In spring 2004 I finished six years of service on Loyola University’s Board of Trustees. It was at that time that I was elected to serve as president of the university. Our last Board meeting in May of 2004 coincided with Loyola’s Commencement. I stayed after the meeting to observe the ceremonies. That weekend created an indelible memory for me. It rained, and commencement had to be moved into the Rec Plex.

In my new job as president, the memory of the 2004 Commencement has given me something to think about. I started conversations with students and the deans in my first year. Then, last year, there were other things I needed to think about.

During the past weeks I have had a lot of questions and conversations about the possibility of moving Loyola’s commencement from the Horseshoe. So, I thought I could use this essay to walk you through my concerns and reflections.

As background, you should know that Loyola’s Commencement has been held in the Horseshoe since 2000. Graduation in the Horseshoe isn’t a “long standing tradition” as some think. Before 2000 graduation was held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the Morris F.X. Jeff Sr. Municipal Auditorium and the Mahalia Jackson Theatre of Performing Arts. Interestingly, when Father Knoth brought commencement on to campus and the Horseshoe there were student protests at that time about the change.

My primary concern is weather and a good rain site. At the moment, our choice is not between the Horseshoe and some other venue, but between the Horseshoe and the Rec Plex. Right now we use the Rec Plex as the rain site.

The Rec Plex holds a maximum of 2,000 people, by order of the fire marshal. This means that if we have to move to the rain site, as we did in 2004, the event becomes a ticketed event. Right now we have three commencement ceremonies. On average, we have between 3,000 and 4,000 guests for each. That means if we go to the Rec Plex and each graduation has 500 graduates, there will only be 1,500 ticketed guests and that 1,500 to 2,500 guests will be watching the ceremony on a TV feed in the Roussel Hall, the St. Charles Room or the multi media rooms in the library. Think for a moment telling your grandparents, aunts and uncles or brothers and sisters, that they will have to watch you on TV.

We have explored, and continue to explore, alternative sites. Unfortunately, there are very few options in the city right now after Katrina. I have been assisted in this by Kristine Lelong from Institutional Advancement who has explored a variety of graduation scenarios. She has presented these scenarios to the SGA as well as the Council of Deans. I have had many conversations with the SGA leadership about this and have pursued every suggestion that has been made. I have fielded questions when I visited the SGA Congress and the meeting of club presidents. I have met with individual students, like Eugenio Hernandez, to hear their concerns. I have sought, and continue to seek, input. The challenge is a workable rain site.

What convinced me that we needed a good alternative was the disappointment families faced in 2004 when, because of rain, we had to move into the Rec Plex, thereby limiting the number of guests each graduate could bring to the ceremony. Families and friends often travel, by plane and car, to be here for graduation. They get hotel rooms and go to a lot of expense and trouble to be here. I know that families want to actually “see” their child walk across the stage. They did not come to watch on a TV monitor or see it later on a YouTube broadcast. They could have stayed at home and saved themselves time and money.

I think with some creativity and planning we can have appropriate on campus celebrations as part of commencement. We can have a sensational, meaningful senior week, Baccalaureate Mass on campus and host an on-campus reception. I also believe there are real and symbolic reasons for a unified commencement rather than three different ceremonies dividing up the graduate.

Symbolism and meaning aside, I don’t want to be the one telling someone’s crying grandmother that they can’t get in. I may box, but grandparents scare me.

The Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., is president of Loyola University New Orleans.