Disability & Translation Services
Disability Accommodations
Throughout Commencement Weekend, every effort will be made to accommodate guests and alumnae with disabilities. Anyone with physical disabilities who wishes to be dropped off near the entrance to the Quadrangle for the awards convocation or Commencement ceremony should speak to the police officer at the top of Paradise Road.
Seating
At Ivy Day and Commencement Day ceremonies, reserved seating, limited to two per party, will be provided for those in wheelchairs, those who require sign-language interpreters and those who are legally blind. Graduating seniors are required to submit a disability accommodations request form by mid-April to receive tickets for reserved seats.
Sign Language
Sign-language interpreters are routinely provided at Ivy and Commencement Days, and a special seating section near the front of the audience will be designated for guests of those students who submitted a disability request form.
Assisted Listening Devices
On Ivy Day and Commencement Day beginning at 8 a.m., guests who provide a photo ID can pick up previously reserved assisted listening devices at the tables on the left as you enter Emerson Arch off Paradise Road. The ID will be retained until the headset is returned to the same location while graduates are completing the diploma circle.
Access to the Quadrangle
Anyone with physical disabilities who wishes to be dropped off near the entrance to the Quadrangle for the awards convocation or Commencement ceremony should speak to the police officer at the top of Paradise Road.
Wheelchair Rental
Wheelchair rental is available from the Hometown Healthcare Store, 142 North King Street in Northampton. Please contact them at 413-320-4665; wheelchairs can be reserved at their online store.
Accessible Restrooms
In the Quad, accessible restrooms are located on the first floors of Jordan and Cushing Houses. Emerson House also has a restroom that is accessible from the Emerson dining room ramp. An accessible portable toilet will be outside the Indoor Track and Tennis (ITT) facility. If Commencement is held indoors in the ITT, accessible restrooms are near the main entrance.
Service Animals
Smith College welcomes guests with service animals as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act and in accordance with Massachusetts state law. Service animals are dogs that are trained to perform specific tasks to assist disabled individuals.
Translation Services
Simultaneous Spanish and Mandarin translations of this year’s Commencement ceremony will be available to those who have made reservations in advance. Starting at 8 a.m. on Sunday, guests who provide a photo ID can obtain their reserved headsets at the tables to the left as they enter the Emerson Arch off Paradise Road. (Rain site: lobby of the Indoor Track and Tennis Facility.) The ID will be retained until the headset is returned to the same location while graduates are completing the diploma circle.
TRANSLATION DEVICE REQUEST FORM