To graduate is to be given a diploma or to mark with degrees for measurement. Although this definition does not include the practice of being individually recognized by name during a ceremony, many North Carolina A&T students feel that graduation just is not graduation without having the satisfaction of hearing their name called and being able to walk across the stage.

On Tuesday, October 13 during a Council of President’s meeting, Dr. Sullivan Welborne, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, announced the possibility of not having students names called or having the chance to walk across stage unless receiving a doctoral degree. Students immediately began forming Facebook groups, sending mass text messages and forming meetings in protest of this decision.

The following day, Wednesday, Oct. 14, members of the Student Government Association as well as the senior executive board held a meeting in room 213 of the Memorial Student Union to provide seniors a chance to voice their thoughts and opinions on the matter. Senior class president, Katerra Riggins, made clear that the meeting was not held for students to complain or simply state how mad they were; the meeting was held specifically to get suggestions from the students themselves.

“The reason why this is coming out now is because they [the university] wanted to bring it before the students and because Chancellor Martin is just getting into his position and his cabinet and his staff,” Riggins said. “It came out yesterday, but this is why we’re having these types of things, so that you guys’ opinions could be heard. No decision has been made, there was no vote this morning.”

 A box of papers was passed around so that students had the chance to submit their ideas about what could be done to shorten graduation and make sure that their peers remained seated for the entire ceremony. As stated in the meeting, the reason for even bringing about a change was due to the actions that occurred at past graduations.

Suggestions that were brought up during the meeting included placing a fine on those who did not stay, waiting to give students their diplomas until after the ceremony as well as the option of signing a contract.  Riggens, who took many of the questions as a member of the commencement committee, mentioned that walking across stage and having your name called is a privilege, not a right.

“Getting an education at a college level is a privilege that has, over the past years, been abused,” she said.  “We have to set a good example for those who will follow after us…this isn’t something that will just happen at our graduation, this is something that will continue on until they find a problem with it later on.”

A memo from Chancellor Harold L. Martin, Sr. was sent out to students on Friday, October 23 regarding appropriate decorum and behavior for the upcoming commencement ceremonies. Included in the memo are guidelines for apparel, arrival and departure from the ceremony, cell phone use and the distribution of degree covers to name a few.

It can also be noted in the memo that all students’ names will be called and they are asked to stay for the entire ceremony as well as the recessional. This memo can also be found on the school website’s homepage under “Fall Commencement from Chancellor.”

Both Martin and Dr. Deborah Callaway, Chair of the Commencement Committee and Special Assistant to the Chancellor, expressed their content with how well the issue was resolved and felt that the students did a good job in representing the senior class.

“It’s been a great opportunity for us to engage in conversations with our students and we were very, very pleased with the outcome, Callaway said. “My congrats to the student leadership, number one, for the outstanding job that they did in presenting themselves to the chancellor and some members of the chancellor’s cabinet. I just hope that we all have a very good commencement.”

• Stacie Bailey