With more than 34,000 people, including a presidential candidate, expected to pack Williams Stadium Saturday, Liberty University is having to take a lot of steps to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Because Romney is protected by the Secret Service, LU's 2012 commencement will involve a lot more security than the average graduation. Anyone participating in the ceremony will have to be at the stadium no later than 6:30 Saturday morning. Everyone who enters the stadium will have to go through a metal detector.
The school has a long list of items that are prohibited at commencement, including:
- Silly string
- Alcoholic beverages
- Noisemakers (Horns, whistles or artificial noisemakers of any kind)
- Fireworks or any explosive
- Folding chairs
- Illegal drugs
- Weapons of any type
- Firearms of any type
- Balloons
- Pets (except service animals for the disabled)
- Coolers/containers (unless containing medical supplies)
- Wrapped presents
- Tailgating
- Backpacks
- Hazardous materials
- Chemical materials
- Biological materials
- Radiological materials
- Knives (of any kind)
- Toy guns/toy weapons
- Fireworks
- Pepper spray/mace
- Scissors
- Razor blades
- Needles
- Leatherman brand tools (or similar)
- Screwdrivers (or similar)
- Glass bottles
- Tripods
- Coolers
- Air-horns
- Laser pointers
- Aerosol containers
- Soda cans
- Sticks/poles
- Baseballs, softballs, etc.
- Produce
Graduates and their families will be allowed to bring:
- Cell phones
- Cameras
- Snacks and bottled Water (plastic)
- Chair backs/seat cushions
- Strollers/wheelchairs
- Umbrellas
- Small purses
Those items will be searched at the gate.
No tickets are required to attend commencement. If you plan to go, you must be inside the stadium by 8:30 AM. Signs posted around campus will direct you to parking and shuttles that will get you to the stadium.
Traffic is expected to be heavy, so give yourself plenty of time to get there.
