Diplomas to be mailed after commencement
In a change from past years, graduates will not receive diplomas at commencement. Instead, the diplomas will be mailed to graduates’ permanent addresses by late July, and they will receive a decorative tube at the May ceremony.
Registrar David Tenney (Sid ‘87) said the primary reason for the change is that some students damage their diplomas after the ceremony.
“For many students, once the commencement ceremony is over, they’re packing their bags,” Tenney said. “What we heard loud and clear from many of those [graduates] is that they would prefer their diplomas be mailed to their permanent address so they get them safely.”
Also, rolling the diplomas and putting them in order in the few days before commencement takes about 3,000 hours of work, Tenney said. While the Registrar’s Office staff will still have to roll diplomas to mail them, they will be able to do the work during the summer when they have fewer responsibilities.
Since the faculty does not approve graduates until the week before commencement, students — particularly graduate students — will benefit because they will not have to pay for replacement diplomas, Tenney said.
In the past, the Registrar’s Office has had to order diplomas by the first week of March, which requires estimating which students will receive each honors distinction and which degree each student will earn, Tenney said.
Occasionally students change their degrees — usually from a bachelor’s of science to a bachelor’s of arts because they do not have enough credit hours — after the Registrar’s Office has submitted the list of graduates to the diploma printers.
In addition, the University Standing Committee on Examinations and Standing formally approves honors designations the week before commencement. Incorrect diplomas have to be destroyed and new ones ordered.
Graduate students who cannot defend their theses by graduation also have their diplomas destroyed. Although Rice pays for the first diploma, students who do not graduate when they expected or with the degree they specified have to pay for new diplomas, which cost about $120 each.
Tenney said that in past years, about 30 percent of graduates did not receive diplomas at commencement because of changes in honors status or degree. While Rice pays for diplomas that have to be re-ordered due to changes in honors status, Tenney said cost was not a significant reason for the change.
Tenney said the decision to mail diplomas was made in February after he spoke with other administrators, recent graduates and students.
“We’ve been in conversation with students and it’s been talked about in an ad hoc basis for about a year,” Tenney said.
Former Student Association President James Lloyd, a Brown College senior, said he gathered opinion from seniors after Tenney told him of the idea. Lloyd said response to the change was significantly positive.
“Most people found it to be a convenient [change],” Lloyd said. “Most people didn’t know we got our diplomas [at commencement] in the first place. Upon learning about the new idea, they thought it would be helpful.”
Of five seniors interviewed Wednesday, four said they did not mind not receiving their diplomas at commencement.
Martel College senior Zachary McLemore said commencement is more significant than just receiving a diploma.
“The important thing is the ceremony,” McLemore said. “Whether or not you get a piece of sheepskin there marking your graduation is not as important as going through the act itself.”
Jones College senior Rachel Wyatt said she is disappointed she will not receive her diploma in May.
“I hate that it’s our year that has to be the guinea pigs,” Wyatt said. “I would like to have my diploma on graduation day. I’ve waited five years, so it would be nice to have it in hand.”
Tenney said the decision to mail diplomas is unrelated to the enrollment increase for 2009.
“I realize that we’re a small school, and there are still a good number of small schools who give actual diplomas, but a majority of schools [mail diplomas],” Tenney said.
Tenney said graduates should update their permanent addresses in ESTHER. Since the diplomas will be sent via certified mail, someone must sign to accept the package.
Other changes
There will also be other changes to commencement this year. Graduate students will sit with students from their department rather than just in alphabetical order. In addition, doctoral degree recipients will have their hooding ceremony the day before commencement at which they will be hooded by faculty members of their choice. Doctoral graduates will still have their names read and will walk across the stage at the commencement ceremony.
“This will make commencement a little faster and will give them the honor they’re due at a separate ceremony the day before,” Tenney said.
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