An ASU student's plans to walk in a graduation ceremony have screeched to a halt.
Sarah Macias, a fine arts and metals senior, planned to attend an ASU summer commencement ceremony this year. That is, until ASU decided to stop holding summer ceremonies.
Macias' only notification of the cancellation was a chance visit to the ASU commencement Web site this month.
Macias now faces the task of making new arrangements for herself and her family.
She sent an e-mail Feb. 18 asking the ASU administration to reinstate the summer commencement ceremonies; recipients included ASU President Michael Crow and The State Press.
Macias said she was upset to find that she received no response from officials.
"The students don't matter at this University," she said. "We're constantly getting the shaft."
ASU officials canceled summer commencement ceremonies for 2004 and beyond because few people attended the ceremonies, said Christine Wilkinson, ASU senior vice president and secretary.
"You had people announcing graduates and there were no graduates," Wilkinson said of past ceremonies.
ASU began holding summer ceremonies a few years ago because about 1,200 students were graduating during the summer at the time, Wilkinson said.
But recently, the demand was about 250 students and the ceremonies are bereft of attendees, she added.
Students can choose to participate in spring or fall commencement before or after the summer in which they finish their coursework, and are listed in the fall graduation roster, said Doreen Phippen, office supervisor for ASU's Office of the Registrar.
The cancellation of summer commencement is part of an overall revamping of commencement at ASU, Wilkinson said.
Future spring commencements will be expanded. The upcoming spring 2004 commencement will feature the addition of a quiet continental breakfast for students and their families.
But these changes are no consolation for Macias.
When she visited her academic adviser during the summer of 2003, she did not find out about the cancellation because the decision had not been made at that time. The University quietly announced the change, she said.
"I assume it's a cost thing," Macias said. "Let's face it, they're trying to pinch pennies and get money out of the students."
Wilkinson said ASU did everything it could to inform students of the changes, but said she did not have specific examples of how.
Macias said she would write letters and try to get the attention of officials until the summer commencement is reinstated.
Macias said getting her family to come from San Diego to visit her would be difficult. Additionally, her father is a disabilities social worker and her brother has spina bifida.
Macias said her father canceled a week of volunteer work at the Junior Athletes' Wheelchair Sports Camp so he could attend the graduation.
Her 17-year-old brother, Ryan Macias, canceled his final chance to participate in the camp so he could watch Macias graduate in August. After August of 2005, Ryan will be too old to go to camp.
Reach the reporter at nicole.saidi@asu.edu.
