by Nila Priyambodo
Staff Writer
University of La Verne students who finish their coursework in December may get to walk the following January.
In December, the University proposed a plan for a January commencement tentatively scheduled for January 2005.
Undergraduate and masters candidates, who complete graduation requirements after June and do not participate in the May 2005 commencement, are eligible for the January graduation ceremony.
According to Richard McDowell, provost, the proposal is for annual January commencement ceremonies, following current graduation requirements.
Ruby Montaño-Cordova, associate dean of student affairs and commencement director, named various reasons for the proposal such as the increase in the number of people, both the graduates and their guests, participating in May graduations.
“Last year, there were over 2,000 graduates and participants, and because of that, we lost the smaller and intimate ceremony,” Montaño-Cordova said. “Our ability to service the guests decreases as the number of participants increases.”
McDowell said students who do not fulfill their requirements for the May commencement can graduate in January without having to wait a year.
“It will make it possible for a higher proportion of our students to complete degree programs and minimize appeals to complete degrees after leaving ULV for several years,” McDowell said.
Despite his approval, McDowell recognized one minor problem: “There is more pressure on grading immediately before the commencement,” he said.
Some students, like senior behavioral science major Angela Black, will not graduate in May and can benefit from a January commencement.
“I wouldn’t want to hang around until May to graduate,” Black said. “A lot of people just need that one extra semester to graduate so a January commencement is a good idea.”
The location of the January commencement is planned to be the Supertents, which takes into account expenses and the weather.
Registrar Marilyn Davies said nothing is final and the proposal is currently being debated by policy committees.
