Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

INSIDE IOWA STATE
May 3, 2002

Further changes likely for graduation day

by Anne Krapfl
Changes to Iowa State's undergraduate commencement that began at the December 2001 ceremony could continue to evolve over the next few semesters.

In December, for the first time in years, students' names were read as they walked across the Hilton stage and shook hands with President Gregory Geoffroy. That change was well received by both students and college deans and will continue this month and into the future.

Geoffroy said he hopes to return some of the former honor and special flavor to the all-university event by recognizing graduating students individually and improving the ceremony in other ways, such as adding a master of ceremonies, using a larger musical ensemble and rerouting the academic procession of stage dignitaries.

In recent years, fewer and fewer students (as few as 30 percent) attended the university commencement, opting instead to attend their college ceremony or reception, where they received individual recognition. At least one college, Liberal Arts and Sciences, cancelled its college commencement ceremony this spring to encourage students to attend the all-university commencement.

Geoffroy said one proposal, if student numbers warrant it by then, is to hold two commencement ceremonies in spring 2003, with students from several colleges honored at each. By chance, when the undergraduate colleges are divided alphabetically, the student numbers are nearly even, with Agriculture, Business, Design and Education in one group, and Engineering, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Liberal Arts and Sciences in the second group.

In the last few years, Iowa State has awarded an average of 2,575 bachelor's degrees spring semester. For various reasons, not all graduates can or do attend their commencement ceremony.

Alumna Abraham to be honored graduation weekend

Commencement schedule