On stage celebrations could be costly for Central State’s graduating seniors. The university will impose fines against students who celebrate inappropriately on stage during this year’s commencement ceremony.
Senior Markia Durr feels that students should be allowed to celebrate in any manner they choose. “Celebrating my success is a big deal to not only myself, but also my family,“ Durr said. “Finishing my undergraduate degree is an accomplishment, so I feel like we should be able to express that.”
University Registrar Felicia Harris said the goal of the policy is not to prevent students from celebrating. “The goal is to levy fines for people who are disruptive or potentially cause an issue that will cause harm to themselves or others during graduation,” she said.
A year prior to Harris’ arrival, a Central State student did somersaults on stage and nearly fell off during the graduation ceremony. The Dayton Convention Center warned that university that it could be fined or its contract with the Convention Center could be revoked if the university did not take reasonable safety precautions. Injuries to any party involved could result in liability issues.
“We started imposing fines in 2017, and they have been very effective from the first year until now,” Harris said. “It has deterred students from participating in unsafe behavior. They curb their behavior, so that they are not doing things that they should not be doing.”
There is no clear definition of what constitutes acceptable or excessive celebrating. However, Harris said that fines are related to physical activity more than verbal activity.
Harris said approximately 20 students have been fined. The fine is $300 per incident. Graduates who do not pay the fine will not receive their diplomas. Additionally, students will not receive their academic records. This could pose issues for students who want to pursue graduate school.
University officials have reconfigured the stage at the convention center to discourage excessive celebrating. Students now have less room to move around the stage. In addition, university officials line up to shake the graduates’ hands, which keeps students occupied and less able to step out of the line to dance or perform Greek organization strolls.
Graduation will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2020 at 10 a.m. at the Dayton Convention Center. Graduates are to report to the Dayton Convention Center at 8:30 a.m. Graduates are responsible for transportation and parking.