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MIAMI – Florida International University announced today changes to its commencement exercises, which are celebrated in April and December. The changes are designed to enhance the student experience, accommodate more friends and family members and help finance the addition of an extra ceremony.
Several years ago, FIU abandoned the single commencement ceremony in favor of several smaller ceremonies and, as the number of graduates grew, additional ceremonies were added. In the fall of 2004, FIU graduated 4,458 students. This fall, that number is expected to grow to 5,500.
“Our students look forward to being recognized for their academic achievements, shaking the hand of their dean, taking a picture with the president and naturally, they want their family and friends to share this moment,” said Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Douglas Wartzok. “There’s only one indoor venue on campus that can accommodate such a ceremony – the U.S. Century Bank Arena – and we keep outgrowing it.”
After the spring commencement, the decision was made to add a sixth ceremony in order to accommodate the rapidly increasing number of graduates. This occurred at the same time that budgets shrank and resources were stretched. The Commencement Committee studied the options and recommended that participating students would receive two complimentary tickets and be afforded the opportunity to purchase three additional tickets for $5 each.
Organizers estimate that the sale of tickets will generate about $35,000 to help defray for the cost of the six ceremonies, which cost more than $130,000.
“We resisted the idea of charging for tickets,” Wartzok said. “But in the end, it’s the only option we have if we intend to give our students a memorable ceremony they can share with the people dearest to them.”
The fall commencement ceremonies will take place Monday, Dec. 14th and Tuesday Dec. 15th at the U.S. Century Bank Arena, 11200 SW 8th Street in southwest Miami-Dade County.
The ceremonies are scheduled as follows:
Monday, December 14th, 2009
Ceremony I (10:00am – 12:00pm)
- School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
- School of Journalism and Mass Communication
- College of Education
Ceremony II (3:00pm – 5:00pm)
- College of Business (Landon Undergraduate School of Business)
Ceremony III (7:30pm – 9:30pm)
- College of Business (Chapman Graduate School)
- College of Engineering & Computing
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
Ceremony IV (10:00am – 12:00pm)
- College of Arts and Science (except SIPA)
Ceremony V (3:00pm – 5:00pm)
- College of Architecture & the Arts
- College of Arts and Science (SIPA only)
Ceremony VI (7:30pm – 9:30pm)
- Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Tickets can be purchased online by credit card or with a Panther Card at Grad Send-Off. The official period for ordering commencement passes and guest tickets is October 12-30, 2009. For details on the commencement schedule and ticket information, visit http://commencement.fiu.edu/.
Media Contact: Maydel Santana-Bravo at 305-348-1555.
-FIU-
About FIU:
Florida International University was founded in 1965 and is Miami’s only public research university. With a student body of more than 38,000, its 17 colleges and schools offer more than 200 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations and law. More than 100,000 FIU alumni live and work in South Florida. FIU has been classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a “High Research Activity University”. In August 2009, FIU welcomed the inaugural class of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu.
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