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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 27, No. 4. 1964.

Revamp Grad Ceremony

Revamp Grad Ceremony

Sir,

I Graduation ceremonies over the past three or four years have been rather unsatisfactory when considering the significance attached to; graduation by the graduands, their relatives, and even the public. Those who have graduated since 1960 know that existing conditions fall little short of chaos, and are a disgrace to both the students' association and the university. Collecting one's hardearned diploma is like being herded through a sheep dip. Having graduated in 1962, and about to be subjected to similar—or even worse Ireiitment again this year, I am very critical of the entire organisation.

The two problems to be considered in finding a more satisfactory system are numbers and time, and with these in mind I wish to make the following suggestions.

Firstly, the number of graduands for 1964 will probably allow each grad. no more than two gallery seats for relatives, etc. The obvious solution is to have two ceremonies—probably one for the stronger Arts representation and a further ceremony for the remainder. As in Canterbury, a ceremony for each faculty would not be impossible. Whichever be the more acceptable the result will be more scats per graduand.

Secondly, a short procession of graduands about 2 p.m. on Friday afternoon from say the bottom of Church Street sleps to the Town Hall (D.V.W.P.). This would help mollify the public previously subjected to the bawdy "procesh" and help to remind them that the current university image is not entirely one of sex, grog, vandalism, and misdlrecled satlire. Following this the capping ceremony could start at 2.30 p.m., allowing plenty of time for this to be completed al a leisurely pace, and enabling the Graduands Ball to start at a reasonable hour after the requisite pre-ball parties have run their course. Previously it has been hardly possible to arrive at the ball before midnight, and occasional individuals with initially good intentions are reputed not to have arrived at all.

This arrangement ignores the seating problem, but this could be remedied by a combination of the above two ideas, and having an afternoon ceremony and a shorter evening ceremony both on the Friday.

These are not idle thoughts, as I am sure they have occurred to other students, especially after they have been cappt'd and are no longer interested. It is perhaps unfortunate that similar ideas have not come from those in a position to implement them.

Yours, etc.,

R. G. Wear.