December grads walk in May
By Neil McEachen Special to the Kansan
When Jason Roberts, Leawood senior, walks down the hill this spring, he and his friends will be walking together, reminiscing about their days at the University. But while Roberts' friends celebrate the end of their school days, he will walk down the hill knowing that he still has another semester of school.
University Relations' records show that 1,496 students graduated in December, but because of the high costs of the graduation ceremony, the University offers no separate commencement exercises for December graduates, said Susan Elkins, a member of the University's Commencement Committee.
Robertis is one of many KU students who will be graduating in December after the fall semester.
This means that December graduates who choose to walk down the hill may do so in the previous spring, or they may wait until they actually finish classes and walk down the hill the next spring.
Roberts said that having an operation his junior year had forced him to take a semester off from school, which set him back a semester. By walking down the hill this spring, he still can celebrate with his friends and classmates, he said.
Roberts did consider walking down the hill after he graduates, but being with his friends is an opportunity that he doesn't want to let pass, he said.
"I think it will be a more enjoyable experience," he said.
Roberts said that he was trying to keep his illness from robbing him of his graduation experience even though it had robbed him of a semester of school.
Elkins said that students who were graduating in December were welcome to walk down the hill early so they could have that experience. In fact, there are no guidelines concerning when a student may walk down the hill. But there is a certain dress code.
"Anybody can walk down the hill," Elkins said. "All they need is a cap and gown."
Leanne Wright, Kansas City, Mo., senior will graduate in December, and she has chosen to walk down the hill in May 1995. She wants to actually be graduating when she takes part in the commencement ceremony, she said.
Julie Williams, Olathe senior, has decided to not walk down the hill at all. She says that the lack of a ceremony in December deterred her from participating in graduation.
"I'd hate to have all my family there, and I'm still not graduating," she said.
"I wish there would be one in December," Williams said. "I probably would do it then."
Williams said that she had given thought to walking down the hill either this May or in May 1995 but that she ultimately had ruled out both possibilities.
"It will be too late then and too early now," she said.
More grads in May
Number of KU students who graduated in May 1993: 3,663
Number of KU students who graduated in December 1993:1,496
Source: University Relations KANSAN
Besides the question of when December graduate should walk down the hill, there are other dilemmas that some December graduates face.
If students are finished with classes in December, they often have a hard time getting out of their apartment contracts.
"You can either lease 12 months or monthly, which is a lot more expensive," Wright said. "I've gone ahead and gotten a lease for all of next year."
Wright said that the time between her last class in December and the time she walks down the hill in May will be a time when she will struggle to keep herself busy.
"Another problem I ran into is graduate school doesn't start until the fall, so you have another semester of doing nothing," she said.
Wright said that upon the completion of her postgraduate degree, she planned to walk down the hill again. Unless, that is, she finishes her postgraduate studies in December. "I don't know where my job will be, so I wouldn't come back just to walk down the hill," Wright said.
Photo illustration by Amy Solt / KANSAN
Many graduates who leave the University in December come back for the ceremonies in May to see their friends and officially leave the University.
Elkins said this was typical of the postgraduates' feelings toward walking down the hill. "I suspect that if you walk down once, you don't walk down again. Postgraduates don't care. (They) get their degrees and head out for their jobs," Elkins said.
May 2,1994 THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN • GRADUATION
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