Senior – Public Administration

I attended Senior Vice Chancellor Bicak’s conversation regarding campus inclusion and respect on March 11 to express my concerns over the university administration’s unwillingness to permit us students to wear graduation stoles that represent our diverse cultural identities and various student organizations at our Commencement Ceremony. I was extremely disappointed to learn that soon after the conversation Dr. Bicak led, Senior Advisor to the Chancellor Dr. John Falconer sent an email restating the current policy that strictly academic-related regalia may be worn at commencement. This email was in poor taste and disrespectful to the constructive conversation Dr. Bicak facilitated.

While I am thankful the message has since been rescinded, we must demand our administrators amend the graduation stole policy to permit us students to wear stoles representative of our diverse cultural identities and student organizations. From athletics and Fraternity and Sorority Life to the countless student organizations on campus, we deserve to express our respective identities and represent the student organizations that have supported us during our time at this institution. Bold, meaningful action must replace the administration’s performative support for student diversity and inclusion policies.