Why Wofford is changing graduation traditions and what students think about it

On Nov. 9th, Wofford’s student body received an email from Provost Mike Sosulski informing them that from now on, graduation would officially be held in the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.  

Upon the College’s first graduation in 1855, it was decided that the ceremony would be held in Leonard Auditorium, which was referred to as “The Chapel.” In the early 1960’s, the ceremony outgrew the Chapel and the graduating class took to the front lawn of Old Main from 1960 to 1968. Following the construction of Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, Wofford began to use this facility to accommodate the growing classes and their families from 1969 to 1998. After being away from home for close to 30 years, the ceremony moved back to the lawn of Old Main from 1999 to present, with a few rain checks in the Ben Johnson Arena and most recently the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. Wofford College archivist Dr. Phillip Stone describes graduation day 1999 as having beautiful weather and recalls thinking, “we’re never going back inside.” This near 20-year period of commencement on the lawn began the modern Wofford tradition that we all know today.  

After receiving this email, the student body immediately began to wonder why the ceremony was being moved and what the fate of other Wofford graduation traditions was. The question that many students are asking is: Why did no one ask us what we wanted?  

The email listed weather concerns along with accessibility solutions as the perks of holding the ceremony in the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. When Provost Sosulski was asked about the reasons behind the change in graduation, he responded with many reasons, one of them being, “…the lawn can often be soft and squishy, so what we end up doing is put folding chairs out for everyone’s family and faculty and staff, and it can be quite unstable. The ground isn’t super level for lots of folks with mobility issues and that can be really challenging. It’s a time when you want your extended family to come, but anyone with mobility concerns is really hindered.”  

Provost Sosulski also included a cost issue with holding graduation on the lawn. He mentioned that when holding graduation, a rain location must be set up identically, therefore doubling the cost of the ceremony. When Provost Sosulski was asked why students were not consulted in the decision, he responded, “It is a cabinet level decision, anything to do with safety and, essentially when it comes to safety and comfort level of a large group, that will be a cabinet level decision.” 

Wofford Student Body President Fredy Madrid, who had no role in the decision, agrees with Provost Sosulski that holding the ceremony in the Jerry Richardson indoor stadium is a more accessible and comfortable place and that it will increase the certainty of where it will be.  

However, President Madrid says, “About this decision, I think students should have been brought into the conversation for them to at least have a say. There would have been no problem if people had a say. There is nothing bad about it but there is something worth questioning about how the decision was made. The students did not have an input, they were just informed.” 

 
On the last day of class before Thanksgiving break, students received an email from President Nayef Samhat listing what he was thankful for. First on his list was, “Because our student athletes are students first…,” correct. Sophomore Erin Bedenbaugh says, “Wofford is known for academic excellence. Unlike other schools, Wofford holds graduation in an academic setting, with the backdrop being the heart of campus, a building that we all take classes in, so I think moving graduation to the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium would be a misrepresentation of Wofford’s top priority: education.” 

Written by Jacob Hollifield