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Onondaga County will offer testing sites for people attending Syracuse University’s commencement ceremonies, the university announced Wednesday.

Commencement ceremonies will take place on May 22 and May 23. Visitors will be able to receive free testing by appointment at Syracuse’s Oncenter complex on May 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on May 23 from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. People tested at the Oncenter will receive a wristband and an email confirming their test results later that day.

To attend any graduation ceremony, guests must provide proof that they have either been fully vaccinated for at least 14 days or have received a negative COVID-19 test. Guests providing a negative test can either receive a PCR test within 72 hours or an antigen test within six hours of the commencement’s start time. The Oncenter will provide antigen tests on both days.

Before attending the ceremony, visitors must go to a pre-screening compliance station, where they will present their proof of a vaccine or negative test. Once they’re checked in, they will receive a pass that allows them to enter commencement ceremony sites.

Students, faculty and staff can visit the station on May 20 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. as well as on May 21 and 22 from either 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Guests can visit the sites on May 20, 21 or 22 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Anyone who does not visit the pre-screening compliance station will have to provide proof of vaccination or a negative test at the ceremony.

Visitors can park for free on May 22 and 23 at the Henry, Raynor and Standart lots, the Irving Garage, the University Avenue garage and the University Avenue lot. Shuttles will run from each of the garages and lots and will drop guests off at the Dome’s Gate A entrance.

Guests will be assigned a specific gate and entry time to arrive at the ceremony to maintain social distancing. During the ceremony, students will sit in three-person pods on the field, while guests will sit in two-person pods in the audience. New York state guidelines require 6 feet of distance between all guests or family pods in the stadium and will only allow the Dome to operate at 10% capacity.

Each graduate will be allowed to invite up to two guests to the ceremony, and tickets will become available Thursday.

Published on May 5, 2021 at 8:35 pm

Contact Maggie: [email protected] | @maggie_hickss