University responds to GS Class Day concerns
The University issued a statement to Spectator on the subject of GS Class Day. It says that the inconvenience to GS students and their families is “regrettable,” but that moving the date for Class Day was “the only acceptable alternative.”
We sent some questions to University spokesperson Robert Hornsby, who replied with this statement. Read the full story by Madina Toure at the news desk.
We are proud that President Obama will return to our campus for Barnard’s graduation, but the resulting consequences for other class day ceremonies scheduled for that day have spawned some misinformation which we want to dispel. From the moment we learned of President Obama’s decision speak at Barnard, our goal has been to accommodate this historic visit without undue inconvenience to thousands of our graduates and their families attending other Commencement week events. The University aggressively and thoroughly explored numerous scheduling and logistical options for achieving this objective with Barnard, General Studies and Engineering—the three schools with ceremonies that had all been scheduled on the same South Lawn location, one after another, on the same day. As Dean Awn has clearly stated, the option of moving the General Studies Class Day ceremony to a different campus site Monday morning while the main core of campus was rendered largely inaccessible would likely have been deeply problematic for graduates and their families.
Keep reading the full statement after the jump.
Given these serious constraints, a collaborative decision was made that the only acceptable alternative that would best fulfill the tradition of Columbia’s graduation for General Studies was to reschedule the ceremony on the previous day on Low Plaza. We find the resulting inconvenience to graduating General Studies students and their families deeply regrettable, and we are committed to helping ensure that they do not have to bear the financial cost of this change in order to accommodate the unique aspects of presidential logistics for Barnard’s ceremony. The GS Class Day ceremony now scheduled for May 13 should only be about the exceptional achievement of the graduates, and we are doing everything in our power to ensure that that will be the case.
When it says “The University issued a statement” does that mean the PR branch of the entire university? Or like someone from GS? Or the office of the President?
The statement was issued to us as a “new University statement,” meaning from the central administration.
—Finn
While the statement is still the official word of the central administration, we want to clarify that this was a statement issued directly to Spectator, and is not a press release from the University—it will not be arriving in everyone’s inboxes today, for instance.
—Finn
This should have been clarified with its release, but better late than never.
Absolutely not enough. Why is this anonymous from the University? Why does it now acknowledge our deep pain? Why are we not being told about the step by step breakdown? Why is no one taking responsibility? Why did this happen in the first place? Why was there not more foresight? Why was an off campus venue not explored? Why is it okay to put us through this immense pain? This is more than an inconvenience, it is more than regrettable, it is profound tragedy. What does helping ensure mean? Will we have access to housing for families? Will all costs be covered? Which school will cover those costs? What about families who will still miss this? What about Santana’s father who has cancer? What about a reception on Monday for families will be in the area? What about tickets for those impacted to see Obama speak? So many questions, this provides few answers, and that it is anonymous and again fails to acknowledge or empathize with the deep suffering and mourning we are going through, it is in some ways, while a touch of progress, still a slap in the face. It is disrespectful.
is this a joke? like, I empathize with GS and think the entire affair is regrettable, but why does this ring with the tone of an angsty highschooler? worse things will happen to you in your life, buddy, and if they haven’t,well, I’m happy for you. may this be the deepest your pain ever reaches, the most you ever mourn.
The pain we feel is because many of our lives have been defined by pain and loss, and graduation for us is in some ways a memorial to people we’ve left behind to get here. If you look at the population of GS, it is made up of veterans and many others who have experienced tremendous trauma and loss. Class Day is a day for us to celebrate making a peace with our past. Unfortunately, much worse things have happened to me. That’s why I care about this so much.
I feel ya. But if this is where we make our stand, so be it. The $500 average our grads our spending is regrettable; but the $100k+ debt our grads are in, without previously being accepted by the Columbia community, warrants the uproar. And would have warranted it a long time ago was GSSC not a failed state.
Come on now. A “profound tragedy”? Are you kidding me? Get a grip my friend. This is very unfortunate and I really feel for my fellow GS students, but if this is the worst thing that ever happens in their lives, they will have been truly blessed.
Yes, the administration screwed up. Prezbo’s casual and dismissive attitude was frankly unacceptable, and the University really does need to do more to integrate GS into the University as a whole. But when people start throwing around completely over the top rhetoric like “deep suffering and mourning”, you destroy the validity of your argument and only hurt your own cause.
The University should do something special for this graduating class, over and above the fund they have established. It’s good to see the other schools rallying behind us; perhaps the silver lining of this particular cloud will be an increased sense of unity.
Agreed. my high school graduation was during a hurricane last year in the north east and it was cancelled. we waited four yeras for this beautiful sumnnu day to waslk outside, and it was cancelled. They couldn’t even move it because it rained for a week last year. we all survived. Such is life’s curve balls…..
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Please continue to put pressure on the University to do as much right as they can by us at this point by signing this: http://www.change.org/petitions/standing-together-with-the-school-of-general-studies It was drafted by non GSers. Stand in solidarity, regardless of whether or not you are GS, CC, SEAS, BC, an alum, a graduate student, etc. Stand in solidarity. The support of our peers from other Columbia schools has meant so much.
Also, I mean to say above, why does it *not* acknowledge our deep pain – not “now.”
This absolutely didn’t “dispel” any “misinformation.” Unacceptable.
Columbia should force Barnard to drop Obama. This is ruining peoples’ final days here at Columbia.
A little dramatic and self absorbed, don’t you think?
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ok. what you’re proposing is just stupid and self-serving. I have no qualm with president obama decision to speak at Barnard’s commencement, and frankly i am happy for them. What i have issue with is columbia admin’s attitude towards gs. it feels like we always get the short end of the stick. this class day incident just serves to reinforce the perception that all gs students are second class citizens in the administrators’ eye. good luck asking for gifts from this year graduating seniors 5 or 10 years down the line/
Look at the facts. Barnard’s, SEAS, and GS class days were all roughly at the same time on the lawns of South Campus (the Columbia College campus I might add – see sign by sundial.) CC graduation is at a different location. For better or worse it was the closest in time to the President, and the smallest of the graduating classes. CC has about 1100 graduates, Barnard about 550, SEAS about 450, and GS about 260. Also GS has the highest percentage of students who do not even attend ceremonies. Should the administration choose to displace even more people??? Get real people.
GS has 370 graduates
Not only does this unsigned anonymous statement not “dispel” any “misinformation,” it introduces more questions. If “from the moment [they] learned of President Obama’s decision [to] speak a Barnard [their] goal [was] to accommodate . . . without undue inconvenience to thousands of . . . graduates and their families” why than did they not communicate so immediately? Why are we merely getting a faceless public relations piece only after this fiasco unexpectedly blew up in their/your faces? What were the “numerous aggressive” alternative plans? Why would moving the ceremony to a different venue have been “deeply problematic?” Was it a cost factor Columbia was trying to avoid? (I for one strongly suspect so). Who made such a “collaborative decision?” Why not ask for input or inform the graduates who will be affected? Why so late, and if the decision was not made so late why was it abruptly announced only three weeks shy of class day? Last but not least, what is the “everything in your power” that you are willing to do to make class day exceptional?
This is more than “deeply regrettable” and a mere “inconvenience”; this is deeply insulting and highly offensive. Not only have you/they insulted the graduating seniors, you/they have insulted the GS institution and everyone affiliated with it; current student and alumni. This goes beyond inconveniencing 370 graduating seniors, this shows the utter disregard the Columbia administration has for the GS institution, at a minimum Bollinger’s emotionless, un-subjected, 84 word paragraph, gives such an impression. The poor handling of the situation and sudden and short notice of moving such an important day as class day is the ultimate insult to GS. It expresses an attitude that GS can and will be thrown about without regard. This is insulting to everyone GS. The Columbia administration continues to show its contempt to GS, and the situation, by stonewalling and releasing anonymous, short, and cold hearted proclamations. This is an extraordinary mishap which goes beyond this incident. This would not have happened if GS was respected as an institution.
Financial compensation, which is only the right thing to do, is the minimum Columbia needs to do. President Bollinger should explicitly take responsibility by personally addressing GS. He is the leader of the Columbia institution and this is what a leader does, whether or not it was his decision or at fault. More importantly, Bollinger and the university administration need to pledge and commit to invest and make GS a viable and equivalent institution to our peers going forward. Such is what they need to do to mend the rudeness and profound insult they have leveled at the GS institution. Going forward this is what needs to be done to restore GS’s respect as an institution.
BOLLINGER, AWN, and SPAR:
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. DON’T PRESUME THAT AN ANONYMOUS STATEMENT “FROM THE UNIVERSITY” RESONATES WITH ANY SINCERITY OR ACCURACY.
YOUR ANONYMOUS STATEMENT IS ABOUT AS EFFECTIVE AS ALL OF THE COWARDLY ANONYMOUS STATEMENTS ON THIS COMMENT PAGE.
AND DO NOT PRESUME TO COMMAND US GRADUATES AS TO HOW WE SHOULD VIEW OR PARTICIPATE IN OUR GRADUATION DAY.
And to any anonymous commenter judging the life experiences of our military vets, student-parents, or other GS’ers who have ‘lived a little’ (to say the least), remember that this day is not just about getting a diploma. It might be about so many other symbolic things. Things that might be only valid to an individual, but valid nonetheless.
As I previously stated:
I AM NOT APPEALING TO THE COMPASSION OF OUR INCOMPETENT, COWARDLY UNIVERSITY LEADERS. I IMPLORE THEM TO INCREASE THAT “MODEST FUND.”
GET OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO CLASS DAY ON MAY 13TH. RIGHT YOUR WRONG. GET IT DONE.
STOP WORKING ON YOUR INSINCERE, RECYCLED GRADUATION DAY SPEECHES. KEEP WORKING ON FIXING THIS FIASCO.
AND PUT A NAME TO THE FACE OF THIS UNACCEPTABLE CIRCUMSTANCE.
BOLLINGER: EARN OUR HANDSHAKES ON CLASS DAY.
Signed,
Jessica Durdock
GS 2012
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Talk about overwrought. Seriously. It’s time to calm down. No one is saying this was a decision easily made. No one is saying that they are happy with the consequences of this decision–in fact, the President, Dean Awn, and many other folks have all indicated how much they regret what this decision has caused. Dean Awn apologized. Bollinger emailed the graduates—how often does that happen? While maybe not the most expressive email, does anyone really believe he did that just to insult the grads? They have also made clear that the alternatives were reviewed and that moving to Sunday, while by no means perfect, would be the least problematic alternative. Why is it that the default position around here is suspicion? Or, worse yet, conspiracy. Oh, Yes, the white house, Barnard, and the president all conspired to see how badly they could mistreat GS. Again, no one is happy and it seems like a good deal of effort is being made to ensure that the Sunday class day is successful and that all graduates and their families will be able to attend. Yes, there are real issues at GS; Yes, those issues need to be addressed (fin aid, housing, access to core classes, etc), but this is not one of those issues. This is an unfortunate situation, caused by many complicated factors. Time to focus on what’s important–celebrating the graduates, ensuring the families of those graduates can celebrate too, and coming together as a University to work through the larger, long term issues that deserve real attention and focus, not hyperbole, anger, silly accusations, child-like self-pity, and boundless demands for reparations when it has already been made clear that the University has put together a plan to with those graduates financially affected.
While I can accept that a mistake was made, the handling of the situation was botched, and if that isn’t enough, the communications were botched. Bollinger’s email was perfunctory. This isn’t just a matter of being respectful of the graduates, it’s a matter of being hospitable to the families of the graduates. A ‘modest fund’ compensating the ‘neediest’ of those affected is not nearly enough. If the University simply offered to cover everybody’s costs (ticket change fees, hotel changes, etc.) I doubt there would be so much hue and cry over this. Better yet, the University should have offered its travel services to affected families.
There is a lot more the University could have done to mitigate this. They did not do enough and acted inhospitable. I have no sympathy for them.
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Hey GS Grads: a member of the GSSC informed me that if you are ready to receive your compensation, get your info to the Deans ASAP. They are starting to allot funds. Spread the word. The GSSC, the Petition, and the students voicing opinions is working…
Hey GS Grads: a member of the GSSC informed me that if you are ready to receive your compensation, get your info to the Deans ASAP. They are starting to allot funds. Spread the word. The GSSC, the Petition, and the students voicing opinions is working…
Does anyone know if you can donate to the fund? I don’t really care to send it through Alumni Affairs or anything. Kind of like a Kickstarter project?
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