Student voices reach Pres. Hall
The Associated Students of Utah State University passed a resolution Tuesday in hopes that President Kermit L. Hall will hear students’ voices concerning proposed graduation changes.
The ASUSU Executive Council resolved that the president’s proposal be upheld, but with certain considerations.
In addition to their resolution, members of the council decided to express to the president their concern regarding two issues, the presentation of diplomas and Spectrum seating.
According to the ASUSU concern motion, “The current process gives professors four days to submit final grades, after which one month of uninterrupted work is required by administration to close out and finalize degrees. The proposed changes would reduce that time to a matter of hours.”
Outside the meeting, JanaLee Johnson, graduation supervisor, said the current process for distributing diplomas takes about six weeks. After grades come out, six people spend about 50 hours each posting degrees.
Heidi Beck, associate registrar, said, “We want to support the university in making changes that’ll make [commencement] better.”
However, it will be difficult to make changes between now and graduation time, she said.
“We are having a hard time visualizing how everything that takes place in six weeks can happen overnight,” Beck said.
According to ASUSU’s motion, “It is the feeling of the students that this program may be more beneficial if the administration were given one year to thoroughly complete preparations for a task of this magnitude. We therefore suggest that the proposed changes to graduation ceremonies concerning diplomas be implemented, if possible, for the spring commencement exercises of 2004.”
“If changes are made … we want to make sure they are done without compromising the quality,” Beck said. “We would assume [with the proposed changes] there is more chance for mistakes.”
According to the ASUSU motion, “Statistics show that approximately one-sixth of those who apply for graduation fail to meet requirements according to the plan. Under the proposed format, those students may receive diplomas from the university before problems are identified. This may undermine the integrity of the diploma received by other graduates.”
Beck said some universities ask professors two weeks in advance for a list of students who can reasonably be assumed to graduate. This is something USU might do, she said.
Beck said if the changes go through, she hopes to visit a university with a commencement style similar to the one Hall is proposing so she can be better informed.
“We’re just holding off, waiting for a decision to be made, so we can know what direction to head,” she said.
The Registrar’s Office has expressed its concerns to the president and provost.
“We feel like they will be able to make an informed decision,” Beck said.
Spectrum seating capacity also earned a motion during Tuesday’s ASUSU meeting.
Shelly Swasey, ASUSU Athletics vice president, said Spectrum facilities personnel told her the building can seat 10,500.
According to the council’s motion, “Students would be allowed significantly fewer [than] the five guests per graduate anticipated by President Hall. Traditionally, the numbers have been accommodated by holding smaller college celebrations, where graduates are honored on an individual level.”
Members of ASUSU are staying positive about the future of their concerns.
Jeff Leek, Science senator, said, “ASUSU came together and made a solid statement. I hope the president will take very seriously the concerns we’ve brought up.”
Celestial Bybee, ASUSU president, said, “This is a collaborative effort. It’s not administration versus students. I know [the president will] take all the students’ concerns into consideration.”
John Navarrete, Education senator, said, “I feel that, yes, the major student concerns have been addressed, and I look forward to seeing President Hall’s reaction.
I feel like a formal resolution will be taken seriously by the upper administration, and the students’ voices will be heeded.”
Students who have questions or comments should address their ASUSU representatives.
-amarie@cc.usu.edu
ASUSU requested the following considerations: • The student speaker should be chosen from a pool of valedictorians and one outstanding senior from each college by a panel made mostly of students. • Students’ names should always be read aloud at college celebrations. • Each college should hold a celebration at which students receive individual recognition, valedictorians are honored and “other college traditions are upheld.” • Each college should have the option of holding its ceremony on either Friday or Saturday of graduation weekend. ASUSU supported the following proposals: • Recipients of honorary degrees should be recognized at a separate reception. • Faculty award citations should be shortened. • The alumnus speaker should be eliminated. • More visuals depicting college experiences should be displayed on the overhead scoreboard and main stage screen. • The student speaker should address the audience on behalf of the graduating class. • Which individuals are placed on the stand should be redefined. • The hooding ceremony should take place Friday evening. • There should be a new pathway for the procession. • The stage configuration should be changed to allow for increased seating. • The USU orchestra or band should play upbeat music during the presentation of diplomas.
Past USU graduation celebrationsFriday:• Spouse recognition ceremony• Hooding ceremony for master’s and doctoral candidates• College open houses – basically, students get together with families and faculty for a party and awards• Graduation dinner and Collage of Sounds concert
Saturday:• Special breakfast for valedictorians and honorary degree recipients• Academic assembly – undergraduates gather on the quad, graduate students in the Taggart Student Center• Academic procession – students walk from the quad to the Spectrum• Commencement ceremony – the president, an alumnus and a person of national or international acclaim speak. Honorary degrees are announced. All graduates stand, are confirmed by the president and sit back down. • College graduation ceremonies – Students attend individual ceremonies, which are scattered through the afternoon, where their deans and valedictorians speak. Their names are called and they receive a diploma cover containing congratulatory letters from the Registrar’s Office, among others.• Alumni graduation picnic• Alumni reception