On January 31, all students, faculty, and staff received an email from the Executive Vice President and Provost, stating they had a new plan in regards to graduation ceremonies for its students. In the Fall of 2022, announcements were made that students were not going to be walking, or having any graduation ceremonies at all. This drew masses of anger and disappointment from many students, as well as parents and faculty. 

Due to renovations that are taking place this May at 3M Arena at Mariucci, commencement ceremonies were canceled in its entirety. Students were so upset about this decision that a petition was filed online to gain signatures for students to walk at graduation; the petition amassed approximately 9,000 signatures. The U of M knew that they had to do something in order to make this right.

All hope was lost until an email was sent to the entire U of M community. The email announced that all students are now able to walk through a hybrid-style graduation commencement. The announcement, from Executive Vice President and Provost, Rachel T.A. Croson stated “In mid-February, graduates will receive an email invitation from MarchingOrder to register for their Commencement Conferral and Ceremony and, if they wish, to sign up for a stage crossing. Some colleges and departments are also planning individual celebrations; they will send information about those activities directly to their own graduates.”

While the U of M did choose to act upon the students message, they did not fully capitalize on what the students had desired. Students had the desire to walk with all of their friends and classmates in an organized manner. Although students now have the ability to walk, it will now take place over the course of 3 days. 

Students will still get a conferral ceremony, but with no walking the stage. These events will take place separately. The conferral ceremony will take place Saturday, May 13, at Huntington Bank Stadium for undergraduate students. The conferral ceremony for graduate students will take place the day before, also at Huntington Bank Stadium. There will be no walking the stage at either of these conferral ceremonies.

Moving forward to the actual stage walking ceremonies, these will be held over the course of three days (Thursday, May 11 until Saturday, May 13). Students will have the opportunity to sign up for a time during these 3 days, where they will have the chance to “walk the stage” with their friends and close family getting a first row to see this. 

While the University of Minnesota has granted its students the chance to have a graduation ceremony and a chance to walk the stage, the expectations that students and parents had for graduation will fall short, once again. 

In the same email that was quoted before, Croson explained what the stage walks will pertain to, “To allow students to be recognized individually while their guests have a front-row viewing experience to cheer and take photos and video, we are offering opportunities for individual sage crossings.”

It also seems as if the University is doing everything they can to cut as many corners as possible, while still meeting the minimum demand for students to walk the stage at graduation. While many students spent countless hours conducting research and studying, the reward will be a private ceremony. This is not what many of the students who signed the petition wanted. 

With the University of Minnesota being surrounded by the heart of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, many find it hard to believe that there is not a suitable venue that can accommodate all of the University’s hard working graduates and their families and friends. It is important to give back and to acknowledge every student for their hard work over the last four years.