The Commencement Ceremony is the pinnacle of a student's academic career and meant to be shared with family, friends, and loved ones. This ceremony is arguably most important for graduate students given the delicate balance between professional career, academic career, and personal lives. To limit the number of guests per student to only 2 at the Rialto Center for the Arts for this special moment, we the graduate students and family members feel is unacceptable.

The RCB Graduate Commencement Ceremony has the lowest guest limit among other graduate programs with commencement ceremonies this spring. Other graduate programs range from 5 guests to 15 guests. While understandable that many external venues were unable to accommodate the ceremony and RCB resorted to Rialto (and guest limit smaller as a result), RCB should explore every possible option. Proposed venues include GSU Sports Arena and Student Center Ballroom. The College of Law and the majority of other graduate programs have arranged these venues as a contingent plan to the closure of the Dome.

We kindly ask for reconsideration for the change of venue and appropiate number of guests for this once in a lifetime ceremony.