Graduating CSULB students looking to buy or sell commencement tickets

Some graduating students from the classes of 2020 and 2021 have begun looking into purchasing extra tickets for commencement through social media, even though Long Beach State officials have yet to release any tickets for the ceremonies.

After the Commencement Office announced earlier this month that students participating in this year’s ceremonies will only be able to receive two guest tickets, some students have turned to social media in hopes of acquiring more tickets for family and friends.

Simran Thind, a fourth-year criminal justice major, has seen posts on social media about students selling or buying extra commencement tickets and supports their efforts in trying to accommodate more guests.

“Honestly, what students are doing is genius. I didn’t even think of it until I had seen the post, and now there are multiple posts a day of students trying to buy tickets,” Thind said.

Thind, who is planning to attend commencement, has considered buying extra tickets as well.

“It is nice that they are allowing more than one guest like they originally had, but two guests is still nothing,” Thind said. “I have a family of four, and having to pick who I want to come is incredibly frustrating.”

The university is planning to give graduating students two free tickets in mid-May for guests, however, some students have voiced their desire to have additional guests, including on a private Facebook group for CSULB students, that they are willing to spend up to $100 for an extra ticket.

Ian Li, a fourth-year studio art major who will be attending the ceremony, feels it’s disheartening that students have to buy extra tickets from their peers to accommodate everyone who wants to attend their graduation.

“It’s pretty sad and depressing that we’d have to result to this, having to buy tickets from other students who won’t be attending,” Li said. “The school should at least do something about this, where if a student requests more tickets, [the university] uses the tickets that aren’t being used for these students who are in need.”

Li has also considered buying extra tickets from other graduating students for his ceremony so his mom, sister and girlfriend can all attend.

Despite these concerns, university officials have stated they won’t be encouraging any attempts to buy or sell tickets.

“We are not aware of how the selling or transfer of admission tickets would occur since a method for electronic ticket delivery has not yet been finalized,” Jeff Cook, associate vice president of strategic communications, said in an email. “Regardless, we would not condone attempts at buying or selling admission tickets.”