Administrationignoresstudents'graduationpleas

by Ron D'Orazio sports editor

The topic of graduation in the Dixon Center has led to controversy between some current seniors and the administration of the college.

Senior class president Colleen Murphy called a meeting for the seniors to discuss the options that the seniors can take to express their views to the administration. The meeting was held on Thursday, Dec. 3 1998.

Prior to the 1997-98 school year, graduations have been held behind the mansion. Last year, however, the ceremony was moved indoors to the new Dixon Center. None of the rules and regulations concerning the ceremony changed from the years past as a result of the move into the Dixon Center last year. The graduation ceremonies were marred by overcrowding and not enough seating for the graduates' friends and family.

The administration, citing bee stings, extreme heat and cost, has decided to again have graduation ceremonies in the Dixon Center.

According to Dr. Robert Bonfiglio, vice president of student development, graduation in the Dixon Center will cost the school $10,000 less than using the back of the mansion. The current budget for graduation is $36,000.

The major change between last year's ceremony and this year's ceremony is that seniors are allotted only four tickets for accompanying family or friends to attend the Dixon Center ceremonies. A proposal has also been made to allow each graduate one ticket for a family member to watch the ceremonies in Grace Hall via closedcircuit TV.

The meeting consisted of an open forum, with Murphy taking opinions from 49 undergraduate students as well as one graduate student, Nirmala Narayan, who is scheduled to walk at the ceremonies in May. Murphy held a previous meeting with President Dr. Antoinette Iadarola to discuss the graduation ceremonies.

According to Murphy, the one option that was proposed by the administration consisted of having graduation in the Dixon Center and a reception held in the back of the mansion.

The meeting consisted of all stu- in the Dixon Center.

According to Bonfiglio, he has no say in the decision made by Iadarola but can relay the students' wishes to her. Bonfiglio said that it would be more practical to have graduation in the Dixon Center.

One complaint that many students expressed at the meeting was the fact that the college advertised an outdoor graduation during admission tours that seniors and their parents received before their first year at Cabrini.

-Dr. Robert Bonfiglio, vice president of student development dents and no administration members until senior Mildred Metz, on suggestion from other attending students, went to Bonfiglio's office to invite him to the meeting.

Bonfiglio arrived at the Widener Center Lecture Hall and proceeded to answer questions concerning the graduation and why the administration has decided to hold it

"When I left an Ivy League school and came to Cabrini, everything here was pictured as a personal environment," Narayan said. 'The school is not personal anymore."

A class petition that voices student concerns about graduation was passed around the lecture hall to be signed by the attending seniors.

Bonfiglio said that the petition will not be taken into consideration by the administration.

"The school is not a democracy and the final decisions are made by Iadarola," Bonfiglio said.

According to Murphy, the meeting went well overall and the students' reactions to the current graduation plan, though expected, were not good. Murphy said that the class is unhappy with the decision of the president and the fact that no viable reason was given for not holding graduation in the back of the mansion.

"We have spoken to some parents about graduation and they are very upset," Murphy said. Murphy and the class board are planning another meeting involving the entire senior class. According to Murphy, the class board plans to invite Iadarola to the meeting and have a diplomatic discussion with her on the topic of graduation.

Any concerns or questions of the students can be voiced to the following senior class board members: Murphy, Secretary Bridget Kelly, Treasurer Don Eadie and Senators Amy Petite and Michelle McDevitt.