The collection includes VHS videotapes and DVD recordings of Central Michigan University Commencement speakers and honorees, May 1998-December 2009 and 2011. Some of the information written on the DVDs was incorrect. Correct dates and complete and accurately spelled names are included in the Box and Folder Listing. If a date was incorrectly written on a DVD, a slip of acid free paper with the correct date was added inside the DVD case. A number of names written on DVDs were misspelled or abbreviated. Names and dates were verified for accuracy with commencement programs. Materials lacking labels when they arrived in the Clarke Historical Library were watched to verify the contents. Seven videos are labeled as Station Archive Tape. The collection, except for some labels, are in very good condition. Recordings are organized in chronological order. For multiple commencement recording on one day, the recordings are organized thusly: All Three Speakers, 9:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 5 PM. The DVDs are accessible via ClipChamp software.
Researchers may also be interested in other Clarke collections documenting commencements including: CMU. Commencement Collection of paper programs; digitized CMLife and other CMU publications; the papers of CMU presidents; CMU. University Communications (UComm) and its predecessor units, which were and are responsible for taking commencement photographs and videos; CMU Photographs; and many collections of CMU alums, students, faculty, and units.
Processing Note: One duplicate DVD was withdrawn during processing.
Organizational History:
The Office of the President at Central Michigan University (CMU) has a coordinator of ceremonies and events who collaborates with internal units, University Events, Athletics, UComm, students, faculty, and staff to successfully hold commencement activities. CMU began livestreaming commencement in May 2019. Due to COVID-19 health concerns, CMU stopped holding in person commencements in May 2020. In person physically distanced commencements resumed in May 2021 with twelve ceremonies on May 7, 8, and 9 to which all 2020 and 2021 graduates were invited to attend. By Spring 2022 in person commencement were no longer physically distanced although some people still wore masks. (This information is from the President’s Office and Archivist Marian Matyn’s commencement experiences.)
