Information for news media covering University of Kansas Class of 2026 Commencement

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas invites news media to cover the university’s Commencement ceremony May 17 for the Class of 2026.

The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. as graduates begin the traditional “walk down the Hill” to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, followed by a program and the conferral of degrees by Chancellor Douglas A. Girod.

News media photographers will need KU credentials to shoot from the photo pen on the Campanile plaza and to get inside the stadium. News organization credentials alone will not suffice. To receive KU credentials, email Erinn Barcomb-Peterson by 5 p.m. May 12.

Guests will be seated on the west side and north end of the stadium, and all graduates will enter through the Anderson Family Football Complex on the southwest corner of the stadium before being seated on the field.

A few other things to keep in mind:

• Members of the news media are welcome to capture photos or video of the events from any publicly accessible area.
• The graduates will be seated on the field facing south. Limited roaming in the graduate seating area is allowed; however, photographers may not photograph on or from the dais.
• Only graduates and the university’s official photographers are allowed to walk through the Campanile to capture images. 
• Unmanned aerial systems, including drones — other than those of official photographers from KU Marketing — are not allowed. 
• More than 2,000 parking stalls are available a short distance from the stadium, and a complimentary shuttle service will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 17.
• Additional details, including an inclement weather plan, are available at the Commencement website.