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September 4, 1991

               UNIVERSITY COMMENCEMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES

                           September 4, 1991

 

  Members present:  Charles A. Kennedy, Joyce Williams-Green, Martha

  Johnson, James Marchman, Stan Musser, Nancy Barclay, Robert Chiang,

  Donald Drapeau, Ruth Smith, Cynthia Wood, Mary Cacheris ('92), Jay

  Comeaux (Grad.), Tom Tillar, Wayne Speer, Pat White, David McKee, Larry

  Hincker, Carole Nickerson, Freeda Mills, Becky Alls.

 

  Chair Kennedy called the meeting to order at 12:10 p.m. in 210 Burruss

  Hall.  The agenda had already been distributed.

 

  As this was the first meeting of the academic year, new members were

  introduced:  Jay Comeaux representing the graduate students and Becky

  Alls who will assume Freeda Mills' responsibilities in the Registrar's

  Office.  Josiah Tlou will represent the college of education and Don

  Drapeau returns to the committee representing the college of arts and

  sciences.

 

  A committee roster was circulated to verify current addresses and phone

  numbers.

 

  Carole Nickerson reported on the staff arrangements for 1991-92.  The

  coordination of the commencement activities will return to the

  President's office under her supervision instead of having three

  separate offices handle different parts of the work. This should

  relieve some of the overload from the Provost's office and from the

  office of the commencement committee chair.

 

  The committee's agenda for the coming year was discussed. There is

  general satisfaction with the organization of the commencement

  ceremonies, so the primary focus of this year will be to enhance and

  fine tune the program.  The following topics were considered:

 

     1. Flags and banners

 

        Larry Hincker reported on a proposal to acquire flags and banners

        to display on campus for commencement and other major events in

        the life of the university such as Founders Day and Parents'

        Weekend.  There was a consensus that he proceed with the proposal

        and arrange for further meetings with the artist/flag maker and

        the administration.

 

     2. Faculty participation in the May ceremony

 

        In recent years the number of faculty marching in the procession

        in Lane Stadium has decreased. Suggestions are in order to

        restore their active participation. There are also many retired

        faculty (some 300) living in the Blacksburg area who might be

        interested in participating in the ceremonies.

 

     3. Honors Sashes and Eligibility

 

        There is still some confusion among the students about who may

        wear honor sashes in the ceremonies and the cut-off dates for

        determining eligibility for graduating with distinction. The

        matter needs some review by this committee.

 

     4. Attendance of PhD and DVM candidates at the university ceremony

 

        With only a few of the DVM graduates and a slightly larger number

        of PhD candidates present for the conferral of degrees in Lane

        Stadium, the question was raised about means of encouraging a

        greater number to come to the morning ceremony after the separate

        ceremony the night before.

 

  The chair requested members of the committee to choose one of these

  areas of concern and thus form subcommittees to investigate the issues

  and report back to the full committee at its next meeting.  Sign-up

  sheets were circulated with the following results:

 

     Faculty participation

       Tom Tillar, convener

       Ruth Smith

       David McKee

 

    Honors Eligibility

       James Marchman, convener

       Robert Chiang

       Cindy Wood

       Mary Cacheris

       Becky Alls

 

     PhD and DVM Participation in the University Ceremony

       Martha Johnson, convener

       Carole Nickerson

       Nancy Barclay

       Josiah Tlou

       Jay Comeaux

 

  (By these minutes other members of the committee are encouraged to

  contact the convener of the subcommittee of their choice and

  volunteer.)

 

  The next meeting of the committee will be at 12:00 noon in 210 Burruss

  Hall on October 2, 1991.

 

  The meeting adjourned at 12:40 p.m.

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