Return to the "POINTER VIEW"
                         May 30, 2003

By Jim Fox
Assistant Editor

West Point officials announced today that Vice President Dick Cheney will be this year’s graduation speaker. They also warned that proper IDs and early arrivals should be the number one priority for anyone wishing to hear what the VP has to say.

Heightened security measures will mean the earlier you arrive, the easier it will be to get in, officials cautioned.

"Everyone entering Michie Stadium graduation day will go through metal detectors," they said.

The gates will open to the public at 7 a.m. for the 9 a.m. ceremony. Graduation day shuttle buses will begin running from all parking lots at 6 a.m. and will make return runs until 2 p.m.

The ceremony will be held at the stadium regardless of weather conditions, with the exception of severe weather. The severe weather site will be Eisenhower Hall.

Parking for parents and guests will be in satellite parking areas around the stadium. Military Police will direct visitors entering Thayer Gate to Buffalo Soldier Field parking lots. BSF overflowing parking will be sent on to Lots, A, B and F. Those entering Stony will be directed to lots D, E, F and H. Traffic entering Washington Gate will be directed to Target Hill Field parking.

Security personnel will limit entrance and exit points into all housing areas Saturday from 6 a.m. until the end of the day’s activities.

Bar pinning shuttles will run from 2 to 4 p.m. The pick up point is behind the Supe’s box on the Plain and buses will run continually from there to parking lots BSF, H-Lot (Commissary), K-Lot (old PX) and Target Field.

Handicapped parking for graduation will be H-Lot. There will be a shuttle bus from H-Lot to Gates 6 and 3 for all handicapped passengers.

Special notices
The hearing impaired/signer section at Michie Stadium will be Section 31, rows A-C, numbered seats 20-29 in each row.

Robinson Auditorium in Thayer Hall will open at 8:30 a.m. Saturday as an alternate site for viewing graduation via closed circuit TV.

There will be no parking allowed in Eisenhower Hall lots after the Graduation Hop ends. Violators will be towed.