Office of Access & Services for Individuals with Disabilities

Announcements 

The College will be closed on March 20th.

How should I prepare?

1. When you arrive at the United Palace Theater, proceed to the lobby, where you will be required to show your Grad Pass and a form of ID (TC ID or government issued ID such as a Passport or Driver’s License) for grad check-in.
2. Be sure to check in and follow the staff's directions upstairs to your department's designated seating area.
1. Your guests will arrive separately and be seated in their assigned seats.
3. In the grad assembly area , you will receive pre-show instructions before the procession begins.
4. When it’s time to line up, staff will guide you down the stairs and through the orchestra seating area. You will remain in this area for the duration of the ceremony.
5. Each ceremony will feature speeches by President Tom Bailey, a recipient of the TC Medal for Distinguished Service, and a student speaker, along with a musical performance.
6. After the speeches, individual recognition of graduates will begin. Staff will guide students from seat to stage.  
1. Master’s graduates will cross the stage as their names are called.
2. Doctoral graduates will be hooded on stage.
7. The ceremony will conclude with a welcome to the Alumni Association and closing remarks.

Feeling sick and unable to attend? You will be able to tune in virtually. 

Post-Ceremony Meet-Up: 

With large crowds, finding your graduate afterward can be tricky. Pick a meeting spot in advance to avoid confusion.

What to Bring/Wear:

• You will be walking and standing throughout the ceremony, so wear comfortable shoes.
• Don’t forget your regalia! (Cap and gown)
• Travel light. 
• No luggage, backpacks, boxes, banners, signs, balloons, etc. will be permitted.
• No food or beverages are permitted unless medically necessary. If needed, suggested options include small, cold, pre-packaged finger foods and individual, non-crunchy items to minimize noise and crumbs.
• No lighters, vape pens, e-cigarettes will be allowed.

Pets

• Service animals for people with disabilities are welcome. Advance registration for service animals is not needed, but appreciated
• For the safety and well-being of both our guests and their pets, animals are not permitted at the ceremonies. The large crowds, loud music, and cheering can be highly anxiety-inducing for dogs.

Arrival and Entry

• Accessible Drop-Off/Parking: Accessible drop-off is available at Broadway and 176th Street. The available space is described as three car lengths.
• Accessible Entrance: The entrance to the theater is located on Broadway at 175th Street (closer to 175th Street, between 175th and 176th). There are no stairs at the entrance.
•  Accessible Subways: The A Train to 175th Street & Fort Washington Avenue is accessible, with an elevator at the NE corner of 177th St and Ft Washington Av (requiring a one-block walk east to Broadway). The C Train to 168th Street & Broadway is also accessible, featuring an elevator on the SE corner of 168th St and St. Nicholas Ave (requiring a walk to 175th Street).
•  Inaccessible Subways: The 1 Train to 181st Street is not accessible.
•  Buses: Multiple bus connections are listed, including the M4, M5, M98 LTD (weekdays only), M100, Bx3, Bx7, Bx11, Bx13, Bx35, and Bx36, as well as connections via the Port Authority George Washington Bridge Bus Station.
• Complete schedules and accessibility information for subways, Metro North, and buses can be found on the MTA website.

Theater Access

• Wheelchair Availability: Wheelchairs will be available on-site for use as an escort from the theater entrance to the designated seating area.
•  Elevators are installed inside the theater to transport guests to different sections.
• The aisles in the orchestra section are ramps.
• The aisles in the upper/lower loge and balcony sections are stairs.
• Restrooms: Accessible restrooms are available on both floors of the United Palace. Ushers and Teachers College (TC) staff will be informed about which restrooms are accessible.

Suggested Arrival Time

Check the TC Convocation website for the ‘Grad Arrival’ time for your Ceremony. 

Accommodations:

• Sign Language Interpretation, CART Captioning, and Assistive Listening Devices (ALD) will be available for all ceremonies.
• Programs will be available online. Once you've accessed it, you should be able to adjust the font size on your device.  If you require large print or braille, reach out to OASID, within a timely manner, oasid@tc.columbia.edu.
• Ushers, familiar with the accessibility features of the theater, will be available at the aisles.
• Teachers College Accessibility Staff will be on hand to assist and can be identified by their yellow Access buttons.
• Contact Information: For any accessibility questions, attendees can contact the OASID Team via email at oasid@tc.columbia.edu.

Special Seating: 

In preparation, feel free to take a virtual tour of the space. 

Other Questions:

• FAQs, the full schedule of events, and the most up-to-date information are available on the TC Convocation website.
• Contact us: email oasid@tc.columbia.edu or by phone at 212-678-3689.