University officials are meeting today (Jan. 14) and again on Wednesday (Jan. 16) with graduating students to explore alternatives for the location of Spring Commencement. U-M leaders had announced Jan. 9 that the ceremony would move to Eastern Michigan University’s Rynearson Stadium because of construction on the Big House.
After receiving considerable e-mails and other feedback — including numerous postings on the popular social networking site FaceBook — President Mary Sue Coleman announced plans for the meetings, which will be led by the vice president of student affairs and dean of students.
“We appreciate the need to honor the long-standing traditions of the University, and I am confident that together we will be able to come up with an approach that does so,” Coleman wrote in a message to students.
The move to EMU largely was about capacity, officials said last week. Rynearson holds 40,000 people, which would allow each graduate up to eight tickets to the 10 a.m. April 26 ceremony, whereas Crisler Arena — the next largest U-M facility — could accommodate only two to three guests per graduate.
Officials considered a number of alternative venues, including allowing the ceremony to take place as usual in a reduced capacity at Michigan Stadium, but there were similar issues with the limited number of tickets. Of more concern, however, were the difficulties arising from the major construction that will be underway. There would be no power, water or bathroom facilities, and accessible seating would be reduced. Most importantly, the extensive excavations and structural work in progress at the stadium would pose significant safety concerns and limit appropriate access to and from the site.
A number of students have said they would be willing to settle for the reduced number of tickets at Crisler in order to stay on campus. Still others have suggested other venues, including an outdoor ceremony on the Diag.
Former ABC News Anchor and current correspondent Bob Woodruff is this year’s commencement speaker. A Michigan native and 1987 Law School alumnus, Woodruff has recovered from a serious head injury sustained in a roadside bomb attack in Iraq in January 2006, just weeks after being named co-anchor of the nightly news. Thirteen months after being wounded, Woodruff returned to ABC News with his first on-air report, “To Iraq and Back: Bob Woodruff Reports.” Since then he has done a number of special reports, particularly focused on brain injury.
Woodruff will receive an honorary doctoral degree in laws from the University.
The Web site www.umich.edu/~gradinfo provides updated information on the Commencement plan, as well as a place for feedback or questions about the event.
