As many of you already are aware of, this year’s Spring Commencement ceremony and all of the commencement ceremonies to come will be different from the past. Instead of holding both the graduate and undergraduate ceremonies at DellaCamera Field as usual, different options are being discussed to determine a better course of action to make the ceremony more enjoyable, safer, and more organized than before. However, as usual, students are in an uproar over this possible change. What else is new? With proposed changed comes excessive complaining, talks of petitions, and anger at the administration.
Everyone received an email from President Kaplan listing choices that all students, not only seniors, can vote on. He and the administration are interested in what you have to say and how you feel about moving the ceremony off campus. Everyone needs to vote. Seniors especially need to vote because this affects them directly. Juniors, sophomores, and freshman, you may not feel as if this affects you now, but it will in the future. You will one day graduate. Don’t let the Class of 2012 make the decision of where for you alone. You wanted a say, and now you’ve got one.
I’m not going to try to convince anyone of which decision is the right one. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. And just as always, all three options have both positives and negatives if they are chosen. I’m going to try my best to list them for you so that when you do make your decision, it is an informed one. Do not vote off of emotion. Truly consider the choice you are making. If you are choosing based on the fact that you just want the ceremony to be on campus, think about some of the other facts established below.
When first considering the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut, students might be discouraged from choosing this location because it is the only option not at UNH. Some of the positives of choosing this location include the fact that it is indoors, a beautiful location, climate-controlled, stadium seating, concessions in the lobby, adequate parking, and an emergency generator just to name a few. However, the biggest plus would be that all of the colleges at the University of New Haven would be able to graduate in ONE ceremony. If it is important to you to be able to graduate with ALL of your friends, this is the option for you. However, there are some negatives to consider. It is the one location that is 30 minutes northeast of campus.
The second and third option includes two locations on campus. The first location is the David Beckerman Recreation Center. The positive aspects of this location include that it is on campus, will have a live video feed in Dodds and the Alumni Lounge, climate controlled, has an emergency generator, and there will be no need to abbreviate or cancel the ceremony due to inclement weather. One negative aspect is that students would be limited to five tickets for the ceremony due to space issues, and there would need to be two undergraduate ceremonies, splitting the College of Arts & Sciences and College of Business from the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice & Forensic Sciences and Tagliatela College of Engineering. You may not be graduating with all your friends.
The third and final option is in the original location of Ralph DellaCamera Stadium. Some positives would be that students would be able to graduate on the blue turf they have come to love, it will have a live video feed in Dodds and the Alumni Lounge, and all students would be entitled to six tickets. However, there are also downsides to consider. There would also be two undergraduate ceremonies at this location, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and this event is a rain or shine event. There is even a possibility of the ceremony being rescheduled or cancelled due to the threat of lightning. If those are risks you are willing to take, and just so everyone knows it rained at last year’s graduation, then maybe this is the option for you.
All this is just something to think about. So consider all of the choices that there are and the positives and negatives that go along with them. Remember that the survey needs to be completed by November 4, 2011. So vote soon!
