Every year the group of graduating seniors gets the chance to find their friends and reminisce on all of the fun times and crazy antics which have occurred throughout their four (or more…) years here at Slippery Rock University during the reception held in between the two ceremonies. This is the only opportunity when the four colleges are given chance come together throughout the entire day. Something to look forward to right? Well not this year…
Apparently the decision was made by the Cabinet of SRU that this was not a necessary part of graduation day or of the last moments we will have here. What do the students who were at that meeting think about this you might ask? That is an extremely good question but one that cannot be answered since there was not a single student at the meeting. Students’ thoughts on the topic were not considered in any way, shape, or form. As a graduating senior I want and deserve the opportunity to meet with all my friends many of whom I will not be able to see at all that day or in many of the days to follow. These are the people I have spent some of the most life-changing years of my life with. It is an emotional and exciting day that I want to spend with those I am closest with. To take that away devalues the message our university pushes on us every day: we are a community. If we are such a community then why is the chance to come together for the last time ripped away from us?
The most disturbing and disgusting part of this entire process is that there was no intention of telling any of the graduating seniors that this was being taken away. They basically planned on cutting this and sweeping the entire thing under the rug without mentioning it to any of the students they are directly affecting. If there are specific reasons then why not let us know? I think we are intelligent enough to understand? If it is for budgetary reasons maybe cutting out an ice sculpture (which was at the winter graduation ceremony) would be a good idea?
The university would not be here without the students, our thoughts on this deserve some consideration, especially when this university is our home.
I want the chance to say goodbye to my family before opening the next chapter of my life. Bring back the ceremony for all of those who want this chance and have earned this opportunity to say goodbye.
Kim Sloan
Senior business management major
