Commencement Rowdiness

[PawDawg]

This post by Dawgmatic and the total lack of respect shown by people at these type events deserves a discussion...

I was embarrassed for the speaker, I was embarrassed for DR. Commencement is a totally inappropriate venue for discussions of university finances and braggadocio remarks regarding the all the money begging trips to Washington. Nor is it the venue for the commencement speaker to give a campaign speech. A fumbling ill planned campaign speech at that. I was embarrassed by the audience and the undignified way they conducted themselves, I was embarrassed that my 88 year old grandmother in a wheelchair was unable to find a place to park so she could sit with her family because healthy perfectly fit people took all the places reserved for handicapped people and their families. I was sad I could barely hear my son's name as it was called out. In my opinion it was a complete debacle and my son said he was glad he did it, but that he would never do it again should he complete his master's because there was nothing special about it at all. He also was dismayed by the complete chaos that goes on afterward in actually picking up your diploma packet. I really wonder about Tech sometimes. I really do. And I'm writing another letter. I'm sure the 16th floor has a 3-inch folder by now.

[johnnylightnin]

Who was the speaker?

[PawDawg]

Rodney Alexander

http://www.latech.edu/technews/viewn...&id=1211066559

[FishingBack]

Last year's speech wasn't good either. I hesitate to bash him too badly because he's the Shaw Group guy.

What bugs me is where they make the announcement to hold applause.......but it doesn't matter. Some person will have 20 people screaming at the top of their lungs and using the airhorns.

[Dawgmatic]

This post by Dawgmatic and the total lack of respect shown by people at these type events deserves a discussion...

I was embarrassed for the speaker, I was embarrassed for DR. Commencement is a totally inappropriate venue for discussions of university finances and braggadocio remarks regarding the all the money begging trips to Washington. Nor is it the venue for the commencement speaker to give a campaign speech. A fumbling ill planned campaign speech at that. I was embarrassed by the audience and the undignified way they conducted themselves, I was embarrassed that my 88 year old grandmother in a wheelchair was unable to find a place to park so she could sit with her family because healthy perfectly fit people took all the places reserved for handicapped people and their families. I was sad I could barely hear my son's name as it was called out. In my opinion it was a complete debacle and my son said he was glad he did it, but that he would never do it again should he complete his master's because there was nothing special about it at all. He also was dismayed by the complete chaos that goes on afterward in actually picking up your diploma packet. I really wonder about Tech sometimes. I really do. And I'm writing another letter. I'm sure the 16th floor has a 3-inch folder by now.

Thank you, Maddawg. I was going to start a thread about this but hesitated to do so because I was so upset. I am glad you did bring this up for more discussion. The more I think about this the more disgusted by this behavior I have become. I do believe those individuals who behave in this manner at Commencement should be escorted out of the TAC. A few times of removing these miscreants and others in the future will learn to behave with decorum. They should also have ushers to seat handicapped and elderly family members so that families can sit together and enjoy the pride in their graduate's accomplishments together. My parents actually had to bring in lawn chairs so they could sit next to my grandmother because no one would give up their seat to let my 68 year old mother and 74 year old father sit next to my 88 year old grandmother. MY PARENTS SAT IN LAWN CHAIRS AT MY SON'S GRADUATION. I cringe every time I think about that. In the meantime I was forced to climb into the boughs of the TAC because rows and rows and rows of seats were blocked off by perfectly health people saving seats for other perfectly healthy people.

Rodney Alexander's insipid and uninspiring speech has almost made me want to change my political affliation to Democrat. Almost.

DR bringing up money and financial matters at a function like Commencement is crass. I understand our need for money academically and athletically - but not at Commencement. Tasteless.

I don't think I will ever attend another commencement at Tech until I am assured these issues have been addressed and handled. I'm sorry my son (who worked very hard and made great grades and graduated ahead of most of his friends) and my family did not have a special day or an occasion we will remember with pleasure. We did have a very nice pig roast and crawfish boil afterwards with friends and family and that is what we will choose to remember.

I may be making too much of this - perhaps I am taking it too seriously...but I don't think so.

[inudesu]

What bugs me is where they make the announcement to hold applause.......but it doesn't matter. Some person will have 20 people screaming at the top of their lungs and using the airhorns.

This bugs me, too. But it isn't just Tech - it is just how things are now. You'll always have some people who can't keep from drawing attention to themselves (usually not to the actual Grad, who tends to be embarassed).

I think the problem is that there are two ways of viewing a graduation -
1.) as a celebration
2.) a solemn ceremony.

I tend to lean towards the later. I think that graduation organizers (at all levels) should make up their minds what they want and then go with that. If you want a big celebration, then skip the long boring speeches and allow people to stand and cheer and do whatever. If you want something serious, then make a bigger deal about the proper decorum and then enforce it.

[PawDawg]

This bugs me, too. But it isn't just Tech - it is just how things are now. You'll always have some people who can't keep from drawing attention to themselves (usually not to the actual Grad, who tends to be embarassed).

I think the problem is that there are two ways of viewing a graduation -
1.) as a celebration
2.) a solemn ceremony.

I tend to lean towards the later. I think that graduation organizers (at all levels) should make up their minds what they want and then go with that. If you want a big celebration, then skip the long boring speeches and allow people to stand and cheer and do whatever. If you want something serious, then make a bigger deal about the proper decorum and then enforce it.

This behavior has evolved over the past several years. I can't put a finger on the appoximate time the idiots came out in full force, but they now seem to be trying to one up each other every year.

[Dawgmatic]

This behavior has evolved over the past several years. I can't put a finger on the appoximate time the idiots came out in full force, but they now seem to be trying to one up each other every year.

The air horn just about did it for me.

[inudesu]

This behavior has evolved over the past several years. I can't put a finger on the appoximate time the idiots came out in full force, but they now seem to be trying to one up each other every year.

I graduated from Seminary last December, and despite requests to hold applause to the end you can guess the result (in a church!). Not as bad as a big high school or college graduation (no air horns), but I have to admit I was annoyed a little.

[GermDawg]

Don't graduate in the spring, summer is much better.

[Dawgmatic]

I graduated from Seminary last December, and despite requests to hold applause to the end you can guess the result (in a church!). Not as bad as a big high school or college graduation (no air horns), but I have to admit I was annoyed a little.

It's not the applause. Mere applause would be fine. It's the yelling and the whooping and the cat calls and the noise makers and the air horn and the total lack of respect. I would have welcomed simple applause. People will say and do anything anymore. And these were adults...middle aged adults participating in this behavior. This was not just kids, not just black and not just white. This was just a TAC full of jackasses.

[FishingBack]

Also, the hollering and noisemaking is not only embarassing for the graduate, but often the NEXT name is disrupted by the noise, cheapening their big moment as well.

[Dawgmatic]

Also, the hollering and noisemaking is not only embarassing for the graduate, but often the NEXT name is disrupted by the noise, cheapening their big moment as well.

I'm going to be honest here. (Like I haven't been already) I could not hear my son's name being called and I started crying I was so disappointed with the entire proceedings. I get really emotional about my son anyway - he's my only child and I am filled with love and pride for the boy and when he was born I dreamed of him graduating from Tech and making him the 3rd generation in our family to do so. So my dream came true thanks to his intelligence and diligence, sadly the reality of the ceremony was lacking. I wish our family had spent our afternoon celebrating in another way - away from the TAC.

[randerizer]

DR bringing up money and financial matters at a function like Commencement is crass. I understand our need for money academically and athletically - but not at Commencement. Tasteless.

FWIW, at the University of Texas graduation, there was PLENTY of mention of joining/donating to Texas Exes. NOT asking for money at commencement might be a bigger problem.

[randerizer]

He also was dismayed by the complete chaos that goes on afterward in actually picking up your diploma packet.

At least he received his diploma the day of graduation. What better solution do you have?