COLUMBIA – Francis Quadrangle is lush, green and ready for the 2009 commencement ceremonies this weekend.
Although only the Honors College holds its celebration on the quadrangle, it has been the backdrop for photographs and memories for generations of graduates. This year, MU will confer 4,963 degrees to 4,522 students.
The artists responsible for setting the graduation scene are the 650 employees of MU Campus Facilities who start preparing by holding planning meetings in January for what Gary Ward, assistant vice chancellor for facilities, calls "the most important day at Mizzou, the day we live for."
"I want the campus to look fantastic, so when the parents and families come to honor their graduates and take photos on campus, they'll remember Mizzou at its best for the rest of their lives," Ward said.
He and a team of five Campus Facilities directors and managers begin the physical work in early March, walking the length of the campus to ensure that every inch is in "commencement shape." The exercise starts at the north end of Francis Quadrangle in the circle drive.
"This is one of the best photo opportunities in the country, with the columns in the background. This is where we start to make sure the campus looks pristine," Ward said while bending down to pick up discarded litter at his feet.
Ward's team is made up of five Campus Facilities employees: Larry Hubbard, director of planning, design and construction; Pete Millier, director of landscape services and the MU Botanical Garden; Larry Elliot, manager of Construction Contract Administration; Heiddi Davis, director of Space and Planning Management; and Marty Esser, assistant superintendent with building maintenance.
Walking with open notebooks and pens in hand, the group takes note of every detail from the length and color of the grass to uneven concrete breaks in the sidewalk.
The current construction project on the south-west end of the quadrangle will be cleaned up by graduation ceremonies. According to Ward, the construction will be pushed back and contained so the picture perfect spot at the circle drive will not be obstructed by the project.
"We want student's last trip around MU to highlight what their time was like while in school," Davis said. "It's not just about the buildings at a campus like this, it's about the spaces in between the buildings that really make our campus different than any other."
Ward knows – after being in this business for 30 years – that details and presentation are everything. As the time for commencement draws closer, campus tours will become more frequent until the team will be out every day sweeping the sidewalk, if necessary.
"I know my parents made an enormous sacrifice to send me to college, the least I can do is honor the students and their families for their contributions to this campus," Ward said. "It will be like the opening day of a play, right before you pull back the curtain. All that magic will be there."