As the school year draws to a close, the class of ’23 continues the fight for a traditional commencement ceremony.
Students in charge of the “Let ’23 Walk” movement held a picnic protest Wednesday on the quad in front of the university bookstore. This demonstration appeared to be more visibly relaxed compared to previous protests held on campus.
Students hung up signs and provided snacks and drinks while they sat on the grass and talked about their frustration with the lack of action taken on the matter and their plans for either attending the cultural graduations or the Angel Stadium graduation.
“I plan on attending just the cultural graduation, pretty much because my mom is blind, and at the Angel Stadium they’re not going to mention my name the entire time. It’s not really the experience that I want for my mom,” said Amelie Hernandez, a class of 2023 student.
Many students at the protest expressed anger over their own situation and how this decision would affect future graduating classes holding signs that said “’24 and ’25 this affects you too.”
“I’ve been telling future students in the class of ’24 and ’25 about this whole situation because I really don’t want them to have to go through what we did,” said 2023 graduate Amy Tapia.
The biggest issue that students seem to have with the Angel Stadium graduation is that students will not walk across the stage and not have their names called.
Over 19,000 students have signed an online petition demanding that they be allowed to have a traditional graduation.
Much of the student outrage has been directed at President Conoley not only for the lack of a proper commencement but her response to the petition and the protests at large.
“I just think it’s really petty and immature just because, you know, she’s our president, and she’s supposed to truly care about our students. However, her ghosting us kind of just reveals that she truly doesn’t care,” said CSULB student Aria Salessi.
The administration has not disclosed whether or not CSULB will return to the traditional style of commencement ceremonies for future graduations.