Students are taking graduation complaints to UF President Kent Fuchs’ doorstep.
Anthony Rojas, a 22-year-old UF first-year political science master’s student, is hosting a “Save UF Graduation Rally” at 10:45 a.m. Thursday in front of Tigert Hall, which will lead up to a private meeting with Fuchs. Students will speak about how commencement changes have affected them.
“We hope to see as many students out there as possible to have their voice heard and show their displeasure regarding the recent changes to UF commencement ceremonies,” Rojas said.
Changes to commencement include the exclusion of individual name-calling at the O’Connell Center during Fall and Spring ceremonies. Instead, a single university-wide commencement will be held in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
These changes come after the previous Spring ceremony when a graduation marshal rushed students offstage. Videos from that commencement show the marshal putting his hands on minority students performing dances from their multicultural sororities and fraternities.
UF missed an opportunity to examine race relations and treatment of minority students after the Spring commencement, Rojas said.
Rojas, Director of Commencements Stephanie McBride and an unnamed, prominent representative of the African-American community at UF, will all sit down to talk with Fuchs about the commencement changes Thursday, Rojas said.
After the meeting, Rojas is providing the opportunity for the media to ask questions on the steps of Tigert Hall, which Rojas said he hopes Fuchs participates in.
The ultimate decision to change UF commencement ceremonies was made by Fuchs, Rojas said, so he feels Fuchs should make himself available to students.
Cy-Anne Small, a 21-year-old UF education senior, said she is planning to attend the rally to show solidarity. Small graduates in December and wants the ceremony to be in the O’Connell Center, she said.
Though she said some of her peers don’t want to fight the new plan because UF seems committed to the decision, she believes it can change.
“It feels like I’m being punished for what that faculty member did, while he got paid administrative leave,” she said.
Contact McKenna Beery at mbeery@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @mckennabeery
UF sent framed diplomas to the 24 students who were rushed off stage during the Spring commencement ceremony.
