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CORVALLIS, Ore. – Family and friends of graduating students will no longer need a ticket to gain access to the Oregon State University commencement, the university has announced.

The decision was made unanimously by the Commencement Committee.

“Now students won’t have to worry about who should or should not be invited to the ceremony due to the limited number of tickets,” said Kavinda Arthenayake, chair of the Commencement Committee. “We have never turned anyone away because someone did not have a ticket.”

The old rule allocated eight tickets per student. Tickets were originally used when the annual ceremony was held in Gill Coliseum due to the limited number of seats in the coliseum, Arthenayake said.

“The new side of Reser Stadium can accommodate more than 18,000 people and last year we had about 14,000 guests,” said Arthenayake, the director of OSU Conference Services and University Events. “The committee also believes that security personnel can get guests through the gates faster.”

Mary Carlin Yates, an OSU graduate in English and Political Advisor to the Commander, United States European Command, will give the commencement address.

OSU commencement will be Sunday, June 17, starting at 2 p.m.