Student Government Senate’s resolution allowing students to wear any organization’s regalia at the main commencement ceremony will battle the Faculty Senate’s resolution in the Provost’s office.
SG Senate passed the resolution at Wednesday’s meeting, along with a resolution urging the dining halls to make nutritional information available to students.
During the public input portion of the meeting, students voiced opinions about the Faculty Senate resolution that will go up against SG Senate’s resolution.
SG Vice President Dani Borel warned the two resolutions will go head to head in Provost John Hamilton’s office, and if the SG resolution isn’t solid and foolproof, it won’t hold up.
The final SG bill allows for all departmental honors.
SG President J Hudson said the Faculty Senate executive council asked him to get student opinion on the banning of cords two weeks ago. He reported students’ negative opinions to the Faculty Senate on Wednesday and said the Faculty Senate had already decided on recommendations and could care less about students’ opinions.
Hudson said the Faculty Senate passed regulations in 1992 banning beach balls and kegs from the commencement ceremony. The Faculty Senate put commencement cords on the same level as those items.
Hudson urged the SG Senate to give control of commencement to the students.
“It’s our day — we are commemorating ourselves,” Hudson said.
Kenneth Boothby, a petroleum engineering major, said students in organizations work toward goals in their organizations for four years.
“I chose on my graduation day to wear something that represents who I am as a person,” Boothby said.
Robert Ingram, a member of Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society, said graduation is a time to celebrate academics. Tau Beta Pi is the equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa, yet is left out of the Faculty Senate resolution.
“In 20 years who cares if you wore your ropes to walk in and out of the PMAC?” Ingram said.
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Contact Celeste Ansley at [email protected]