CSULB President Jane Close Conoley sent out an email to all graduating seniors regarding survey results notifying us all that commencement will move forward as originally planned.
President Conoley wrote, “We explored many options to see what is possible within Angel Stadium so that name-reading and stage-walking could be accommodated for our expected 12,000 graduates.”
President Conoley’s email stated that over 30% of students who responded to the survey signaled interest in the choice of “name-reading” and “stage-walking.”
Despite CSULB graduating students’ interest, President Conoley stated the university would move forward with the original plan.
The survey came after a petition that circulated among graduating CSULB students wanting to change the current commencement plans.
The petition stated, “Many CSU campuses, as well as other local universities across L.A. and Orange counties, have recently announced that their commencement ceremonies for 2022 will allow graduates to cross a main stage while their individual names are announced during the event.”
How do students feel about the decision and the survey? Where was the transparency in the decision making?
The reasons for the decision to continue with the original plan listed in the email are “logistical realities, staffing availability, and cost.”
I took the survey and voted for “name-reading” and “stage-walking” because I want to be able to share the moment with my loved ones; a celebration to an accomplishment we were all excited about.
The wording for one of the three survey choices seemed to favor CSULB’s initial commencement ceremony plan.
It seemed the outcome of the survey and opinions from students were not going to be enough to sway the decision in the matter.
If that’s what the university was always going to move forward with, then why the survey?
Juan Lopez, a Spanish major, dreamed of walking for his graduation since his freshman year at the university.
“I don’t mind it, it’s whatever their decision is,” said Lopez. “It is unfortunate that I am a little disappointed that I won’t be able to get to walk, that my family won’t be able see my name get called or see me walk the stage.”
Andrew Cabrera, a fourth-year health care administration major who graduated in December 2021, expressed that he feels President Conoley’s decision was unfair.
“I’m not doing it for myself, mostly my family and parents,” said Cabrera. “To see what I accomplished, for the investment they put in me.”
Cabrera also said that students “want to be valued.” He continued, “It would be a good decision to let us walk.”
I agree with Lopez and Cabrera. It’s disappointing to us as graduating students. Graduating students would feel much more valued if given the opportunity to experience a “traditional” graduation.
With just over two months left until commencement, is there any hope for a traditional commencement ceremony for graduating students?
Memories from this graduation will not be ones that we will look forward to sharing in the future. We will just have to reminisce about graduation on the small stages where automated systems will read our names in “celebration” of our educational accomplishments.
I’m disappointed as well. My loved ones and friends won’t get the audience experience of hearing my name and seeing me walk a stage at graduation.
Being accepted into this institution was a huge deal to me, because it was my first choice.
These past four semesters, the educational challenges, the 55-mile to campus, and the grind made it worthwhile.
Now with this decision, I associate graduation to a mirage. It seemed real but as I got closer, it became an illusion.
This year’s graduation commencement ceremonies will take place in May 2022, in Anaheim, CA, at Angel Stadium.