One last slap in the face
11/12/09
Commentary by Scott Luostari
Layout Editor
When this semester got underway, I could not wait to get through it and finally be graduated. Little did I know, the University couldn’t let me leave peacefully and had a couple parting shots left in their system. In my five years at UWS I learned that nothing is easy, and graduating is not an exception.
During the first half of September, I received an e-mail from the Registrar’s Office reminding me to apply for graduation. Excitement overtook me until I read the rest of the message that stated that there is a $50 graduation fee. That’s right, a $50 graduation fee.
My first thought after reading this was, “Really? Another $50 for graduating? That’s nice, take more of my money.”
I paid the fee of course, and decided that would be the last of the graduation hoops that I was required to jump through. One last slap in the face #1.
About 2 weeks ago, I received another e-mail; this time from a staff member who I would assume is in charge of the graduation ceremony. This particular e-mail had multiple attachments regarding the upcoming December graduation ceremony. My first reaction again was excitement, but as I read further my excitement turned again to anger and disbelief.
The first attachment was titled, “Dec ’09 Commencement Invite-Information.” When compared to the other attachments, this one was a standard get your commencement announcement cards and your cap and gown kind of graduation message one would expect.
After having to sit through four years of high school graduations as part of the high school band, this attachment made me a little sick at the thought of having to sit through another commencement ceremony. To me, personally, this was one last slap in the face #2.
For the sake of your attention span, I will now skip directly to the most angering attachment titled, “Graduation Brunch Brochure Dec 2009.” Before I opened this attachment, I was delighted at the thought that the University might give me breakfast on my last official day. Boy was I wrong.
“Chancellor Erlenbach and A’viands invite you to celebrate this special day with a brunch just for the graduates, their families and friends.”
That’s the first text you notice when you open this attachment. A special day to celebrate with family and friends! How nice. It’s even to be held in the Rothwell Student Center Ballroom, which I would guess will be one of the last event held in RSC before they begin moving into the “Yellowjacket Union,” the building I voted to construct in my first freshmen semester (that’s fall 2004) but am not going to be able to use. I digress, my apologies.
“Adults $14.00, Children 12 and under $6.00”. Yeah, that’s right; I have to pay them to have a farewell breakfast. I still cannot believe it. After the $20,000 dollars I have given this University, they couldn’t even buy me breakfast before I officially say goodbye. It’s outrageous to me that the University can’t take a little money and buy a guy some food.
I don’t ask too much, do I? I just thought that it would be a nice thing to do for someone who has given a bunch of money and five years of his life at your University, but I guess that is just not something we are capable of at UWS.
I also would be willing to bet that they will not be serving a $14 meal at this breakfast. You can get a really good breakfast from Perkins for $10, and from what I hear A’viands doesn’t serve the best food in the area. That makes me think the University is making a profit from graduates just before they smile at them, pose for the picture on stage, and hand them an empty degree case.
I don’t know about you, but “assorted pastries” doesn’t sound like a $14 meal. Oh! I just noticed that at the bottom of the breakfast brochure that champagne will be available for sale by the bottle. That’s so nice of them. One last slap in the face #3.
That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I’m done, checked out and more then ready to be done dealing with UWS. I still have a month to go and some drawings to do for my last class, but once I’m gone I’m not coming back.
UWS, you can keep your alumni newsletter and don’t even think about calling and asking me for a donation.
During the first half of September, I received an e-mail from the Registrar’s Office reminding me to apply for graduation. Excitement overtook me until I read the rest of the message that stated that there is a $50 graduation fee. That’s right, a $50 graduation fee.
My first thought after reading this was, “Really? Another $50 for graduating? That’s nice, take more of my money.”
I paid the fee of course, and decided that would be the last of the graduation hoops that I was required to jump through. One last slap in the face #1.
About 2 weeks ago, I received another e-mail; this time from a staff member who I would assume is in charge of the graduation ceremony. This particular e-mail had multiple attachments regarding the upcoming December graduation ceremony. My first reaction again was excitement, but as I read further my excitement turned again to anger and disbelief.
The first attachment was titled, “Dec ’09 Commencement Invite-Information.” When compared to the other attachments, this one was a standard get your commencement announcement cards and your cap and gown kind of graduation message one would expect.
After having to sit through four years of high school graduations as part of the high school band, this attachment made me a little sick at the thought of having to sit through another commencement ceremony. To me, personally, this was one last slap in the face #2.
For the sake of your attention span, I will now skip directly to the most angering attachment titled, “Graduation Brunch Brochure Dec 2009.” Before I opened this attachment, I was delighted at the thought that the University might give me breakfast on my last official day. Boy was I wrong.
“Chancellor Erlenbach and A’viands invite you to celebrate this special day with a brunch just for the graduates, their families and friends.”
That’s the first text you notice when you open this attachment. A special day to celebrate with family and friends! How nice. It’s even to be held in the Rothwell Student Center Ballroom, which I would guess will be one of the last event held in RSC before they begin moving into the “Yellowjacket Union,” the building I voted to construct in my first freshmen semester (that’s fall 2004) but am not going to be able to use. I digress, my apologies.
“Adults $14.00, Children 12 and under $6.00”. Yeah, that’s right; I have to pay them to have a farewell breakfast. I still cannot believe it. After the $20,000 dollars I have given this University, they couldn’t even buy me breakfast before I officially say goodbye. It’s outrageous to me that the University can’t take a little money and buy a guy some food.
I don’t ask too much, do I? I just thought that it would be a nice thing to do for someone who has given a bunch of money and five years of his life at your University, but I guess that is just not something we are capable of at UWS.
I also would be willing to bet that they will not be serving a $14 meal at this breakfast. You can get a really good breakfast from Perkins for $10, and from what I hear A’viands doesn’t serve the best food in the area. That makes me think the University is making a profit from graduates just before they smile at them, pose for the picture on stage, and hand them an empty degree case.
I don’t know about you, but “assorted pastries” doesn’t sound like a $14 meal. Oh! I just noticed that at the bottom of the breakfast brochure that champagne will be available for sale by the bottle. That’s so nice of them. One last slap in the face #3.
That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I’m done, checked out and more then ready to be done dealing with UWS. I still have a month to go and some drawings to do for my last class, but once I’m gone I’m not coming back.
UWS, you can keep your alumni newsletter and don’t even think about calling and asking me for a donation.
PHOTO OF THE DAY:::...
Art in the park. Photo by Alyssa Palmer
WEATHER:::...
Call the University Weather Hotline for campus closures and other weather updates 1-715-394-8400
FIND US ON:::...
