MINNEAPOLIS — Just days after some University of Minnesota colleges announced plans to consolidate spring graduation ceremonies - and eliminate individual students walking across the stage to receive their diplomas - student backlash has led college leaders to reconsider.
Walking can seem like a rite of passage for any student who takes classes on a campus as large as the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, which is why a proposed plan to do away with walking for upcoming UofM graduations stopped senior Akiyra Terry in her tracks this week.
"I shouldn't have to fight for a graduation that I earned, so yeah... it's been stressful," Terry said.
She says the stress began on Monday, when she received an email from the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, John Coleman, about upcoming changes to her May commencement ceremony, due to planned renovations at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
"I’m pleased to report that we will be celebrating commencement with several other University of Minnesota colleges during a large, outdoor ceremony at Huntington Bank Stadium."
When Terry replied to the email with questions about how it would impact the ceremony itself, she received a message from a CLA Commencement Planning Member, Sara Danzinger, which confirmed her worries.
"Due to the expected size of the graduating class, students will not walk across the stage to receive their diplomas as they have in previous years. If every student walked across the stage, the event would last seven hours and that is not feasible.
While names will not be announced at the ceremony, student degrees will be officially conferred at this ceremony by a Regent of the University. All graduates will also have the opportunity to upload a photo and recording of their name, to be added to a graduation presentation where the student’s name and honors/distinction (if applicable) will be announced by a professional voice artist. Students will be able to download the file for their own use on social media or to share with others."
Terry says the thought of no personal recognition at her graduation felt like a frustrating way to end a college experience that has been full of disappointment.
"We worked so hard, and the pandemic took a toll on everybody, mentally and physically," Terry said. "A lot of people went through things and we still pushed through and still worked hard to get to this moment, and it just feels a little unfair."
And she wasn't the only one who felt that way. Senior Olivia Szatkowski started a petition on Change.org titled, Allow UMN-Twin Cities Class of 2023 to Walk at Graduation, which received more than 7,000 online signatures in a few days.
Kent Erdahl: "What does that tell you?"
Szatkowski: "It just shows that it means a lot to a lot of students, a lot of parents, friends, family, everyone who is looking forward to see us walk across the stage and get the recognition, so it's nice to see that other people had the same thoughts that I had."
It's even nicer when it's noticed.
On Friday morning, an email from Executive Vice President and Provost, Rachel T.A. Croson, included an apology to students and a vow to take another look at options.
Departments and colleges across the Twin Cities campus are diligently working now to develop a set of celebrations that include the aspects of commencement so important to our graduates and their families (e.g. hearing graduate’s names read, crossing the stage, and capturing photos). We should have communicated these efforts more clearly from the start and I’m sorry that our failure to do so has left so many of you with concerns.
We hear your disappointment, and we are committed to developing plans that will allow our spring 2023 graduates to be individually recognized. You have worked hard for this moment and have overcome so many challenges in your collegiate career. So I ask, with sincere humility, please be patient as we do more work on planning and communication, and we will be sure to provide you with more information as soon as it is available.
Szatkowski: "I am glad that the university acknowledged the petition."
Erdahl: "What did you learn through this process?"
Szatkowski: "It really just goes to show that, if there's something that enough people care about, you can actually get the University - or whoever it is - to take notice."
Terry: "We made a difference in a big way because I think they were just going to sweep it under the rug and keep it going and not expect people to say anything. I hope they'll listen to their students and do what's right an actually give us a graduation; but for me, personally, I do have a good family support that was like, regardless, you will get a graduation, even if we have to build a whole podium and stage and call your name that way, so I'm trying to keep positive."
Erdahl: "Have you heard anything, personally, from the University?"
Szatkowski: "I have not, no. I don't anticipate it. I don't expect it. I just want to see the change happen from it. I just want to see that this will actually fix the issue that people are having."
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