Center for the Arts
Guest information varies based on the ceremony venue. To determine if the correct ceremony venue is the Center for the Arts, please visit the Ceremonies Page.
Health and Safety
Bag Check
The safety of our guests is of the highest importance. Upon arrival, security personnel will conduct a speedy inspection of all belongings.
- Bags over 12"x12"x6" (including purses and backpacks)
- Food/beverages/alcohol
- Illegal drugs and/or related paraphernalia
- Weapons
- Signs/sticks
- Non-collapsible umbrellas
- Flags/banners
- Balloons
- Inflatables
- Fireworks or explosives
- Laser objects
- Voice amplifiers
- Noise-making devices
- Baby strollers
- Animals (except service animals trained to perform a service or task for attendees with accessibility needs)
- Any item, that in the judgment of venue management, may pose a safety hazard or diminish the enjoyment of an event by other guests.
Deliberate disruption or prevention of the peaceful and orderly conduct of classes, lectures, events, meetings and other University activities is strictly prohibited.
Health Guidelines
UB’s guidelines are based on the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the New York State Department of Health and SUNY. All members of the UB community are urged to familiarize themselves with UB’s guidelines and to stay informed of any changes.
As always, the health and safety of the UB community remains paramount. The university may adjust its health guidelines, as needed, based on new scientific evidence and the course of the pandemic. Visit buffalo.edu/event-guidelines for the current guidelines.
For those unable to attend in person, degree conferral ceremonies will be available for live stream and post-ceremony viewing.
Getting to UB
Directions
North Campus directions are available on the Visiting UB website. To ensure your visit to campus during the busy Commencement season goes well, please view the alternate campus access information below.
Use the Coventry Entrance (off of Millersport Highway) or Flint Entrance (off Millersport Highway or Maple Road) for the most direct access to events at Alumni Arena, the Center for the Arts and Slee Hall.
To avoid most traffic after events, park in Furnas Lot, Jarvis A + B Lots, or Ketter Lot. To access these lots, enter campus from Rensch Road (off of Sweet Home Road), or use the Hamilton Entrance (off the John James Audubon Parkway). Please note that it is a short walk (approximately 7-9 minutes) from these lots to Alumni Arena, the Center for the Arts and Slee Hall.
GPS Coordinates
| Building Name | Latitude | Longitude |
| Center for the Arts | 43.0009982 | -78.782920 |
Commencement Parking
The Slee A Lot, Baird A Lot, and Jacobs Lots are recommended for guest parking. During commencement ceremonies, guests are welcome to park in any faculty/staff and student parking lots; a UB hangtag is not required. For a map with details for parking lots; please see the UB North Campus Map.
Baird B and Slee B Lots are reserved for accessible parking, more information can be found below.
Tickets
Tickets are required for some commencement ceremonies. Information about which ceremonies require tickets is forthcoming.
Guests Attending with Children
Children, toddlers and infants are welcome as guests at all commencement ceremonies; please follow these guidelines.
| Ages 3 and up | Ages 2 and under |
|---|---|
| A guest ticket is required for ticketed ceremonies. | No ticket is required as long as the child will be seated on a lap. |
Baby Strollers
Baby strollers are not permitted in the seats or aisles in the theater because of the safety hazards they pose. Therefore, the use of baby strollers is discouraged. If a baby stroller is necessary, it must be left in the entrance of the theater at your own risk.
Accessibility for Guests
The Baird B and Slee B Lots are designated as accessible parking for guests with disabilities. Those with official parking hangtags may utilize these accessible lots and spaces. The University at Buffalo does not issue these hangtags.
Guests who are unable to walk from the parking lot may be dropped off in the Coventry Loop in front of the building. Parking is not permitted in Coventry Loop.
Entry
The Center for the Arts is equipped with elevators inside the Mainstage Theater allowing for access to seats in the lower orchestra and wheelchair row by persons with special needs. Please be aware that the balcony of the Mainstage Theater is not serviced by an elevator, patrons seated in the balcony must be able to take the stairs to get to their seats.
Wheelchairs
A limited number of wheelchairs will be available for sign-out at the Guest Services Desk inside the Center for the Arts lobby (Coventry entrance), to transport guests from Coventry loop to seating.
These wheelchairs cannot be used by guests to sit in during the ceremony. The demand for wheelchairs tends to be quite high and we cannot guarantee that a wheelchair will be available to you when you arrive. We strongly encourage guests who need wheelchairs to supply their own and arrive early. Bringing your own wheelchair with you, if you require one, is especially crucial in case of an emergency evacuation.
Tickets
There is no specific ticket for accessible seating. For ceremonies requiring guest tickets, each guest will need a standard guest ticket.
Special Seating Areas
Please check in at the Guest Services Desk in the Center for the Arts Lobby. Patrons are then directed to the Mainstage Theater; please look for accessibility entrance, indicated by a sign in front of the theater. Please check in with the usher in this location who will make arrangements to seat you in the appropriate area.
Please note that guests with special needs may only bring ONE companion to sit with them. If the ceremony is ticketed, then the individual in need and their companion must each have a ceremony ticket. This limit is to ensure that we maintain ample seating for others in need.
Special seating areas are designated for the following:
- Deaf/Hard of Hearing — If you require a sign language interpreter please notify the school whose ceremony you will be attending, as soon as possible, so arrangements can be made for an ASL interpreter to be present and special access seating. Assistive listening devices that augment sound may be utilized in general seating; these devices will be available for check out at the Guest Services Desk in the Center for the Arts atrium. Live captioning will be available at live streamed ceremonies. Guests in need of captioning may either be seated in view of the captioning screen or may access captioning on their personal device.
- Those who are walking / stair-climbing challenged and may be in danger of experiencing ambulatory distress — Designated seating is reserved for guests unable to safely utilize stairs.
- Wheelchair Bound — Special seating is reserved for those in wheelchairs.