The talk has ended, and a decision has been made about this year’s graduation location.

Ceremonies for the graduating class of 2007 will take place at the New Orleans Arena, the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president wrote in an e-mail Thursday afternoon.

“I understand many students will be disappointed that graduation will not be held in the Marquette Horseshoe,” Wildes wrote. “However, throughout this discussion, I have said that in order to continue commencement in the Horseshoe, we needed to find an adequate rain site.”

Since graduation has been on campus, weather has been a constant factor, sometimes forcing the various ceremonies inside the Rec Plex. Because the Rec Plex can only hold 2,000 people and the average graduation ceremony draws a crowd of 3,000 to 4,000 guests, friends and family were moved into Roussell Hall, the St. Charles Room or Monroe Library multimedia rooms to watch video feeds of the Rec Plex ceremony.

“Think for a moment of telling your grandparents, aunts and uncles, or brothers and sisters that they will have to watch you graduate on TV,” the e-mail read. “Having our 2007 commencement ceremonies in the New Orleans Arena guarantees that all of your family and friends will be in attendance at your graduation.”

Another change for this year’s ceremony will be the combining of graduations.

On Saturday, May 12, all graduating students, except for those in College of Law, will participate in a “unified ceremony” at 10 a.m.

Law students will have their own ceremony Friday evening.

“We are looking forward to working with the SGA for ways to enhance the ‘senior experience’ for graduates, particularly in the week before graduation,” Wildes wrote.