To the Editor:
I would have written in sooner, but a “certain someone” had sent me an e-mail with a letter to the editor he had sent into The Poly. Since it did not make it into The Poly, I don’t have to waste my time responding to it, and can write regarding what I wanted to write about after my first letter—Commencement.
I read recently that the Institute is planning on having Commencement on-campus once again next year. Obviously, those in charge of making this decision did not go to last May’s ceremony, otherwise they would have realized what a foolish decision this was. For those of you who don’t know what happened, here’s a brief summary:
Commencement was to be held in an outdoor ceremony last May, “rain or shine.” What they didn’t plan on was snow. Fortunately for the Institute, the inside of the Field House was already partially set up for Russell Sage’s Commencement the following day, so they moved the ceremony inside. However, hundreds of parents were not allowed in as they had given out more tickets for relatives than they had seats for—approximately 7,500 seats outside, 5,200 seats inside. Those not let in were bused back to campus to watch on closed-circuit television. Also, the students and faculty were forced to stand outside for over an hour before the ceremony, freezing in the snow while waiting to march into the Field House. Needless to say, for parents and students alike, it was a memorable day, but for all the wrong reasons.
Before last May, Commencement was held at the Pepsi Arena for the last several years. It made sense … it’s a large indoor facility that can hold about a dozen guests per student; parking is plentiful and adjacent to the arena, so in bad weather, parents can utilize a covered walkway and stay dry; and it’s relatively close and easy to get to. Why move it back to campus? While it’s a nice idea to have the ceremony where the students spent the last four years, the disaster last May proved that unless the weather is ideal, the idea isn’t practical. And while the Institute will have a better backup plan than last year—two sets of tickets … one for an outside ceremony, the other for an inside ceremony, to ensure that every student has at least some relatives there in person to watch them graduate—it’s serves only as a band-aid, not as a real solution.
Now the Institute may luck out and have a perfect day for graduation, but why take that chance once again? Is it worth the long-term loss of donations from an entire class of disgruntled graduates and their families just to have it on campus? I urge the Institute to do the right thing and hold next year’s Commencement at the Pepsi Arena, or a similar venue. They have already alienated much of the graduating class through their policy changes over the past few years … don’t risk alienating the rest.
Scott Hill
CSCI GRAD
