Commencement. 

Pre-Order Leis & Flowers