December graduation discontinued

December graduation has been discontinued and is not expected to make a return. The reason behind this change is the increase of space at the new location of the May graduation ceremony.
 
For years, the May graduation was held in Sturgis Physical Education Center (SPEC), but as the graduating classes grew, so did the need for more space to fit their graduation spectators.
 
“The December graduation was added several years ago because the single ceremony in May reached a point with attendance where we weren’t able to easily fit into SPEC,” said Keldon Henley, vice president for student services and dean of students. “And so the December graduation was added so more family members could view the graduation.”
 
However, two years ago, the May graduation venue was changed from SPEC to the lawn in front of Cone-Bottoms. This allowed for an increase in the amount of space for family members who wanted to attend the graduation.
 
“Once those [space] issues no longer remained, there wasn’t a need to continue with the December graduation in relation to accommodating the crowd,” Henley said.
 
Fitting in graduation spectators wasn’t the only reason for moving the ceremony. It was also a way to give graduates a scenic and memorable ceremony.
 
“It’s a beautiful setting in front of Cone-Bottoms in the early spring with the line of graduates walking down the senior sidewalk next to the Tiger and then crossing in front of Berry Chapel along the line of their faculty members standing there greeting and congratulating them,” Henley said. “I’m sure it’s a scene that most graduates will not soon forget.”
 
The last December graduation was held in 2008 with 82 students that were graduated. According to Claire Gibson, assistant registrar, 46 students are being graduated this December. Their diplomas will be mailed to them in January pending an approval by financial services, but students will have to wait until May of 2010, along with summer graduates if they want to attend their graduation ceremony.
 
This can be a problem for some graduates who cannot make it back to Ouachita for the graduation in May. For example, December grad Chris Johnson said he will not be present at the graduation because he will be, “out of the country at that time.”