The petition
What all UNC Charlotte Students Should Know About Graduation...
Summary
The students of UNC Charlotte are being neglected. Our graduation ceremony is the one of the worst I have ever experienced and I plan to try and make our university improve it. We are rushed on and off stage and then the ceremony is not officially ended with the common, "Thank you for choosing UNC Charlotte, parents you should be proud, good luck in your future endeavors, and goodbye." We ring a bell, everyone walks off stage, and the students are left sitting there wondering what just happened. If this interests you further, please read the article I have written below to learn the details of this issue. If you would like to see what I am talking about, check out the video I have posted below of the end of last semester's ceremony. I have created a petition at the link below, please sign it and help me fix this problem. Thank you for your time.
U Times Article
What picture comes to mind when you think of your future graduation ceremony? Do you anticipate that incredible feeling of accomplishment? Or maybe one of those rare moments in life when a surge of happiness brings a tear to your eye? After all of the time I have sacrificed and all of the bumps I have hit along the way; not only do I anticipate it, I expect it. Sadly, that moment of glory is removed from our ceremony and replaced with… nothing.
What is graduation? To the university it means that you have taken all of the classes to fulfill your major’s credit requirement. To a student it is more than a number; it is the culmination of many great milestones. Graduation is a reward for years of perseverance, continuously striving to improve ourselves in preparation for the future. It marks the end of a journey where our experiences at the university have shaped who we are, where we are headed, and what we are capable of. But most of all, it is a ceremony symbolizing a new chapter in every graduates life as they part ways to enter into their career.
The day I decided to attend a friend’s graduation ceremony is the day I realized that the students of UNC Charlotte are being neglected. Most people think that their shining moment on graduation day is when they walk across that stage for your family and friends to see. Unfortunately, with as many students we have graduating each year that moment on stage lasts as long as your name because they are read so fast. I have always joked that a Matthew DiBartolo is much more fortunate than a Jim Jones, every syllable counts. I have watched as family members searching for their child’s name in the program; look up in sudden disappointment as they realized it was too late. The moment they have dreamed about has passed them by.
I can deal with this because there aren’t many feasible alternatives to improve this problem. But what can be improved is the end of our ceremony. I watched in disappointment as it unfolded in front of me. The traditional, “old bell,” was rung eight times and all who were on stage promptly departed into the passage beneath the stands of Halton arena. There was no end to the ceremony. Our graduates slowly stood up one by one, each of them looking around, confused and wondering, “Is that it?” I attended this ceremony on two separate occasions and both times every graduate walked out of Halton arena like they were leaving class. This is a shame.
I wrote the Chancellor to ask him why? Why do we end the ceremony in this way? Why isn’t there a thank you, goodbye, and good luck? Or even worse, why isn’t there a moment for us to cheer, celebrate, or just throw a fist in the air. This moment is our personal touchdown. Do we not deserve to stand up and applaud ourselves for what we have done? Maybe shake hands with someone or hug a friend. Our family and friends are encouraged not to cheer while the graduates walk on stage so that each name can be heard, when do our families have an opportunity to cheer for us? They don't. This issue can be easily fixed and costs absolutely no money; there is no excuse.
I had imagined that our Chancellor would be eager to make such a simple improvement. I gave him the benefit of the doubt because he never sees what happens after he leaves the stage as I have. Despite writing a very respectful and tactful letter, the response I received was as disappointing as the ceremony. Apparently, the main justification is to avoid cap throwing because it could be dangerous.
If cap throwing is so dangerous during our ceremonies, why don't we order soft mortar boards to prevent any possible injuries? Soft mortar board caps have a foam rubber board in them so that there are no hard edges protruding. Now that is common sense! Instead of making a logical fix to a potential problem, our university would rather remove the only opportunity for our family to cheer for us and our final moment to celebrate with each other. This is unfair and we deserve better.
So I ask you, how much do you care about the quality of your future graduation? Do you want your ceremony to be memorable? If so, it is up to each one of us to make sure that our voice is heard. Tell a friend about it. I have started by contacting the Chancellor and writing this article. Help me bring the student voice to those in charge by adding your name to a petition at the following website. Remember that you will attend this ceremony one fine day in the near future; take a few minutes of your time to make it worthwhile. Thank you for reading.
Sign if you think UNC Charlotte graduation should end with the Chancellor telling us thank you, parents and friends you should be proud, good luck graduates, and goodbye; instead of the old bell and then silence? (Petitions force us to be explicit in our wording; all we want is to celebrate.) Please do not sign as anonymous, it does not help what we are doing.
Also check out the facebook group called, "What all UNC Charlotte Students Should Know About Graduation..." There you can find discussions and a video of last semester's graduation ceremony.
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