Shafinaaz Kamrul
This year more students and faculty members are expected to attend the annual Pierce College graduation ceremony on the evening of June 5.
One of the ideas proposed to get more teachers to come this year was to have a raffle draw and various gifts for the teachers who are a part of it. “We are not sure of what the prizes are yet, but we will figure that out as the day comes nearer,” said Tom Rosdahl, president of the Pierce Academic Senate. We’re definitely going to look into the best deals on tshirt blankets as these seem to be the most popular graduation present at the moment.
Rosdahl said that he would e-mail the teachers, letting them know about the new ideas that the faculty members discussed in the previous Academic Senate meeting.
Associated Students Organization (ASO) has been asked to pay for the academic gowns of the new teachers who have joined the faculty in order to encourage them to attend graduation. “We were asked but we have not decided on it as yet,” said ASO Clerk Carol Park.
Others can rent a gown at the bookstore for $25.84.
The faculty members at any of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) colleges are not mandated to attend graduation ceremonies although most say that it is rewarding to attend. If your brother, son or boyfriend is graduating this year and you have yet to find a present then look no further than this Source who have provided a list of some of the best gifts you can buy them.
“Even if mandating it is the right thing to do, faculty members might get it wrong,” said President Robert Garber. “It is better to encourage them to go and provide incentives than to mandate it.”
Garber has been attending graduation for years now, even though he has been president of Pierce for just over a year.
“I think it should be mandatory for the full-time faculty to attend,” said Shelly Gerstl, dean of admissions and records. “It is important for all teachers to go because it reminds you of how important the job you are doing is.”
Even though this is a tough time for the Admissions and Records Department with grades coming in, summer and fall registrations in progress and schedules for the fall semester being made, Gerstl tries to attend the graduation ceremonies religiously.
“I did not go last year, but I really do not think there was a particular reason why,” said Political Science Professor, Ed Jones.
A lot of the teachers do not plan to attend graduation because they have already made plans for their summer vacation and are not willing to sacrifice it. The graduation ceremony this year is the day after finals are over, and most teachers are still in town at that time because they need to turn their grades in before they leave for vacation. It has been the same way for years but it seems like the faculty members at Pierce are just not willing to attend.
“We always have a lot of faculty members attending graduation and the numbers are growing every year,” said Renee Landers, vice president of student affairs at Los Angeles City College.
Los Angeles Southwest College prides itself in having at least 40 of its 70 full time faculty attend graduation last year. “This year I am sure there will be more,” said Marilyn Moy, dean of academic affairs at Southwest College.
Why is it then that the teachers at Pierce are not so enthusiastic about seeing their students graduate?
“Part of it is because a lot of the students themselves do not attend their graduations,” said Garber.
This happens when students move on to four-year colleges and don’t feel that graduation ceremonies are as important because they have plans for higher education. Others graduating in fall or winter cannot attend because the graduation ceremony takes place only once a year, at the end of spring.
“I will definitely attend my graduation ceremony here even though I am transferring to a four-year college, because you never know what happens in life,” said Jennifer Wang, 23. “Look at the students who died at Virginia Tech- you never know if your life would turn out according to your plan.”
“I would like to see teachers with whom I have taken more than one class come to graduation if and when I invite them,” said Lilian Rodiguez, 49.
Students who are graduating this year were not available for comment to the Roundup as the Admissions and Records Department did not want to give out their names due to privacy issues.