William Regan is director of the Office of Conferences and Special Events. Patricia Staebell is commencement coordinator. This year will mark Staebell's 16th commencement-the second as commencement coordinator. Regan has worked on 10 commencement ceremonies.

Commencement is one of the chief responsibilities of the Office of Conferences and Special Events. What is involved in putting together UB's commencement ceremonies?

Like any major special event, there are myriad arrangements and details that must be attended to. We start with the basics-when and where. Each year, there are enough little changes made to the commencement schedule so as to require a very diligent effort at accommodating our 14 ceremonies, plus the Phi Beta Kappa Induction Ceremony and the University Honors Convocation. Each ceremony has a commencement coordinator; after communicating via email during the fall semester, we meet at the beginning of the spring semester to review the schedule and other "global" logistic issues and needs. We work closely with each of these coordinators throughout the entire process, but the assigned coordinator basically manages each individual ceremony. There also is a litany of logistical elements that require constant planning, tweaking and implementation, all according to a strict timeline: recruiting faculty and staff; ordering academic apparel; publications; facilities; services; making contact with all eligible students; adding the special program elements of speakers and awards; adding new wrinkles, such as video projection, and-in the case of University Commencement-constantly striving to make our largest ceremony a personalized tribute to each of graduate and his or her families and guests.

What's your favorite part of commencement?

During University Commencement, when the students are declared, en masse, to be "graduated." To see 1,000 young people erupt in an euphoric response is phenomenal. There is such a sense of joy and happiness-it is definitely an unbelievable feeling. Observing the audience during this same time is also great: beaming parents and grandparents, everybody smiling ear-to-ear. We get a real kick knowing that, in some small way, we are a part of this milestone for each and every attendee. It is very rewarding.

What's the most difficult part of commencement?

The communication process with students and parents during the months preceding commencement is tough. Creating awareness, monitoring and managing the registrations, answering numerous emails and phone calls-all happening at a point where there is so much planning detail taking place. Yet answers need to be handled continually and without delay-most of the return calls and emails are done in the evening from the "office" at home, thus leaving the day hours to conduct the logistical setups. The morning of commencement is also tough, as the 1,000-plus students, faculty and staff gather in the Triple Gym to check in and form the procession. There is such a "buzz," it's a true comedy of efforts to get the students' attention to tell them what to do. Last year we tried a bullhorn-that didn't work; this year, we'll try cherry bombs! Our back-up plan, however, is to take advantage of new technologies. We will email the entire participation list prior to Sunday morning, telling our candidates for degree what they need to do when they first arrive in the Triple Gym, what they need to do once they check in, where they find their seats, etc. Hopefully, this will make everyone's morning a bit calmer and smoother.

What's the closest you've ever come to a commencement "disaster?"

Do you think we'd tell you if we really came close? Honestly, for the past 15 years-our collective experience-commencement has gone off without any major snafus. Our biggest concerns going into a commencement exercise are how long our speakers will talk, or how long the procession will take. With a jammed, packed program such as University Commencement, it is important that all the pieces fit snugly inside two hours. If someone rambles on for too long, we start stroking out.

Do you have a favorite commencement story?

President Sample was annoyed one year because the undergraduates got a little rambunctious-throwing beach balls, etc. He actually reprimanded the "kids" in the middle of the program! Poor Barb Ricotta was assigned to "beach-ball duty" the following year. We also like the reaction we get when we parade half our graduates through the men's locker room as we move from the Triple Gym to the main arena for the processional entry. Nothing like being greeted by "Pomp and Circumstance" as you exit the bathroom!

If you could have anyone in the world, dead or alive speak at UB commencement, who would it be?

We're of two minds. One says, 'No speakers-takes too long! The other says, "someone of vision and wisdom, like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, Martin Luther King, Jr., any of the prophets, past U.S. presidents-Fillmore, Kennedy, Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt-Princess Diana, Leonardo da Vinci. The list could go on and on.

When will you start planning next year's commencement?

We start early in the fall semester coordinating the commencement schedule with the administration, divisional coordinators and facilities/service managers. It does not let up from there.

What are you planning to do on May 15?

We'll be here, hopefully patting ourselves on the back. We'll also be saying thanks to everyone who helped make the weekend possible. We owe our success to, in no particular order, University Facilities; University Police; Instructional Technology; Catering; University Bookstore; Student Health Center; Rural Metro Ambulance; managers of Alumni Arena, Slee Hall and Center for the Arts; each of the divisional coordinators; university administration; our university marshal; the faculty and staff members who comprise the marshal team; assistant marshals; associate marshals; student marshals; registration marshals; marching faculty and staff, etc. Last, but certainly not least, we could not end this interview without mentioning Dick Baldwin, the retired commencement coordinator, who set the high standard for our programs and traditions. He was our best teacher!