Venue Guidelines

The commencement venue is fully accessible and meets all ADA standards including all processional routes along the ceremony site.

Wheelchairs, Trams, & Carts
Due to the number of expected participants and guests at Commencement, graduates, their families, and guests are reminded that the University is unable to provide wheelchairs, walkers, and other assistive devices of a personal nature. Trams and other transport vehicles will not be available. Please review parking information to best assess the most comfortable parking location for your family and guests.

ADA seating for guests with disabilities will be limited and is first-come first-served. Because of limited seating capacity, guests with disabilities may be accompanied by one party member in the special seating section. Every effort will be made to seat other members in the closest adjacent seating area possible. Also, there will be a live telecast room with live captioning at the Bianchi Planetarium (Citrus Hall), Nobbs Auditorium (Sequoia Hall), Johnson Auditorium (Jacaranda Hall), and Noski Auditorium (Bookstein Hall). Ushers at the commencement site will be available to assist and direct you to these locations. 

 

Please view our venue site map to locate our ADA Seating on the days of the ceremonies. 

Arrival Time:

Guests are expected to arrive at least 90 minutes early to account for traffic, checking in, bag check, line up, and seating.

Parking:

CSUN Graduation Parking fees will be waived for all Commencement ceremonies, for additional information on directions and parking please visit the following link.

Please click here to view the different venue entrances based on where graduates/guests parked for the event.

Guest Entrances and Tickets:

There will be four entrance gates operational for guests (West, East, Southwest, Southeast). Guest are expected to have their printed or electronic tickets out and ready for scanning upon arrival. Guests will be asked to pass through metal detectors and have their tickets scanned before entering the venue.

Please make sure your graduate resends/prints your tickets to ensure that all tickets have remained in their account and the QR codes are the most updated ones. 

To help you with accessing the venue, passing through security check-in, and locating the different entrances please view the venue entrances, nonprohibited items, and commencement site map for more information.

NOTE: If someone sent you their tickets, we have no way to see how many other people they sent them to. This means if the ticket comes out as invalid/scanned in, then the ticket was used by someone else. Every ticket has a unique QR code so no matter how many times you email/print them, they will remain the same tickets.

Interpreting services for deaf and hard-of-hearing guests will be available in a reserved area. 

Please view our venue site map to locate our ADA Seating on the days of the ceremonies. 

Information regarding directions and venue maps for the days of commencement can be found here.

To ensure a safe and memorable commencement experience, the following items are NOT allowed into the commencement grounds:

  • Glass Bottles
  • Posters
  • Sticks (selfie, tripods, monopids, sticks attached to large posters, etc.)
  • Over one bag per person
  • Knives and Weapons
  • Large Backpacks / Bags
  • Wrapped Gifts
  • Balloons
  • Noise Makers (air horns, confetti cannons, etc.)
  • Umbrellas
  • Camera Lenses over 6'' in length
  • Lawn Chairs / Stadium Seats (stadium cushions ok)

NOTES:
Water bottles (plastic, hydro-flask-type, etc.,) are ok to bring into the venue; however, subject to search to ensure they do not contain alcohol.

All bags are subject to search. Metal detectors are to ensure the safety of students, families, and guests attending the ceremony.

All bags are subject to search. Metal detectors are to ensure the safety of students, families, and guests attending the ceremony.

The Department of Police Services maintains a centralized lost and found service for the California State University, Northridge community. In the event you lose an item during Commencement, a University police officer or Community Service Assistant can direct you to Police Services Headquarters to file a lost report or check on lost property turned in to the Department of Police Services.