Daughter unable to attend her graduation ceremony as it is full. Advice please

[mildlyfried]

My daughter has just finished a three year Bsc (hons) at a major University. She has been advised that she cannot attend her graduation ceremony as it is full and she is on a waiting list. All the other ceremonies are at capacity too. She has been told that if a place does not become available then she can either try to graduate in November without her friends or have her certificate posted to her for a £10 fee.

To say we are upset and disappointed is an understatement. Has anyone ever heard of this before? I did not think a University would do this and would make sure they had enough graduation days/dates for all their students. The students have paid tens of thousands in fees and slogged for three years to be denied the chance to get their degree in a ceremony with their family watching.

Is there anyone out there with any advice? maybe someone who works at a University? I'm tempted to go to the local paper and tell the story so other students know what to expect at this University. Students should be told when they are choosing the University that they are not guaranteed a graduation.

Thanks for reading

Yes, I have graduated twice from the same University and as I didn't book quickly enough, it was full.

This wasn't an issue for me, as Princess Anne was Chancellor and I would have been required to bow to her. Sod that.

However, my late mum would have loved all the pomp and ceremony and I regret not compromising.

Yes, they need to know the graduation date but seems odd to know so much about when the university send e mails regarding graduation, when they have to be replied to etc.

I disagree. Both of my children enjoyed the graduation with us parents then they went off with friends to clubs or house parties. I am not big on events but these were lovely.

Where have I quoted/recited any emails?

You cite the importance of the graduation ceremony whilst also being skeptical as to the fact my DC would have discussed it/the process at the time.

Bizarre…

I’m not (yet) so blighted my Peri brain fug that I can’t remember discussing an important family event and the discussions around that.

For us (given the location) we had to plan accommodation and time off work. It wasn’t a simple day trip, so of course DC included us in the planning and explaining the process and checking if we want to attend 😂 - as if we wouldn’t.

It’s not some massive conspiracy nor am I endowed with any particularly special levels of memory retention.

I’m also not unsympathetic to the OP in the sense I do hope she (and her daughter) get a slot on the wait list.

But I’m also not interested in letting this thread get carried away based on misinformation.

Wow I'd no idea that this was normal and widespread. I think my grandson didn't bother with a ceremony but I thought that was just typical of him! But I think that those who want to attend should be given the opportunity and also that they should do so with other students on their course. Not fair!

Here are the numbers from 2024

A total of 3,400 degrees will be conferred in person at fourteen ceremonies at the Great Hall between July 15 to 19 2024.

That means if the Great Hall has a capacity of 800, each college has approx 600 to 800 students graduating each year, each graduate applying before the deadline gets 3 tickets, 1 for the graduate and 2 guests. That equates to a graduating ceremony ticket for approx only 260 students getting tickets (give or take).

So as others have said, the deadline is totally irrelevant, because the first 260 students to apply will get all the tickets for the available capacity of 800, leaving the majority of the student body without even 1 ticket, never mind 3 tickets.

The proper thing to do would be to hire a bigger capacity location or, while not ideal at all, only offer guest tickets after the deadline for students has passed and those students who want to attend their graduation in person have been allocated a ticket, then the scramble for first come / first serve tickets can start for the guest list.

Sheffield Hallam were definitely doing graduations last December. (Lots of female graduates posing for photos in flimsy dresses - it was bloody freezing.)

That was also my graduation. It was more a nod than a bow though. She didn't look particularly regal and was wearing a white blouse and a tweed skirt, she could have been anybody.

Maybe 50 years ago, now everybody and their dog has a degree and it doesn't improve your employment prospects one little bit unless it's from one of the really prestigious universities, it's all bit like attending the award of cycling proficiency certificates.

Fellow Lancaster uni parent here and everything you’ve written is spot on.

The DD ignored the email and reminders. Her mates didn’t! My daughter didn’t! My daughter’s mates didn’t! Etc etc.

Ultimately the OP can get as het up as some of the posters on here have but Lancaster aren’t going to pull an extra space out thin hair for an adult who ignored multiple reminders that due to limiter space - first come first served .

i am so looking forward to it the day and adore the Grand Hall.

Ok can someone explain to me:

An email was sent out with a ‘deadline’

This ‘deadline’ means absolutely NOTHING.

They have x amount of spaces. When they are filled, they are filled. First come first served.

DEADLINE mentioned means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING?

is this correct?

And expensive when you have to hire the gown and mortar board.

Involved in what process? Answering e mails?

Perhaps if the OP had been involved with her DD's emails she wouldn't be in this position.

What it means is that if there are still spaces at the deadline they will allocate them to people whose ceremonies are already oversubscribed. So get your arse in gear and respond asap. I really don't see what is so hard to understand, anybody who wants to go (to the most boring event of their lives) can go, but possibly not on their first choice of day.

No it does mean something

If you applied BEFORE the deadline and then get a waitlist ticket, you will be guaranteed two guest passes.

if you applied AFTER the deadline and get a waitlist ticket, you are not guaranteed two guest passes

It really is quite straightforward and made clear to the student.

My uni graduation in…em, 2004, I was left off the list! When I went to find my seat which was alphabetical by subject I didn’t gave one! And my ticket was different. Found some admin error so I had to go up at end with late comers. At time if seemed awful. But graduation is just a ceremony and TBh the best hit is the party after photos. The ceremony is really not a big deal.

Lancaster uni you graduate in houses don’t you? They did when DH went

<sigh again>

Which is why students are asked earlier in the year if they want to attend - so they can schedule enough ceremonies (within the capacity of the hall) to meet demand.

If you apply after the date when the ceremonies have been scheduled, then no, you don't just get to demand a place (or get upset about not having one) because you didn’t RSVP in a timely fashion.

In MN parlance it’s akin to the expectation of turning up to a seated wedding breakfast and having a hissy fit because you don’t a place at the table or food served when you haven’t bothered to RSVP.

Because it’s not just one student. It’s student plus guests. So 3 more places minimum. Unless OP is happy to wait outside 🤷‍♀️

Just laugh to yourself @BreadInCaptivity
It is just getting farcical!

I graduated from Lancaster in the days before the Higher Education expansion.

There was no degree certificate. You got presented to Princess Alexandra (The Chancellor), who said, if you were lucky, "Hev you gort a jorb yet?" and they posted your certificate to your parents' address at a later date (at no extra cost), once they had got it sorted.

it would be funny if it weren't for posters saying how they wouldn't recommend Lancaster now because of this....misrepresentation of facts.

Oh Lancaster better off with out them! Not exactly short on applicants 😆

So, if everyone replied yes on the same day, would every person be permitted to graduate Lancaster University?

Or is it the case, that no matter what, there is not enough room for all students to attend the graduation? Even if they all replied yes on the same day?

That’s not good enough if that’s the case.

Thanks for explaining the deadline to me, so that’s actually a deadline for guests tickets.

First come first served

simple

so if someone applied at 10am they would get priority over someone who had applied at10.02

it isn’t hard to grasp