Inclement Weather Plans

Our wish is always for blue skies and sunshine for commencement but, alas, even Washington and Lee cannot control the weather. 

Though we expect the weather to be warm and dry, if the ground in front of Lee Chapel is saturated or if rain (not drizzle) is falling - and only as a last resort - one or more ceremonies may be held at an indoor facility. The Law School commencement exercises or undergraduate Baccalaureate will be moved indoors to W&L's Warner Center gymnasium. Warner Gymnasium is not air-conditioned. Undergraduate Commencement would be held at Cameron Hall Gymnasium on the campus of Virginia Military Institute (#28 on the Web map). It is the only facility in the area which can accommodate the 4,500 people who usually attend. Cameron Hall has individual, padded, stadium seats and is air-conditioned. Cameron Hall's inside layout, with section and row numbers, may be viewed here.

The schedule of events is maintained in two forms: clement weather and INclement weather.

No tickets are required for the ceremonies. 

Parking in the area of Cameron Hall is severely limited. W&L will provide shuttle buses which will circulate from the parking lots near Liberty Hall on the back campus to the lower entrance of W&L's parking deck, then to Cameron Hall and back again.

In the event we must use VMI's Cameron Hall for the undergraduate Commencement ceremonies, all participants should enter Cameron Hall through the front doors from Main Street. The platform party and the faculty will assemble on the upper/street level of Cameron Hall, at the rear of the building. The graduating seniors will assemble on the lower level through the left stairwell from the front lobby. Faculty marshals and staff and student helpers will provide directions and assistance.

A decision will be made as to whether or not to conduct the ceremony outdoors approximately four hours before the scheduled start time for the ceremony. Information will be posted to this Web site regarding any change in the scheduled plans. The University's inclement weather line (540) 462-5277 (or 5277 from on campus) will also be updated with any changes as explained on the W&L inclement weather web page. 

Current weather
 
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