OUR VIEWS Consensus Opinion

Respect for grads

The Ph.D. commencement ceremony for summer has changed location, time and procedure unexpectedly. Ph.D. candidates will walk in a separate ceremony from all other summer graduates and have limited tickets to the event.

The ceremony has moved from the Alexander Memorial Coliseum to the Ferst Center, a much smaller venue. As a result candidates have been allotted only four initial tickets to the ceremony with the possibility of two more if space permits. The new policy is a departure from previously unrestricted guest seating for the ceremony to a miniscule amount of available tickets for each candidate. Four tickets is an inadequate number to even cover immediate family for many students. This will limit the opportunity for students to celebrate their high achievements with family and friends.

Though the change only affects a small number of graduates, it hurts those receiving the highest degree possible. It is unfortunate that this group is suffering because of the Coliseum renovations. At a moment when they should be celebrating their years of hard work, these individuals now must select a mere four people to witness their high honor.

Even more shockingly, the change was not communicated effectively. No official notification was given to the Ph.D. candidates, who probably did not expect the change. Although the information was posted on the commencement website, the students were owed the courtesy of an email letting them know of the changes and new schedule. This lack of communication hurts students who have family and friends, many traveling long distances, planning to attend under the assumption of unlimited seating. Tech must respect all degree candidates in the future by informing students of any changes regarding graduation effectively and efficiently.

Community building

The buzz surrounding the Greek Habitat for Humanity project for fall is starting to grow as fundraising efforts for the project are extending beyond the Greek community. Together, students and faculty have an excellent opportunity to give their time or money to the cause.

The general student body should step up to join in this effort. It would be great to see the Greek community embrace the entire community throughout the project, making it a true collaborative effort. Despite immediate financial obstacles, the project's intentions can be realized if it successfully creates a united effort from the entire student body.