Some Texas Tech University students and their families might have to rearrange their plans after the university released a proposal to eliminate summer graduation after December 2018.
The announcement came out last month, and the possibility has some students unhappy.
“It seems very inconvenient to all who were planning on doing so because then that would kind of force them to do it immediately after spring break, which is just super inconsiderate, really,” says Brandon Sohemaker, freshman at Texas Tech.
The news release reads as follows:
Beginning in December 2018, Texas Tech University’s Commencement ceremonies will feature a number of updates, including a RSVP system for graduates, the provision of tickets for each graduate to provide several family members and friends, increased available parking, and a new shuttle service. Additionally, we will adopt the use of a convocations management program that will enable us to project on the Jumbotron in the United Supermarkets Arena each participating graduate’s name, degree earned, and honors bestowed. Our graduates will continue to be recognized individually: their names will be read aloud by representatives from their academic colleges and they will have the opportunity to be individually congratulated by the President and Stage Party members. Finally, we will move to feature Commencement speakers selected from our own Texas Tech University faculty and staff. Doing so will allow us to promote and celebrate the integral role that faculty and staff play in the matriculation of our students.
Because we will be able to accommodate increased numbers of graduates at each of our individual Commencement ceremonies, we will move to phase out our inclusion of the annual August Commencement event. As we are one of only two Big 12 schools to hold an August event and because our numbers of graduates participating in the August ceremonies are substantially lower than our other events, we will phase out the August Commencement ceremonies to promote increased capacity and service at our annual December and May Commencement events. Our August graduates will be encouraged to participate in a Commencement ceremony in the May before their projected degree completion or in the December or May ceremonies following the completion of their degrees.
“In my department, it’s not fair because a lot of people do graduate in summer because they study abroad, and there are certain classes that they prefer to take in the summer abroad. So a lot of people graduate in the summer because they get back from going overseas and getting done with their classes,” says Jennifer Hand, senior at Texas Tech.
But other students say this doesn’t really affect them.
“For me, as of right now, being a sophomore, I’m not really sure when I’m going to graduate so it doesn’t really have an effect on me as of right now. If I knew when I was going to graduate, it would have more of an impact on me,” Zaria Aguilar, sophomore at Texas Tech.
“I don’t really see the point of why they take it away. It’s not a lot of people that graduate, but it’s still enough where it should be beneficial,” says Hand.
Texas Tech University will not make an official statement until a decision is reached next month, but the university did say it is exploring options at this time.
