“Pomp and Circumstance” may play a little louder this year in comparison to years past.

Graduation, which will be held at the Convocation Center this year, will not be much different though the location will be much bigger.

Joe Coots, marketing manager for the Convo Center, said the ceremonies will be held in the same location and follow the same format. But this spring, commencement tickets will be limited.

“We did not need to limit any guests in December, however, the increased students that will participate in May have caused the need for ticket limits,” Coots said. “Depending on the ceremony, each graduation candidate is limited to either seven or nine tickets.”

There will not be a charge for parking during the graduation ceremonies, Coots said.

“With 3,000 parking spaces, parking is probably the biggest advantage the Convocation Center offers families,” Coots said. “The other advantage is size. While ticket limitations are being utilized at the Convocation Center, we do not have to limit students as much as they have had to do in the past in the other facilities on campus.”

Suzanne Warber, assistant director of registration and records, said that having the ceremonies at one site makes it more convenient for students and families.

“In the past we had to have Liberal Arts and Science have two different ceremonies,” Warber said. “Having graduation at the Convocation Center now enables us to have one ceremony instead. It also gives us the ability to have more space.”

Coots said the Convo Center will serve its purpose for this year’s graduating class.

“One of the reasons for building the Convocation Center was to host commencement ceremonies for NIU,” Coots said. “The new environment is a beautiful representation of the university’s commitment to its students.”