Umbrella Ban Forces USC Grads To Don Waterproof Ponchos For Ceremony

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — It was a soggy ceremony for thousands of graduates at the University of Southern California.

More than 51,000 people were estimated to be on hand for Friday's commencement ceremony on USC's University Park Campus despite school officials saying umbrellas will not be allowed and that there won't be enough tent space to cover the entire outdoor ceremony.

Former USC football and current Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and California Attorney General Kamala Harris were among those on hand to receive honorary degrees despite the threat of stormy weather.

"Star Wars" filmmaker George Lucas also braved the cold morning weather to attend the commencement, where his wife also spoke to the graduates.

Despite the official ban, many grads were seen sporting umbrellas and other rain gear as the ceremony got underway.

While some parents and students took to social media to complain about the no-umbrella policy, others said they were taking steps to prepare with USC-approved waterproof ponchos.

"My mom just went to the bookstore right now to stock up on ponchos for everyone," said one student.