Weather contingency plans
There is no adequate alternative facility for Commencement in the event of inclement weather. If rain is forecast, please come prepared.
If weather conditions Saturday night and early Sunday morning are severe...
If weather conditions Saturday night and early Sunday morning are severe, a decision to move the ceremony inside will be made by President John McVay by 5:00 a.m. Commencement day. The announcement will be posted on the Walla Walla University homepage, and campus e-mail. The following will apply:
The commencement ceremony will take place in the University Church with overflow at the Gym/WEC (418 SW Davis Ave., College Place, WA). Please note that due to limited seating in the University Church there will be restricted seating. Each graduate will only be allowed to bring four (4) guests into the church. These four (4) guests must be physically present with the graduate as he/she enters the church. While no tickets are required, we ask that you honor this limitation. Please note that the middle section is reserved for Graduate seating; no food, beverages, noise makers, etc. will be allowed inside the church. Both the church and the WEC will be open at 7:00 a.m. Ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m.
- No tickets are required.
- Guests must arrive with the graduate and the party needs to remain in the University Church until the ceremony is over.
- All other guests are invited to go to the alternate location to view the ceremony via a live video feed in the WEC (418 SW David Ave., College Place, WA) or via livestream on our graduation website https://wallawalla.edu/grad. Please note: No noise makers, etc. will be allowed inside the WEC.
- Graduates, Faculty, Staff, Emeriti, Board, Platform Participants:
- Class Photo will be taken in the church during the ceremony.
- Undergraduates after escorting your four (4) guests into the church, go directly downstairs to the fellowship hall to line up. [7:45 am]
- Masters Graduates after escorting your four (4) guests into the church, go directly to Heubach Chapel. [7:45 am]
- Junior processional leaders go directly downstairs to the fellowship room. [8:00 am]
- Platform Party go directly to the Green Room. [8:00 am]
- Faculty/staff/emeriti/board/administration. Please note that because of limited seating in the choir loft (106 seats) we ask that only faculty and emeriti march. Faculty/emeriti go directly to the Youth Room. [8:00 am].
If severe weather conditions develop after the ceremony begins...
If severe weather conditions develop after the ceremony begins, President John McVay will make the decision to either move activities inside or cancel the ceremony.
If the ceremony is moved:
Graduates, faculty, platform party and VIP guests will go directly to the University Church, where the ceremony will continue. In this event, the following will apply:
- No tickets are required.
- Due to limited seating inside the University Church, each graduate will only be allowed to bring four (4) guests into the church. These four (4) guests must be physically present with the graduate as he/she enters the church. Please note that the middle section is reserved for Graduate seating; no food, beverages, noise makers, etc. will be allowed inside the church.
- All other guests are invited to go immediately to the alternate location at the Gym/WEC (418 SW Davis Ave., College Place, WA) where they will be able to view the ceremony via live video feed, or via livestream on our graduation website https://wallawalla.edu/grad. Please note: No food, beverages, noise makers, etc. will be allowed inside the WEC.
- Graduates to sit in the middle section of the church.
If the ceremony is cancelled:
Graduates will receive instructions as to where they can pick up their diploma.