Fall graduate candidates will not participate in December
graduation ceremonies after OU President David L. Boren canceled
all fall convocation ceremonies, it was learned Monday.

After University Bookstore was ordered to stop selling
graduation announcements and Web sites giving commencement
information were changed, Boren stated in an e-mail to The Oklahoma
Daily that separate ceremonies fragmented the sense of community
one ceremony creates.

Three OU colleges planned on having separate commencement
exercises in December: the College of Arts and Sciences, with 132
degree candidates; the Michael F. Price College of Business, with
535 prospective fall graduates; and the Gaylord College of
Journalism and Mass Communication, with 135 degree candidates. Now
about 800 students will not be able to walk in graduation regalia
until the spring commencement exercises.

This was to be the first fall commencement for the College of
Arts and Sciences. Jessica Wood, zoology-biomedical sciences senior
and fall graduation candidate, was instrumental in planning the
ceremony. Wood’s aunt, Irene Kastaniuk, was ordering plane
tickets from California to Oklahoma when she found out ceremonies
were canceled.

“I moved my vacation in order to see my niece
graduate,” Kastaniuk said. “I’m upset because I
was very excited to be there and enjoy the graduation. We had
nearly 10 people coming, and I don’t think it is fair to all
these kids to tell them so late.”

Boren said in the e-mail that he believes that allowing multiple
commencement ceremonies diminishes the importance of the single
commencement ceremony that brings the entire university community
together.

The Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication was
trying to assure that fall graduates received recognition for their
accomplishments, said Charles Self, dean of the Gaylord College of
Journalism and Mass Communication.

“We are all trying to make students feel really good about
themselves, but somewhere things got off-kilter,” Self said.
“I believe [Boren’s] concern is that we not be pulling
students in different directions.”

The Michael F. Price College of Business has held separate
commencement exercises for a number of years, said Dennis Logue,
dean of the Michael F. Price College of Business.

“I was surprised that they were not sanctioned by the
university,” Logue said. “They were doing this long
before I was here. But I think President Boren’s reasons are
good. I support his decision.”

Jon Woods, marketing senior and fall degree candidate, said he
checked with the Michael F. Price College of Business only two or
three weeks ago and was given the time and date of the commencement
exercise.

“It is something you earn and work towards, even if it is
just a ceremony,” Woods said. “It is anti-climactic
without the ceremony when you have family coming from Florida,
Texas, Ohio and Illinois.”

According to the e-mail from Boren, students graduating at other
times during the year are welcome to participate in the annual
commencement exercises held in the spring.

“I don’t think I will be able to come back in
May,” said Karthik Rajendran, advertising senior. “If
it was convenient, I would make it, but I don’t know that I
would take the time otherwise.”

Boren also said in the e-mail that students who have rented a
cap and gown from University Bookstore for a commencement program
will have their deposits refunded to them.

Wood said she hopes to receive the same recognition as students
who graduate in the spring.

“We hope President Boren will fight for his students and
help us to provide recognition through graduation for all the hard
work we have put into our education,” Wood said.
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