Hailee Cornett’s grandmother will not get to see her walk across the stage at graduation.
The outdoor commencement ceremony in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium would be impossible to endure for her 94-year-old grandmother, who is oxygen-dependent and heat-sensitive, the UF political science senior said.
“One of the most important people in my life won’t be able to attend because of the new policy,” she said.
Cornett attended a rally with eight other people Thursday morning at Tigert Hall to protest the recent changes UF made to its commencement ceremonies. The rally was followed by a meeting between UF President Kent Fuchs and student leaders to talk about the commencement structure.
UF received backlash after students were rushed offstage during the Spring commencement ceremony. Now, UF will hold a university-wide outdoor commencement ceremony where students won’t be individually recognized. Colleges will hold their own ceremonies with student recognition.
The change prompted Anthony Rojas, a 22-year-old first-year political science master’s student, to create a petition against the new changes that amassed over 11,000 signatures and organize the rally.
“No one asked you to change graduation,” he said. “We asked you to change the way you perceive us, the way you treat us and the way you shoved us.”
Rojas said Fuchs made several commitments to him during Thursday’s meeting. The Alligator was not allowed to attend the meeting because it was private, according to UF spokesperson Steve Orlando.
Fuchs agreed to create a way for Fall and Spring graduates to offer their feedback on the structure after the ceremony and consider changes to the model accordingly, Rojas said.
Some of the college ceremonies will also be moved to nicer venues for the Spring, which means no longer using the Florida Gym and potentially not the Reitz Union, Rojas said.
All ceremonies could return to the O’Connell Center depending on feedback from this year’s graduates, Rojas said.
Additionally, Fuchs told Rojas he is open to participating in a student panel by the end of this semester to give everyone a chance to ask questions and voice their concerns.
Rojas plans to reach out to Antonio Farias, UF’s chief diversity officer, about creating a race relations task force to address problems facing UF’s communities of color, Rojas said.
He also wants to speak with David Parrott, the vice president for Student Affairs, to explore the possibility of posting updates online from the Commencement Task Force meetings.
Fuchs released a statement following the meeting reaffirming the new commencement structure for Fall and Spring.
“These recognition ceremonies will absolutely include the individual recognition that students and their families enjoy,” Fuchs said.
Contact Jessica Curbelo at jcurbelo@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @jesscurbelo
Contact McKenna Beery at mbeery@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @mckennabeery
Cy-Anne Small, a 21-year-old UF elementary education senior, voices her displeasure about the changes in the commencement ceremony during theSave UF Graduation Rally outside Tigert Hall. Small was in attendance last year when one of her Delta Sigma Theta sisters she said was assaulted on stage and feels that this year’s students are being punished for the actions of a faculty member.
