Salient

Graduates smart enough to finish degrees, not smart enough to pick them up

By Seonah Choi | 26 May, 2008

VUWSA President Joel Cosgrove’s choice of attire was not the only issue that arose during the recent graduation ceremonies, with a number of students complaining of difficulties during the process.

One graduate, Laura McQuillan, told Salient that she had “no idea how to apply [for graduation].”

“I looked on the [University’s website] and ended up getting in touch with the [Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences] office folks,” she said. “[They] told me that I should have checked my student email – which of course I gave up on once I finished at Vic last October, November-ish.”

McQuillan said one friend, who did check her student email, had not received an email from the University regarding graduation at all. Graduation Co-ordinator Fay Julian said the Graduation Office took several measures to ensure students were notified of the graduation process.

“The website is the main basis for information. There is also an ad in Salient every six months.”

Julian explained than the email detailing the process graduating students needed to follow were automatically generated when their degrees were audited. This email is sent to both the students’ university email accounts and their nominated email accounts.

“2,000 students graduated successfully,” she pointed out. “The system works.”

Julian also added that students’ university email accounts did not close immediately and that they were active long enough for students finishing their studies in November to apply for the May graduation ceremonies.

“An up-to-date email account with the University is very important.”

More than 1,960 students graduated in six ceremonies held between May 14 and 16. 20 PhD students were awarded their doctorates during the three days, and honorary doctorates were conferred on political journalist Colin James and linguist Bernard Spolsky.

As well as the ceremonies held at the Michael Fowler Centre, graduates and staff paraded from the Government Buildings Historic Reserve to Civic Square in a traditional street procession.