Kansan
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Graduation 2000
GIFT OF
THE CLASS OF
1956
Inside: The class of 2000 gift will be revealed at the Chancellor's Lunch. SEE PAGE 4B
MONDAY, MAY 8, 2000
Inside: Kansan photos of the year.
SEE PAGE 5-6B
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
WWW.KANSAN.COM
May 21 8 a.m
8 a.m.
- Memorial Drive is closed to traffic
- School of Engineering recognition and awards: Lied Center
9 a.m.
School of Journalism recognition for bachelor's degree candidates: Crafton-Prever Theatre, Murphy Hall
Environmental Studies Program reception for graduates and guests: Environmental Studies building, 517 W. 14th St.
9:30 a.m.
- Department of Human Development and Family Life recognition for students receiving BA and BGS degrees: courtyard between Dole and Haworth halls
Speech-Language-Hearing undergraduate and graduate recognition ceremony: 110 Budig Hall
10 a.m.
School of Law hooding: Lied Center
10:30 a.m.
Bachelor of Social Welfare recognition
Woodruff Auditorium, Kansas Union
Class of 2000 Commencement lunch
Department of Music and Dance student recognition: Swarthout Recital Hall, Murphy Hall
11 a.m.
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences recognition for students graduating with distinction and highest distinction: Crafton-Preyer Theatre. Murphy Hall
11:30 a.m.
School of Architecture and Urban Design brunch: Ballroom, Kansas Union
School of Social Welfare hooding for master's candidates: Lied Center 2 n.m.
Commencement
- Commencement participants assemble on Memorial Drive
assemble on Memorial Drive
2:30 p.m.
Commencement begins
Foreign students note differences in traditions of U.S. graduations
By Jill Pittman Special to the Kansan
Most students don't question the process of going to college, graduating and getting a job. However, for some international students who will graduate from the University of Kansas May 21, these assumptions and traditions seem . . . foreign.
"College graduation is the big thing at home," said Juliana Moreira, Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil, senior. "Here it's high school."
Moreira attended the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco in Recife, Pernambuco for one year before coming to Lawrenche. She said the traditions of colleges in Brazil made American graduation seem very commonplace.
"They try to make it very glamorous, with ballroom dances and prom dresses where you have to dance with your dad if you're a girl," she said. "They have Mass for graduation, and it's all organized by the school."
Every student is called by name and crosses the stage to receive their diploma, and graduates number in the thousands, Moreira said.
"My mother is blackmailing me," she said with a smile. "She said she'll come if I come home to Brazil."
Laure Losey, Dijon, France, graduate student, said one of the main differences in French and American ceremonies was the apparel.
"I'm the only one in my family with a university degree, and they're very proud of that." Losey said.
See FOREIGN on page 2B
"What shocks everybody is the black attire we have to wear," she said. "To me, it's more like funeral wear. My mother saw us in black and thought it was terrible."
Moreira may not be so lucky.
Her parents attended her undergraduate commencement at the University in 1997. Though she will not walk down the Hill this year, her parents will come for her convoocation at the School of Education May 20.
Tradition trademarks ceremony
Guests to benefit from renovation of the stadium
By Sarah Warren Kansan staff writer
This year, commencement promises to have few differences from those of recent memory.
Yes, the graduates will still walk down the Hill as their mothers and fathers snap roll after roll of film. Yes, it will be nearly impossible to find a hotel room or parking space in Lawrence during the three
days of festivities — May 19-21. Yes, the parties will start as soon as the caps fly through the air.
Rather than forcing change upon tradition, Jeff Weinberg, assistant to the chancellor, said just a few minor changes would be made to update commencement for the year 2000. These shifts include full use of Memorial Stadium, which has been under construction for the past two years, and the added dimension given by the stadium's video board.
"The stadium is, of course, complete and we will have full use of all of the facilities, rest rooms and concessions," Weinberg said. "The only thing different this year will be the
use of the new video board before, during and after the ceremony."
According to Weinberg, there will be a high number of guests this year because of a large graduating class.
"Close to 4,000 students will walk down the Hill this year," Weinberg said. "And there will be close to 30,000 guests in the stands. Many of the students who graduated in December are returning to walk down the Hill with their class."
And it is University Marshal Stephen Grabow's job to make sure everything runs smoothly when those 4,000 students descend Mount Oread at 2:30 p.m. May 21.
"What the marshal does is preside over convocation, hooding ceremonies and commencement and lead the procession down the Hill," Grabow said. "I introduce all the speakers and basically keep the thing moving."
"Close to 4,000 students will walk down the hill this year."
Jeff Weinberg
Assistant to the chancellor
To do so, Grabow enlists the help of a group of associate marshals to help him keep the ceremony on schedule. In fact, up
until this year, Grabow was an associate marshal himself until he was tapped to become the university marshal, a job that changes hands every three years.
"Basically there are 30 marshals and there are 5,000 people in the cast who have no rehearsal," Grabow said. "The only people who really rehearse are the marshals."
Which makes each commencement a little different, even if tradition is the same.
"There have been times in the past when there was construction going on in Memorial Stadium, but this year will be a traditional commencement in every sense of the word," Weinberg said.
Video board puts graduates on big screen
By Lindsay Keller Special to the Kansan
The family and friends that attend graduation might worry about getting a glimpse of their graduate among the other 4,000 seniors, but they may have less to be concerned about this year with the addition of the video board at Memorial Stadium.
After the stadium was renovated last year, a new video board was installed at the south end to display messages and video replays during football games. This year's commencement on May 21 will make good use of the video board by displaying the ceremony live on the big screen.
Gary Hawke, general manager of KUJH-TV, KJHK radio and the Digital Jayhawk, and Mike Lickert, video production coordinator for the University of Kansas Athletic Corporation, will work together to make this added feature possible.
The video board at Memorial Stadium will broadcast graduation ceremonies this year, making it easier for people in the crowd to pick out the graduate they are looking for. The broadcast will also be available on the Digital Jayhawk at www.digitaljayhawk.org. Photo by Jamie Roper/KANSAN
Memorial Stadium has four cameras with the ability to capture various shots of the field and grandstands. One camera sits on top of the press box. Another is located in the grandstands and two are on the field. Lickert said all four cameras would be used but their exact positioning had not been decided.
Lickert said he hoped to direct the cameras at the 50-yard line and at the end of the double line of professors and teachers as the graduates walk through.
"We hope to get a majority of the graduates' faces by using the field cameras," Lickert said.
The press box camera will give a wide overall view of the stadium. One camera will be pointed toward the platform where the speakers will stand to give their speeches.
Lickert said the display would be very similar to that at a football game. The screen will show one shot at a time, comparable to a television show. Lickert will pick the shots that best fit and display them on the video board during the ceremony. He is working with a staff of freelancers and students to make this possible.
Hawke said that another benefit of the video board was that the full ceremony
"I think it's a great idea," said Michelle Brown, Salina senior. "With so many people at commencement, it's hard to see everything, but this will make it much better."
Arne Kirschbaum, Sassnitz, Germany.
would be aired on KUJH-TV at 7 p.m. May 21 and 22. The broadcast also will be available on the Digital Jayhawk, which will allow people around the world to view the ceremony at any time. A tape also will be sold for about $20 and will be available from the School of Journalism after graduation.
senior, agreed that the video board was a good idea.
Kirschbaum said the athletics department is putting its facilities to good use. "It's a nice asset to graduation, and
"It will be exciting to possibly see my face on the big screen," Kirschbaum said. "My parents are coming all the way from Germany just to see me walk down the Hill. It will be nice if they actually get to see me on video rather than hunting me down in a crowd of 5,000 people all wearing the same thing."
everyone will benefit from it during and after the ceremony." Kirschbaum said. "It will be great to have a video as a good memory of commencement."
Fun and entertainment, as well as convenience, are the main reasons for having the video board, Hawke said.
"It will give the audience a better perspective of the whole ceremony," said. "They are able to sit in one seat and see different views without moving."
Graduation parties provide one last time to celebrate
By Elizabeth Benson Special to the Kansan
As seniors say their last goodbyes, many will plan graduation parties to celebrate their years of friendships at the University of Kansas.
Terry Stewart, owner of Southern Accent Catering, is preparing a Southwestern party for her customer.
Southern Accent Catering,
1620 E. 652 Road, is catering a party for a graduate who will be
celebrating with friends and
family at home.
Catering companies already have been preparing for one of their busiest times of the year.
"We are setting up a tent in our customer's backyard with decorations," Stewart said. The catering company will also be serving Mexican food, she said.
Having a party catered allows family and friends to focus on the occasion, while the company takes the worry and stress off of their hands. Stewart said.
Several seniors have made arrangements at local bars to
kick off their celebrations. Louise's West, 1307 W. Seventh, said it was willing to go the extra mile for some seniors.
"I ifwe have people ask, then we will have a graduation party for them," said Cody Adair, Wichita senior and assistant manager of Louise's West.
Most bars don't rent the entire building because owners think it is important to have space available for the public, she said.
"We need a big turnout so business will remain the same as on a typical night," Adair said. "We are willing to accommodate up to 73, which is maximum capacity."
Shea Furlong, Dallas senior, said she planned to have her graduation party for her friends and family at Louise's West. She said she and her friends had shared several memorable nights there.
"West is just the right size for what we are looking for to celebrate with friends and family," Furlong said. "They are allowing us to keep a tab in addition to the
keg, which is not something that they typically do," Furlong said.
Tom Fimmen, Overland Park senior, plans to celebrate with his fraternity brothers at the Delta Chi house, 1245 W. Campus Road.
"We are putting up a large tent in front of the Delta Chi house after graduation," Fimmen said. "Our moms have spent several hours on the plans for the party."
Fimmen said that both alcohol and food would be served at the party.
"It is our last time for people to bid us farewell and to say goodbye for now to close friends." Fimmen said.
Regardless of the alcohol, Fimmen said the party would be a last chance to see his friends before graduating.
"The moms are gathering the food, which will consist of sandwiches, pop and cake, and the dads are in charge of the alcohol," Fimmen said. "The dad's want us to have alcohol, but the moms are not in complete agreement with the idea."
Kerry Jaroschak, cake decorator at Hy-Wee, 3504 Clinton Parkway, decorates a cake for graduation. Having a party catered can allow family and friends to focus on the occasion, while the catering company takes the worry and stress off of their hands. Photo by Christina Neff/KANSAN
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