It's Obama headquarters here: Everything you need to know

Obama1Asiya Khaki

Good morning, Morningside Heights! President Barack Obama, CC '83, is returning to campus to deliver the address at Barnard's Commencement, his first visit to campus since September 2008 and possibly the first visit to campus by a sitting president (see below for more: it seems like it was the first visit by a sitting president in about 50 years, though). It's going to be a hectic day, with ultratight security locking down all of South Campus. Graduates are scheduled to arrive in Roone Arledge Auditorium at 8 a.m., four hours before the procession is due to begin.

Spectator will be bringing you coverage from inside and outside of the ceremony but we urge anyone on campus to send in pictures or stories to dailyeditors@columbiaspectator.com and tweet @CU_Spectator using the hashtags #ObamaAtCU or #Barnard2012.

Didn't get a golden ticket to commencement? Don't worry, you can watch Obama's speech streamed live here. We'll be liveblogging the whole day, from the 8 a.m. arrivals to what it's like inside the press filing room, from the procession at noon to the speech, to the moment Obama leaves campus at around 3 p.m.

After the jump, the liveblog, a breakdown of security measures in place, some pictures of the setup last night, and all other must-have information you should know about the big day. If you've got questions, comments, tips, or suggestions, you can email or tweet at us above or leave a note in the comments below—we'll be checking all day.

(UPDATE: 3:21 p.m.) Photos after the jump, too.

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