Sac State virtual commencement ceremony proposed at Faculty Senate meeting
Proposal will go to the ASI Board of Directors Wednesday
Graduating Sac State students watch themselves on a giant screen inside Golden 1 Center during the commencement procession May 18, 2018. Sac State administration is proposing a virtual commencement in addition to allowing spring 2020 graduates to walk at the spring 2021 commencement.
April 9, 2020
A virtual commencement ceremony for spring 2020 graduates was proposed by Sacramento State administration at a Faculty Senate Zoom meeting Thursday.
Spring 2020 graduates could be able to walk at the spring 2021 commencement in May of next year if this proposal is approved, according to an email from Cely Smart, Sac State’s chief of staff for the Office of the President.
“My personal understanding from the presentation given was that this possibility is intended and was presented in the context of being an extra ceremony not a replacement ceremony, to mark the occasion and to celebrate student accomplishments virtually, in addition to a later celebration in the traditional format,” said Tony Sheppard, a Sac State professor and member of the Faculty Senate in an email.
An example was shown at the meeting but Smart said it is not accurate to state that this is what Sac State’s ceremony would look like if the virtual ceremony is approved.
Story continues below slideshow from the Faculty Senate meeting agenda.
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No decision will be made until the proposal is brought to the Associated Students, Inc. Board of Directors for feedback Wednesday, Smart said.
Story continues below ASI Board of Directors meeting agenda.
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Smart emphasized that this was just a proposed idea that has not been approved or finalized.
“Please know that all of this could change as we continue to speak to various campus groups,” Smart said.
Additional reporting by Margherita Beale.
Ruby Chavez • Apr 21, 2020 at 9:55 am
This is unfair. We all worked super hard to get to this moment and this is a special time for everyone who is Class of 2020. I understand we are going through a pandemic, but Class of 2020 DESERVES their own ceremony which should be celebrated in Fall 2020. and not with Class of 2021 in May. I’m this youngest of my siblings and a first generation to even come to college, so this is a huge deal for myself and my family. I’m sure their are many students who are first generation! and we all deserve our ceremony sometime in 2020!!
Irene • Apr 15, 2020 at 10:15 am
This is not okay. I worked hard for my degree to just get a virtual ceremony. I say do a winter ceremony this year or move it to early fall cause we PAID for graduation and most of us already signed up for tickets and everything and the in person ceremony is what many graduates look forward to after years of hard work. The feeling one gets from walking the stage and hearing your name get called while having your family cheer you on it’s the feeling that makes those years of hard work towards the degree so worth it.
Katherine • Apr 15, 2020 at 9:55 am
I believe this is completely incorrect, and unfair. Despite the fact that everyone has worked extremely hard for this opportunity to share with loved ones, logistically I think it’s even more unfair to say we can share a commencement ceremony with the class of 2021. Where is the budget for our ceremony going to go? We deserve our OWN ceremony in 2020. We did not pay grad fees for a a virtual ceremony and a shared ceremony.
Bianca Pereira • Apr 15, 2020 at 9:45 am
I rather wait months to walk than have it virtual. We all have worked so hard and spent so much time and money to get to graduation. We should get to physically walk the stage like everyone else, even if it’s late. This is a very frightening and confusing time so having something like graduation to look forward to is giving some hope. Of course we graduate regardless of walking, but it takes a lot away from the big accomplishment we’re reaching by doing it over the internet.
Yolanda Phillips • Apr 14, 2020 at 9:15 pm
I’m a first generation student to graduate in my family. I’ve been in school through work, raising kids only to now continue and graduate. I want to share w my kids & grandkids. A virtual thought is nice but nothing can take place of walking. I’m missing the black graduation and the regular one. I earned this and it wasn’t easy. I We have paid our fees. It should be rescheduled til the summer or fall. I might relocate back to Midwest and can’t come next Spring. We deserve something as soon as it is safe!!
Anthony Faccini • Apr 13, 2020 at 12:11 pm
DOn’t be like other schools who are getting flamed by students for doing this. Be better, think differently, think harder. They floated this to gauge how mad we would get at the idea. We are pissed about it. If we continue to be pissed about it they will find something else. Whatever Zoom, Microsoft Teams or conference tech they decide to use should be ghosted. Don’t sign up, ask for graduation refunds, ask them to do better.
Lisa Dills • Apr 10, 2020 at 9:28 pm
This is so not okay.. my daughter has worked so hard taking summer classes to graduate. She is the first in our family to graduate from a university… and we have all sacrificed a lot for her to be able to go. Her celebration and Her achievements should not be put off… the summer will have plenty of days in it to celebrate these incredible students and their accomplishments! Please just postpone until the summer or as soon as we are all allowed to come together again! Do it for the students and their families!
Ron Pollmeyer • Apr 10, 2020 at 8:40 pm
I totally understand that we are all going through difficult times with this unprecedented virus, and students have come from all over to attend Sac State for their educational goals. These students have worked so hard to not have a chance to walk this year would be absurd.
Considering safety concerns for all families attending a Graduation Ceremony and the logistics of putting their Graduation together, Sac State should exhaust all avenues to get this LIVE Graduation done as soon as it is feasible and safe for all.
We also have an incoming Junior slated to attend Sac State in the Fall of 2020, so this situation impacts us on multiple fronts.
Aislinn • Apr 10, 2020 at 8:10 am
I say we get a winter commencement if they can’t find a good time for us in the summer. We have worked too hard to just get a virtual one! I have been looking forward to this for a long time and I want to show my kids that you can achieve your dreams at any age!! Give us what we deserve too!!
Leslie M. Garcia • Apr 9, 2020 at 8:30 pm
Sac State, pay up for a Winter Commencement. This is not cool. A lot of us worked hard, took 18 units for several semesters just to get to our goal in 4, to graduate, to have our families live this moment with us. The least we can do is have a late Spring 2020 graduation, walking in the winter is acceptable.