Graduation vision becomes reality
Commencement ceremony changes proposed by President Kermit L. Hall last month have been finalized.
This year’s graduates will attend a university-wide commencement, where they will walk to the center of the Spectrum, shake hands with administrators and receive a certificate. By May 2004, it should be possible for actual diplomas to be given out instead, said John DeVilbiss, executive director for Public Relations and Marketing.
Students will also be recognized at individual college celebrations, where their names will be read aloud. The details of these celebrations will be hammered out by college deans and Associated Students of Utah State University senators over the next few months.
“What prompted this was a president who does not like meetings and events just for the sake of having meetings or events,” DeVilbiss said.
Hall proposed the changes to the ASUSU Executive Council members, who responded with a resolution addressing concerns exhibited by students.
Celestial Bybee, ASUSU president, said the president has been conscious of student needs along the way.
“He’s pretty sure of his plan and what he can do,” she said, but he still listened to student requests.
The council was concerned with diplomas being awarded this spring with so little preparation time, as the president’s initial proposal suggested. Hall agreed to hold off until 2004.
“[Next year] there will be stricter mandates for students to get their graduation applications in,” Bybee said, expressing desire for more faculty involvement in spreading the word on application deadlines.
Bybee said USU’s registrar is excited for the changes and thinks his staff is capable of rising to the occasion.
DeVilbiss said a newly appointed commencement committee, which comprises the registrar, the student body president and others, will go on a fact-finding mission to Ohio State University in December. Ohio State’s graduation ceremonies are carried out similarly to those USU will host this spring and will help Aggie administrators “close up more of the details,” he said.
The ASUSU resolution also questioned the Spectrum’s seating availability.
Bybee said, “The president is not worried at all about seating. He’s more worried we’re not going to fill it.”
Graduates are welcome to bring as many guests as they want, she said.
Students have also been concerned over the past month with the amount of personalized recognition they’ll receive.
The university-wide ceremony may include the scrolling of names on the scoreboard, Bybee said. Students have been worried about their names not being read aloud at commencement, she said, but it is interesting that the ceremony has never been that way.
The more intimate aspect of graduation is in the hands of college deans and ASUSU senators, Bybee said.
John Navarette, ASUSU Education senator, said he is excited to work with his dean to make the college celebration something special.
“I am happy with the way things are looking,” he said.
Graduation changes summary:
• Shorten faculty award citations• Eliminate alumnus speaker• Include more visuals depicting college experiences on the scoreboard• Include a student speaker addressing the audience on behalf of the graduating class• Hold the hooding ceremony at 1 p.m. Friday• Use the north-south walkway for procession• Move the stage configuration to the center of the floor to allow additional seating• Include on the stage the recipients of honorary degrees, the commissioner of higher education, the Board of Trustees, vice presidents and valedictorians from all colleges• Encourage all deans and faculty members to sit with the students of their respective colleges• Have the USU orchestra or band play music during the presentation of certificates• Student speaker, preferably a valedictorian, to be chosen from a pool of valedictorians. Some discussion remains whether to include college Outstanding Seniors in this pool.• Student names to always be read aloud at the college celebrations• College celebrations will be held Friday or Saturday of graduation weekend• A dinner Friday will recognize honorary degree recipients and valedictorians• Graduate students will hold their own commencement ceremony Friday• Commencement breakfast will be eliminated• Friday evening music program for students and parents will continue• Diplomas will not be handed out until May 2004• Class of 2003 will be given certificates• Students will line up according to their colleges and be led to the floor by faculty members• The president and provost will mingle with the students on the floor to offer congratulations