Taylor Tobin |
A Crowded Affair
“I will not even let my family come and give all of my tickets away if you guys stop posting about it,” Katie Husk posted on Jan. 8.
Commencement for the class of 2014 is on May 4, and it’s time for soon-to-be graduates to decide which family and friends will see them graduate. This year, seniors will each be allotted four tickets for the ceremony in the Chiles Center – one fewer than last year.
“I’m frustrated because (five) tickets was a limited amount, four is very limited,” senior Stephanie Petrie said. “I’m confused about why the number changed.”
Senior Matt Gervais has a small family, but he understands the difficulty for those with large families.
“I can see how some people would be screwed over. I know people who have like six siblings,” Gervais said.
Some students think changing the location of the ceremony is the solution.
“I can completely see the viewpoint of people who have big families. I personally think they should move (the location) just because of that,” senior Mitchell Baines said. “Being a Catholic university, I feel like you have to anticipate families to be at least five people.”
Special Events Director Bill Reed said the decision has been made year after year to keep Commencement on campus, even though students are usually upset about the amount of tickets they’re given.
“The University has always decided to stay on campus,” Reed said. “You started here, you should end here.”
When Reed first started working at UP, there were no tickets and no limit on the amount of guests a graduate could invite. As class sizes increased, however, overcrowding became a problem.
“We had people roaming around the halls, complaining they had nowhere to sit down. They were upset, but they got in the building,” Reed said. “So we said, ‘Let’s go to tickets.’”
Gervais does not see a problem with moving the Commencement location in future years, but he is not too worried for this year.
“I’m not tied to the nostalgia of being in the Chiles Center. Like it’s cool, but it’s not that cool,” said Gervais. “I would love to have some of my friends go, but I know I only have four tickets, so it’s just family going to be there.”
Baines thinks that it is a frustrating issue for his peers, but he knows that making a fuss about the situation will not make it better.
“The way people are going about it is like ‘I need these,’” said Baines. “But, you can’t demand anything. It’s not up to you.”
The Event
NBC Chief Environmental Affairs Correspondent Anne Thompson is this year’s commencement speaker. She has reported on pollution, alternative energy, global climate change and many other related topics, traveling around the world. She has also served as the chief financial correspondent and a national news reporter for NBC.
The University also awards several people with honorary doctorates. The speaker and honorary doctorates for Commencement are decided by a group of UP administrators including Provost Thomas Green, Fr. Bill Beauchamp, and Fr. Mark Poorman.
“Every year they try to get a very diverse group and always try to get between seven and eight (honorary doctorate recipients). They look for those who have an affinity toward Catholic education, towards private Catholic education,” Reed said. “They don’t always have to be Catholic, but it’s nice if they are.”
The Archbishop of Portland, Most Reverend Alexander Sample, is one of the honorary doctorates this year. According to Reed, the University honors Portland’s current Archbishop at a Commencement ceremony at least once during his tenure.
NOTES FOR SENIORS
1. Graduating seniors should always read emails from the Events office or the Provost's office regarding commencement.
2. Those with ADA needs should go directly to the Events office. They reserved seats for those with ADA needs.
3. Mar. 21 is the deadline to send in order forms for free cap and gown rental.
