Students robbed of the ceremony they've earned

This summer, while most UA students were off campus, the Commencement Policy Committee conveniently decided that it would be a good time to make a drastic change to this December's upcoming commencement ceremony.

Without consulting the student body at large, the committee decided that the university-wide graduation ceremony will be exclusively for graduate and Ph.D students, leaving undergraduates and their families to attend only their individual college convocations.

The rationale for the decision has varied, but the official word is that the College of Law's request to hold its own ceremony prompted other departments to follow suit.

Others speculate that the real reason behind barring undergraduates lies in the notorious tortilla-throwing tradition and the fact that Hispanic and Native American communities allegedly take offense to this practice.

The student is the reason the university is here in the first place.

Regardless of the justification offered for the cancellation, the fact remains that the lack of student consultation and consideration speaks volumes about the administration and its attitude toward the very people it is supposed to serve.

Though ASUA president Alistair Chapman expressed a strong opposition to this "trial" run, the CPC disregarded its lone student voice.

Coupled with the cloak-and-dagger manner in which the cancellation was executed, this disregard points to an alarming trend toward turning the process of education into a business proposition.

Concerns about the welfare and wishes of the student are now put on hold while priorities like efficiency and logistics take over.

However, education is not meant to emulate the cold, impersonal planning intrinsic to the business world.

The student is the reason why the university is here in the first place, and as an institution dedicated to service, the UA should put the student first.

However, this sentiment seems to have fallen to the wayside, as evidenced by the recent cancellation.

Associate Dean of Students Alexis Hernandez said the smaller commencement ceremony would bring a higher level of dignity and decorum to the proceedings, which may prove true.

However, the day is about students' achievements, and accordingly the manner in which the graduation ceremony is conducted should be dictated by the students.

The UA's large size can make the college experience seem rather impersonal.

In effect, one feels like this is a degree mill, churning out graduates without recognizing them personally.

Events like commencement work to take away the anonymity felt by students.

The idea that individual college convocations should be enough to satisfy students doesn't take into account the camaraderie generated between students of different departments when they participate in the university-wide ceremony.

When we are asked to identify our alma mater, we don't say we are from the College of Fine Arts or the College of Engineering.

We say we are from the University of Arizona.

We belong to the greater community.

We are UA students and we deserve a UA commencement.

Staff editorials are the opinion of the Arizona Daily Wildcat opinions board. Its members are Susan Bonicillo, Nate Buchik, Brett Fera, Caitlin Hall and Andrea Kelly.