Commencement ceremony may move to arena

By Amy Roberts

The 2004 graduates of Fresno State may have the distinction as the first class to go through commencement ceremonies at the new Save Mart Center.

Fresno State’s commencement review committee is in the process of determining whether moving commencement activities from Bulldog Stadium and other sites around campus to the arena would work, according to the Nov. 3 minutes from the executive committee of the Academic Senate.

Reasons for relocating include weather concerns, comfort, size constraints of facilities and the strain placed on plant operations to ready numerous locations for all the events associated with graduation.

Other schools are also showing interest in, or have already decided to move their ceremonies to the Save Mart Center.

The high school division of Fresno Unified School District has reserved the Save Mart Center on June 1 and 2 for three graduations each day, said D’Leo Wood, administrative assistant to the associate superintendent, Stanley McDonald.

Fresno City College Dean of Student Services Robert Fox said he expects a final decision will be made this month after a committee reviews a cost analysis study and list of pros and cons comparing the Save Mart Center and Selland Arena, where FCC has a long history of holding its commencement.

Dr. Paul Oliaro, Fresno State dean of student affairs, said a decision should be made by the end of this semester.

“ Everyone we have talked to is supportive of the idea of moving commencement to the Save Mart Center,” he stated via e-mail.

But certain issues need to be explored before making a final decision, Oliaro said. These include: traffic control, parking and the logistics of organizing several events during a two-day time frame.

Mehran Zarrinehteram is the project coordinator for plant operations at Fresno State and said it’s an excellent choice to hold graduation at the Save Mart Center, a building he characterizes as the “jewel on campus.”

“ We really have no plan ‘B’ if the weather gets bad,” he said about holding graduation inside Bulldog Stadium. The Save Mart Center, he added, offers graduates and their families a comfortable, indoor environment.

Associated Student Senator Andy Rhodes said he also believes moving commencement is a great opportunity.

“ By having graduation at the Save Mart Center, hopefully the student turnout will be greater than in years past,” Rhodes said.

When asked about student conduct during graduation, he said, “I believe that students will be more respectful while inside the Save Mart Center because it’s a smaller venue than Bulldog Stadium and it will be much cooler than outside. Usually when people are feeling hot they get more irritable, tired and vocal.”

Other students agreed that having graduation inside would make the ceremony feel more formal.

Broadcast journalism junior Iliana Gil, 20, said she thinks the graduation ceremony would feel more professional and hold more prestige if it were moved inside.

Senior Firhana Mohamed, 20, who is finishing her degree in accountancy, said it would be more formal, nicer and definitely more comfortable at the arena.

Ryan Gonzalez, 21, who is also graduating in 2004 with a degree in psychology, said it “would be pretty cool” to have commencement ceremonies in the Save Mart Center.

He said he doesn’t like going to outdoor graduations because it’s usually too hot, but if it’s changed he’ll probably attend.

“ We’ve always thought of commencement as a formal event,” Oliaro said. “It is the most important event that we conduct on the campus every year. And if the move to the Save Mart Center communicates the formality of that event to everyone that’s even better.”