By Aaron Pier
Triton’s Call Staff
The commencement ceremony is a time-honored tradition when the achievements of graduating students are accented by the cap, gown, sash, and stole.
The sash and stole have become an inherent part of recognizing the academic and non-academic achievements of students.
In recent years, the University of Guam has edged out the public recognition of those student organizations. Students who have spent hours performing community service, and volunteered to facilitate University events, are no longer permitted to don their hard-earned sashes and cords when receiving their degrees.
In a sense, students are paying in time and money for their contributions to the University of Guam to be downplayed at a time that could be used to recognize those efforts. Such a move can seriously hurt the active involvement, and number of students willing to dedicate their precious time and money to an establishment that gives little acknowledgement to their contributions.
According to the UOG Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Anita B. Enriquez, the decision to prevent members of student organizations and international honor societies, stems from, “… when others have worn their respective sashes outside the honors stall, honors students complained that it detracted from this particular recognition.”
To appease the students, who felt over shadowed by other active members of the student body, the University initially permitted the members of student organizations and international honor societies to drape their sashes over one arm when receiving their degrees. Over time, the University decided to do reduce the visibility of the sashes further by implementing a rule that forces members of student organizations and honor societies to leave their sashes on their chairs.
An attempt to appease the members of these organizations, the university has permitted them to wear their sashes only at their respective convocations within their departments. This option is lacking in the recognition of the extra time and effort invested in the University. It also detracts from the pageantry of the commencement ceremony, as well as downplays the achievements of all the Universities students. Having more graduates in sashes would showcase the many students the University produces that are willing to do more than what is required of them. Permitting students to don their various sashes is also a positive reflection of the University and should be celebrated as such.
According to the Dean of Enrollment Management and Student Success Michael Gunn, members of student organizations and honor societies may have an opportunity to regain some public recognition during the commencement ceremony.
“I know of universities who have, for lack of a better phrasing, three levels of performance–one level would be for the honors themselves,” Gunn said. “A second level might be for election or representation in a national honor society of some kind. A third level would be those organizations within specific disciplines, or students who have interests in certain areas.”
The multiple tiers of recognition could be a great alternative in this situation.
Students who have performed at the level to receive academic honors would have the prominence of their achievements recognized, members of honor societies within disciplines would be recognized for their achievements in their subject area of focus, and students involved in other organizations would gain recognition for their extra-curricular contributions to the University. It should be noted however, that bringing about a change in the sash policy would be a lot of work for the student organizations.