The administration’s decision to move graduation ceremonies for the class of 2007 off campus to the New Orleans Arena has sparked opposition from some Loyola students.
The Jan. 18 announcement from the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president, said the location change had been made in order to prepare for possible inclement weather.
In response to this student disapproval, the Student Government Association welcomed discussion on the issue during their meeting held in the Audubon Room Tuesday afternoon. Students have also used the Internet as a platform for debate.
Chemistry senior Rider Barnum was one of several students that took the floor Tuesday to express concern “I came to the meeting today because I wanted to share my opinion. I wanted to graduate on the Horseshoe because it is tradition, and it reflects school pride,” Barnum said.”I am also concerned with the future generations of Loyola graduates. I want them to graduate on the Horseshoe.”
Students are planning to demonstrate their disapproval through an on-campus protest. Barnum said, “I would like to demonstrate in a peaceful manner that does not interfere or disrupt campus activities.”
SGA acknowledged and encouraged students’ desires to demonstrate on campus. According to Elliot Sanchez, political science junior and SGA President of the College of Humanities & Natural Science, “The SGA supports students who want to express their opinions about a topic, including peaceful demonstrations.”
While SGA promotes student activism it is cautious to officially affiliate with protests.
“When SGA officially sponsors a protest it means that we are protesting the process of cooperative discussion with administrators and all the benefits the administrators have shared,” Sanchez said. “There’s a lot of risk involved, and, because the decision has already been made, there’s really nothing to gain.”
SGA has initiated a plan to circumvent resentment from next year’s student body concerning graduation.
“SGA has approved a resolution to find out how the next senior class feels when Father Wildes is making plans for next year’s graduation,” Sanchez said.
The resolution has not completely satisfied students that oppose an off-campus graduation, such as chemistry senior Matt Prolo.
Prolo voiced his disapproval with the administration’s decision at Tuesday’s meeting and posted his views on the Internet. A Facebook group titled “Graduation Decision Protest” has become a forum for students to continue deliberation on the issue.
“(If) All congress can do is pass resolutions that have no weight in the decision-making here at the university, then why do we even need a student congress or, for that matter, a student government association at all? We need to protest, not talk,” Prolo wrote.
Kathy Martinez can be reached at [email protected].
