Say My Name!
Students React to New Graduation Commencement Policy
By: Maxim Almenas
Issue date: 2/22/07 Section: News
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The reason the university's Commencement Steering and Core committees decided to do away with calling names at graduation is because in the previous two years, the first group of students left in the middle of the ceremony after walking off stage, rather than waiting until every student had been recognized.
Walter Brady, Director of Auxiliary Services and commencement committee chairperson, exclaimed, "I think it's extremely selfish. It should be the students and the university. We're celebrating with you. This is a university celebration. Yes, it's for the students and we (university) worked hard to get you (students) there!"
But according to NJCU's Student Government Organization, it's not just the elimination of the name calling that has students angry
- it's also because the university waited until February 23 to notify SGO representatives of the university's decision-in spite of the fact that the decision had already made nine months prior, right after last year's graduation
commencement in June 2006. Senior class president, Kristen Donner explains, "The Graduation committee should have done a better job at informing the senior class president and the student body of this decision to change the graduation ceremony. Students who feel strongly on this issue need to make their voices heard. There are 1,800 graduates who are expecting to attend this graduation."
"We knew changes had to be made. It was our error not to keep students in the loop. We should have notified them sooner. I take
full responsibility," said Brady. When senior class president Donner, and student trustee representatives, Janet Nunn and
Elizabeth Rolon, met with President Hernandez on March 15, he was surprised to hear that the students were not made aware of the "no-name calling" policy until February 2007. President Hernandez was under the impression that the previous senior class president (Anthony Surratt) was present at the commencement meetings in June 2006. But according to Surratt, "I was not present because I had already enrolled
Viewing Comments 1 - 9 of 9
amy gonzalez
posted 3/29/07 @ 3:11 PM EST
I think that it is very important that our names be said at our graduation. WE work so hard just to get to graduation and feel that overwhelming feeling of completion. (Continued…)
G
posted 3/29/07 @ 8:29 PM EST
Lets see they can raise tuition but they can't call the names of the graduates. NJCU is a university in which most individuals are the first to graduate from a college or university. (Continued…)
Jackie Hooshmand
posted 3/29/07 @ 11:10 PM EST
This is insane!!!! We have worked so hard to get here, and now they tell us this... Come on..Yes we go to college to get a degree but further more we go because we want that feeling of acomplishment, when they call your name and you shake the presidents hand. (Continued…)
Jhooshmand
Jackie Hooshmand
posted 3/29/07 @ 11:15 PM EST
This is insane!!!! We have worked so hard to get here, and now they tell us this... Come on..Yes we go to college to get a degree but further more we go because we want that feeling of acomplishment, when they call your name and you shake the presidents hand. (Continued…)
greenangel
ANGEL
posted 3/30/07 @ 12:01 AM EST
All students have worked hard and deserve their three seconds of acknowledgement at the ceremony. Certainly, there are solutions we can all agree on. Why haven't the administration discussed and/or took suggestions from paying students before settling. (Continued…)
Susan
posted 4/02/07 @ 3:43 PM EST
I have worked hard and paid alot of money to graduate and its not fair to punish the students just because we don't want sit there for hours listening to a bunch of people take credit for our hard work. (Continued…)
Susan
Susan
posted 4/02/07 @ 3:45 PM EST
I have worked hard and paid alot of money to graduate and its not fair to punish the students just because we don't want sit there for hours listening to a bunch of people take credit for our hard work. (Continued…)
Cassie
posted 4/04/07 @ 7:37 PM EST
I worked really hard. I deserve to have my name called. I will be the first generation COLLEGE GRADUATE which makes the name calling even more important. (Continued…)
Juan Salgado
posted 6/09/07 @ 3:58 PM EST
The calling of names is a right of passage, not to mention my mom was soooooooo proud to here my name called and I could of not been prouder to have heard it. (Continued…)
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