Q&A

Richard Baldwin, associate director in the Office of Conferences and Special Events, has been a member of the UB staff since 1968, when he joined the university as director of sports information. He has been responsible for commencement for two decades.

What's your responsibility for coordinating commencement? Do you deal only with university commencement?

The weekend schedule is the first concern. After that format is official, additional detail starts. I'm involved in all phases of the process until each school coordinator takes over-then, mostly I concentrate on the undergraduate arts and sciences ceremony known as University Commencement.

Does a day go by that you don't think about commencement?

I ponder commencement even when the Red Sox are pounding the Yankees or when UB is destroying Youngstown State.

All told, how many students will graduate from UB next week? How many people will participate in May commencement ceremonies at UB? How many of the ceremonies will you attend?

The three diploma dates of Sept. 1, Feb. 1 and June 1 usually total approximately 5,000-plus degrees. In 1997, 3,544 graduates participated in 14 ceremonies on campus. I usually attend some each day.

What's the most challenging aspect of organizing commencement at such a large school like UB?

With the CFA now a major site for mid-size ceremonies, the task of scheduling is much relieved. Alumni Arena, Slee and the Center for the Arts are the main venues. Now, by 4 p.m. Sunday, the campus shifts into its summer mode. This year, the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences actually concludes the event on May 22.

Do you have responsibilities other than commencement?

All major special events emanate out of our office. Commencement is king, but there are many university-wide dates that we program during the academic year.

When do you begin your preparations?

As soon as the fall semester approaches, the process starts. The details fill in over the academic year. I attempt to add a new wrinkle each spring to the arts and sciences university event. The academic calendars designate the annual weekend in advance.

What do you hope parents and students remember most about commencement?

The UB spirit of the morning, student contributions within the ceremony, the comfort of Alumni Arena, the president's remarks and sense of accomplishment and pride expressed by the audience for the graduates.

Tell us about your worst UB commencement "disaster" and how you handled it.

The criss-crossing of the doctoral alpha order procession to the wrong side in the hall leading to the Alumni Arena floor. Then there were the Dean's Awards in my trunk in the Bissell lot just before the start of the program. How did I handle it? Fast in each instance.

What's your favorite UB commencement memory?

Not one-many! The music, wind ensemble and symphony, Sarah (McKoin) and Magnus (Martensson) and the student vocalists are excellent. Short speeches.

What's something most people don't know about commencement and should?

Every service area of the university contributes to the commencement weekend. It's all of UB at its best!

What do you remember most vividly from your own college graduation?

The Count Basie Band played on the St. Lawrence University campus the night before, my parents meeting other parents again, the ATO house. Elliot V. Bell, the CEO of McGraw-Hill was the speaker. And, knowing my draft board was being alerted in the next day's mail (only two years ROTC).

What do you do to relax once commencement is over?

Proceed straight home and start digging and organizing peat moss.

What question do you wish we had asked, and how would you have answered it?

"How many commencements have you been involved with at UB?" The first one was downtown in Memorial Auditorium in 1978