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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Single UI graduation upsets students

Associated Press The Spokesman-Review

MOSCOW – Some University of Idaho students planning to graduate in May are upset with a new plan by the school to have one university-wide ceremony for the 1,700 graduates.

Formerly, the school had a large ceremony with the university and other, smaller gatherings with the college where students received their degree.

UI President Tim White made the decision last year to try the new system.

Faculty chairman and professor Bill McLaughlin said a survey of students found some didn’t like going to two graduations.

He also said having one ceremony would make it more important.

“Everybody is hoping we have faculty out in full force, that we’ll attract more students, that there will be this heightened feeling” he said. “The launch of students, out of the university and into the professional world, will be a nice high point to end on.”

The graduation ceremony is planned for May 12, during which each graduate will cross a stage to receive their degrees.

“They’ll probably get some auctioneer to read the names,” UI student Neal Bradshaw told the Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

Some students are concerned the ceremony will take four hours even though the university estimates it will take about two and a half hours, Bradshaw said. He noted that some students are going to skip the ceremony.

UI Registrar Nancy Krogh said the school has looked at other universities to see how they handle graduation ceremonies.

“We’ve taken lots of lessons from what they’ve done to make the ceremony go smoothly,” Krogh said. “It’s all in how you put it together.”