December Commencement Ceremony

In an effort to make Utah State University’s graduation commencement activities more student friendly, the university, for the first time, will hold a December commencement ceremony in 2004.

 

The December commencement, scheduled for Dec. 18 in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, is convenient for many students because it allows those who complete requirements in December to graduate immediately instead of waiting until the traditional ceremony in the spring. This year, approximately 2,000 students are expected to complete graduation requirements by December, and about 1,000 are expected to take advantage of the December commencement ceremony.

 

Assistant Provost Sydney Peterson said many students have expressed interest in a December ceremony because they finish graduation requirements in the fall, move away for jobs, and then have to return again in spring if they want to participate in commencement activities.

 

“Commencement is the culmination of their time here at Utah State, but for some students it has been inconvenient to return for the event,” Peterson said. “We hope that adding a December commencement will allow more students to participate. We want every one of them to take part in the celebration!”

 

Peterson said graduate students, who in many cases are from out of state, and international students are particularly hard hit by the costs of returning for a spring ceremony if they completed graduation requirements in December. A graduate student ceremony will be included as part of the undergraduate commencement activities in December. The graduate ceremony will include all the traditional spring activities, including the complete hooding ceremony.

 

Details of the December ceremony are still being worked out, Peterson said, but this year undergraduate students will receive a certificate of commencement, not their actual diploma, because of time constraints. Diplomas will be mailed to students after the ceremony.

 

The December ceremony, even though it will include graduate student activities, will be approximately the same length. The university will not award honorary degrees or faculty awards at the December event. There will be a student speaker and college valedictorians. The commencement committee is also exploring the possibility of reading individual names at the ceremony, but that decision is not final yet. The committee also is discussing routes for the graduation procession, which could be affected because of weather considerations. But every effort is being made to keep the focus on students and their interests.

 

“We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from students, and several students are on the planning committee with us,” Peterson said. “We are working out all of the details. What I can promise at this point is that we will make the event as student-centered as possible. President Hall takes great pride is shaking each graduate’s hand on stage as he hands them a diploma. It’s their day and he wants them honored.”

 

Peterson said it is critical that students who want to take part in the December commencement get with their academic advisors immediately. There is an Oct. 15 deadline to have their paperwork turned in to the Registrar’s office, and the appropriate paperwork takes time to complete. There are several steps to the process, so she stressed the importance of immediate action. College commencement representatives are well aware of the process and can help students meet any deadlines if given enough time.

 

Graduate students also should contact the Graduate office for up-to-date information about deadlines.