Say My Name!

Students React to New Graduation Commencement Policy

By: Maxim Almenas

Posted: 2/22/07

On May 16, 2007 the senior class of New Jersey City University will proudly enter the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey to commemorate their long years of hard work and sacrifice. But one very important element that has been tradition at NJCU graduations in the past will be missing - the calling of the graduates' names.

The reason the university's Commencement Steering and Core committees decided to do away with calling names at graduation is because in the previous two years, the first group of students left in the middle of the ceremony after walking off stage, rather than waiting until every student had been recognized.

Walter Brady, Director of Auxiliary Services and commencement committee chairperson, exclaimed, "I think it's extremely selfish. It should be the students and the university. We're celebrating with you. This is a university celebration. Yes, it's for the students and we (university) worked hard to get you (students) there!"

But according to NJCU's Student Government Organization, it's not just the elimination of the name calling that has students angry
- it's also because the university waited until February 23 to notify SGO representatives of the university's decision-in spite of the fact that the decision had already made nine months prior, right after last year's graduation
commencement in June 2006. Senior class president, Kristen Donner explains, "The Graduation committee should have done a better job at informing the senior class president and the student body of this decision to change the graduation ceremony. Students who feel strongly on this issue need to make their voices heard. There are 1,800 graduates who are expecting to attend this graduation."

"We knew changes had to be made. It was our error not to keep students in the loop. We should have notified them sooner. I take
full responsibility," said Brady. When senior class president Donner, and student trustee representatives, Janet Nunn and
Elizabeth Rolon, met with President Hernandez on March 15, he was surprised to hear that the students were not made aware of the "no-name calling" policy until February 2007. President Hernandez was under the impression that the previous senior class president (Anthony Surratt) was present at the commencement meetings in June 2006. But according to Surratt, "I was not present because I had already enrolled
in law school."

When asked in a Gothic Times interview why the university waited nine months to inform
students, President Hernandez responded, "I recommended to the [commencement] board that the commencement procedure be part of the SGO's summer [leadership] retreat so that the SGO can be involved early in the process. Our assumption is that the SGO was aware of agreements made by the previous graduating class. If there were erroneous understandings, we need to address and correct them."

In response to the question of students coming forth with alternative ideas, he explained, "There is always an opportunity
to revisit with students, but I don't know what can be said between today and tomorrow
to turn this around. No one can guarantee that after 700 graduates go up, that they'll wait for the other 700." He also added that NJCU was following what other universities do when graduating classes get too big and need to cut back the total time alloted for the commencement ceremonies.

But after the print version of this article was published, research showed that local & regional universities are moving towards - not away from name calling at graduation.

New Jersey Institute of Technology: 2200 graduates. Name calling? Yes. Commencement location? Continental Arena. Why do most stay graduate stay till the end?: NJIT believes most grads stay till the end because they get the actual diploma handed to them at commencement.

(NJCU hands graduates empty diploma sleeves and mails the actual diplomas after graduates have been cleared of their scholastic and financial obligations.)

Farleigh Dickinson: 1500-1700 grads. Name calling: Yes. Commencement location : Continental Arena. Why do most stay till the end? A Grad-Greeting video shown & seen on the arena Megatron at start of ceremony gives grads a quick shot-out to family & friends for all to see. It was very well received last year. FDU mails their diplomas.

Rutgers: Name calling? Yes. Commencement location? On campus. Why do grads stay till the end? Each college (28) does their ceremonies separately. Rutgers believes this approach has a more personal touch.

Montclair University: 3600 grads. Name calling? Yes-but at only at the convocation for the graduating class-prior to the commencement. Students stand by college at the graduation ceremony and diplomas are mailed.

And Seton Hall: Name calling? Yes. They explained that having a line on both sides of the stage and two name callers alternating helps to speed the name calling process dramatically.

(A more in-depth investigative report will follow in the next several days.)

But this information may not change minds. "The recommendation had been made, I've accepted it and that it's official," said
President Hernandez.

The commencement committee meetings took place on June 16 and 17, 2006, after Surratt, now an NJCU admissions counselor, had graduated. But the next senior class president was never informed or invited to the meetings. And since only one student representative sits on both commencement committees, there was no student representation present to counter the decision.

In an interview, senior class vice president and Student Trustee member Rolon expressed that, "I feel really upset they (committees) didn't try hard enough. They sat on this."

"It is my belief that it went astray during the fall 2006 elections. Apparently, we have an entirely new governing board and no policy or procedure of how information is conveyed. Decisions regarding commencement were made and never relayed to the senior class president," explained Student Trustee representative Nunn.

But the damage had already been done. At the March 19 SGO meeting, Brady explained to the student council that the new policy would likely pass - in spite of the fact that the seniors had not yet been officially informed by the commencement committees or the university of its intentions.

President of SGO, Marcus Rosado viewed it from both sides, "For the university to say graduates are not respectful is legitimate, but for them to inform us (students) of
change two months prior to graduation is unsatisfactory."

"Hearing your name called at graduation - that's the climax!" said Vice President of
Public Information, Tiffany McQueary. "That's the reason we attend graduation. Speeches?... that's important. Hearing your name, walking on stage, that says, 'Congratulations, you've made it!'"

When NJCU held graduation on campus three years ago, the commencement was split between morning and afternoon and the colleges were acknowledged separately. But the graduating classes became too big. So it was moved to the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ for the 2005 graduation. And although the PNC Center was available the following year, it proved to be too far for many to travel. The outdoor-only option was also a factor due to the possibility of inclement weather. The Continental Arena's proximity to Jersey City from East Rutherford and its indoor facilities quickly became a more favorable option.

But the issue of students walking out again brought back bad memories to the NJCU administration and convinced them to follow up with their idea from the previous year to cancel the calling of names at graduation.

But the controversial handling of this student issue by the university has forced the SGO and many other students to take action. Petitions are already floating around campus asking current and future seniors to agree to stay till the end of the ceremonies by signing their names and student identification numbers. Another petition NOT endorsed officially by the SGO is asking students to boycott graduation.

Other students have chosen to voice their opinions on The Gothic Times website by posting comments on the news story titled, "Why you may not hear your name at graduation," taking the poll or commenting on the Facebook group titled: "Say my name at graduation, NJCU."

On Friday, March 23, just before this issue went to print, the university posted the "Letter to the Graduates (Program Change) PDF located at: http://www.njcu.edu/programs/ commencement. It was the first official announcement to the university and its students of this policy change.

At the last commencement committee meeting on Tuesday, March 27. Marcus Rosado, SGO president and senior class president Donner presented options such as fining students if they left before the commencement ended, but the committee turned down the idea, citing that it was too late to make arrangements for such a policy. The committee did discuss the possibility of calling names as students walk into the arena at the start of the ceremony or having the individual colleges stand up and be recognized as a group.

As soon as a decision is made, SGO will make the information available on its "SGO
United" Facebook group. SGO is also calling for students to attend the next student forum meeting on April 9 in Gothic Lounge at 3:00 p.m. President Hernandez will be present to discuss the university's plans for Vision 2010 and will also entertain other student concerns as well.

For all those who want to voice their concerns regarding graduation commencement and the "no-name calling" policy, a public hearing in front steps of the Frank Guarini Library is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11, after Spring Fest.

To read more comments from students on this issue, go to Editorial page 2 of this issue.