Commencement 2013

When Will I Receive My Diploma?

Students graduating in Spring 2013, who have met ALL graduation requirements, your diplomas will be available for pick-up after the August 2013 Board of Trustees meeting, which at this time is scheduled for August 8th. The reason for this is:

·    ALL grades have to be entered and posted. Anticipated date this year: June 7th.
·    The bulk of reviewing degree audits for requirement completion is completed in June and July.
·    We have 150+ degree audits to review to ensure students met their spring 2013 requirements.
·    After reviewing them, VP of Student Services reviews each one and signs off on them.
·    They are then posted to the student's transcript which is a multi-step process.
·    Diplomas are printed and sent to the Board of Trustees for signatures - they do not meet in the month of June.
·    Student Services generally receives the diplomas on the Monday after the BOT meeting and then begins calling/emailing students to
     notify them their degrees are available for pick-up.

PLEASE NOTE: At other colleges, this process can take up to 6 months.

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2013 Commencement Ceremony

When: Friday, May 24, 2013 at 5:45 pm

Where: Copper Mountain College, The Bell Center   Campus Map -- Bell Center Layout for Grads -- Bell Center Layout for Grad Guests

Copper Mountain College's Commencement is held annually on the campus. The ceremony will include the processional and recessional of all graduates, State Certificate of Completion recipients, candidates, faculty and noted dignitaries. Commencement 2013 includes Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 grads.

During the commencement ceremony, you will be handed the cover for your diploma. If you are receiving a Certificate of Completion, you will be handed a fake certificate. Diplomas and certificates may be available for pick-up in Student Services after the Board of Trustees meeting in August, for all candidates who completed their requirements. You will be notified by phone or email  when your diploma is available for pick-up in Student Services. If you move, please contact Student Services to update your address to ensure you receive your diploma: 760-366-3791, ext. 4232.

Graduation Information for the Student

Graduation Announcement Etiquette

Join the CMC Alumni Association - It's FREE!

Grads must submit an Intent to Participate form indicating whether or not they are walking on May 24th. If the student is receiving both a degree and a certificate, the student must submit an Intent to Participate for both. These forms are used to plan all things Graduation by the Committee.

Intent to Participate - Associate Degree

Intent to Participate - Certificate of Achievement

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Commencement Rehearsal

When: Friday, May 24, 2013 at 8:30 am

Where: Copper Mountain College, Campus Map -- Bell Center Layout for Grads

A faculty hosted breakfast in honor of CMC graduates immediately follows rehearsal in the Bell Center Community Room at approximately 9:30 am.

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Base Graduation Recognition Ceremony - Active Duty Military & Family Members

If you are an active duty service member or military dependent and a CMC graduate or certificate of achievement recipient during the fall of 2012 or spring 2013, Copper Mountain College, along with the MCAGCC Education Office, would like to invite you to be honored at our annual Graduate Recognition Ceremony.  This ceremony is Thursday, May 16th, at 10 a.m. in the Protestant Chapel aboard the Combat Center.

Please see flyer for additional details and to RSVP

MCAGCC Base Recognition Ceremony Letter 2013

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Cap & Gown Information for Students

Graduates and candidates will wear black-colored caps and gowns, which are available at the bookstore beginning in April 19, 2013. Please see the pricing flyer or check with the Campus Bookstore for prices at 760-366-3791, ext. 4272.  

CMC has maintained the integrity of the academic dress/regalia tradition as prescribed by the American Council on Education (ACE), the major coordinating body for all the nation's higher education institutions. ACE does not permit graduates to wear adornments or other embellishments with their Cap and Gown, except for Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Beta Gamma, CMC recognized Academic Honor Societies. CMC graduates are required to adhere to this timely tradition of not wearing leis, adornments, decorating mortarboards, wearing of RN or VN pins, or other embellishments for the commencement ceremony and will be asked to remove any of these items prior to the ceremony and may not be permitted to participate if they refuse.

Membership in Phi Theta Kappa is denoted by the wearing of the Gold Honor Stole, a Blue and Gold Double Honor Cord, a Gold Tassel and/or a Gold Key Medallion.

Membership in Alpha Beta Gamma is denoted by the wearing of the Sapphire Blue Satin Stole.

If a student is receiving both a degree and a certificate, they must wear the Cap and Gown, as a degree is the pinnacle of Commencement. Additionally, no other uniforms may be worn in lieu of the Cap and Gown. RN or VN pins may not be worn with the Cap & Gown.

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Commencement Ceremony Photographs

No arrangements have been made for a professional portrait photographer to be at the ceremony; however, a decorated backdrop will be provided in the Bell Center for personal photos. DO NOT fall for any photography scam by persons claiming to be school photographers! Copper Mountain College has arranged to have the entire graduation ceremony recorded. To order a DVD or VHS copy, complete the enclosed form and mail with your $10.00 check. All proceeds from the sale of the graduation DVD will be donated to the CMC Foundation for the Student Activity Center.

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What Parents and Visitors Should Know

There is very limited parking. Please try to carpool with friends and family.

All guest seating is in the bleachers. Parking is limited; please have family and friends carpool. Seating is limited for expected guests and participants in the bleachers. Along with the number of expected guests, please indicate on your Intent to Participate form if you or any of your guests are disabled and will require special arrangements or assistance. There will be listening devices and a signer for the deaf if any graduates indicate hearing impaired guests will be attending. Please notify your guests who are smokers the Bell Center is a non-smoking area. Please ask your guests to turn off cellular telephones and pagers during the graduation ceremony. All guests are to enter the Bell Center through the West doors (facing Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley). Late arriving guests are not permitted to enter the Gymnasium during the Posting of Colors, Pledge of Allegiance, and National Anthem.

Due to Fire Code Regulations, if seating is not available in the Gymnasium, guests must remain in the lobby.

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Accommodations for Persons with Special Needs

The event will be held in the Bell Center. Accommodations will be made for persons with special needs. If you have any concerns, please contact the ACCESS Office (formerly DSPS) at 760-366-3791, ext. 5862.

Campus Map

Bell Center Layout for Grad Guests

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Transfer Students

How would you like your University acceptance letter and picture displayed on campus? Beginning April 2013, there will be a bulletin board posted in the 100 Quad and the 200 Quad dedicated in your honor. It's our way of saying "Congratulations" and "A Job Well Done." If you are interested in this privilege, please contact Gregg Chesterman in Student Services at 760-366-3791, ext. 5883. FLYER

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Graduation Requirements

Students are responsible for meeting the full requirements for graduation as set forth in the College Catalog. Counselors assist students in planning their program of study, but the final responsibility for meeting education requirements rests with the student. Students must complete an Intent to Graduate Form the semester prior to graduation. The deadline for an Intent to Earn A Degree or Intent to Earn A Certificate is October 1st for Fall graduates and March 1st for Spring & Summer graduates.

Minimum Graduation Requirements

To be eligible for graduation with an Associate degree or State certificate of completion program, the student must meet ALL of the following requirements:

• Have passed all courses specified and required in the student’s chosen program of study.
• Have earned a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on all required courses attempted at the College.
• Have taken and passed at least 12 semester credit hours in residency at CMC.
• Have paid all financial obligations owed to the College.
• Have filed with the Office of Student Services an intent to graduate one semester prior to the student’s final semester.

Honors at Graduation

Copper Mountain Community College encourages scholarship among students through formal recognition of those who graduate with honors. Grade point average (GPA) is cumulative and includes all college work completed at CMC and elsewhere.

To recognize academic accomplishment, students completing associate degree programs with prescribed cumulative grade point averages are recognized at the college commencement exercises and diplomas awarded, as honor students.

Honor	GPA
Highest Honors	3.90-4.00
High Honors	3.75-3.89
Academic Distinction	3.50-3.74

Grad GPA Honors Insert

Honor Graduate Speaker

The Honor Graduate Speaker is chosen from a select group of students graduating from Copper Mountain College with “Highest” or “High Honors.”  This recognition is bestowed on students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 to 4.00, through the fall 2012 semester and includes grades earned at  ALL colleges attended. Towards the end of March, students meeting the GPA requirement, will be invited to complete an application and submit an essay to be considered as the Honor Graduate Speaker at graduation. In April/May, the Graduation Committee will review received applications and hear applicant's speeches. Within a week, the selected applicant will be notified.

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Apply for the AA/AS degree or a Certificate of Achievement by filling out one of the following forms. If you intend to receive more than one degree or certificate, please fill out one form per degree or certificate:

Intent to Earn A Degree

Intent to Earn A Certificate of Achievement

Important! Please be sure to have official transcripts from all the colleges you have attended on file in the Admissions and Records Office. Your degree cannot be conferred until ALL official transcripts are on file. For more information, please call (760) 366-3791, ext. 4232.

Whether or not you plan to attend the Commencement Ceremony, you must apply for a graduation evaluation of your records by March 1st, if you wish to have a May 2013 graduation date posted on your transcript.

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There are two (2) types of certificates:

1) State Certificate of Achievement: A State Certificate of Achievement is awarded at the State level, and is posted to the student's transcript. These include:

a. Accounting Certificate
b. Child Development: Teacher Certificate
c. Child Development: Associate Teacher Certificate
d.Child Development: Master Teacher Certificate
e. Computer Information Systems (CIS) Certificate
f. Computer Programming (CP) Certificate
g. Fire Technology Certificate
h. Vocational Nursing (VN) Certificate
i. CSU General Education Certificate
j. UC (IGETC) General Education Certificate
k. CSU (IGETC) General Education Certificate


2) Local Certificate of Proficiency: A local certificate is a Certificate of Proficiency awarded at the local level, and as such, is not posted to the student's transcript. These include, but are not inclusive of:

a. Adobe Applications Specialist Skills Certificate
b. Dreamweaver Web Content Developer Certificate
c. Adobe Certification Training in InDesign Skills Certificate
d. Adobe Certification Training in Illustrator Skills Certificate
e. Adobe Certification Training in Photoshop Skills Certificate
f. HTML Web Content Developer Certificate
g. Nurse Assistant (NA) Certificate
h. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) I Certificate
i. EMT Refresher Course Certificate
j. Home Health Aide (HHA) Certificate

Students receiving local certificates generally celebrate their accomplishments separately with their class. You may file an Intent to Earn a Certificate of Proficiency in the Office of Student Services.

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