Students of the University of The Bahamas hold their protest. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
By Morgan Adderley
Tribune Staff Reporter
madderley@tribunemedia.net
MORE than sixty students, faculty, and alumni gathered on the University of the Bahamas’ campus yesterday to protest the institution’s decision to ban the decoration of mortarboard hats and wearing of student organization stoles at graduation ceremonies.
Of the 700 students in the graduating class, 300 signed a petition asking that this decision to be reversed.
This decision was made during a meeting of the UB Graduation Committee on March 2, held in the President’s Boardroom.
According to the meeting’s minutes, which were obtained by The Tribune, the committee voted nine to two in favour of this ban.
A student later emailed UB President Dr Rodney D Smith to inquire about the reasoning behind this decision.
In an email chain obtained by The Tribune, on March 18 Dr Smith replied: “Several years ago when Greek organizations began a College of The Bahamas, without approval, students began wearing the Greek Stoles at Commencement.”
“The administration, being under control of the Council, did not take the initiative to maintain the standards associated with this highly dignified academic ceremony. Successive Greek organizations assumed that this was the norm. It is not.”
“As an internationally recognized University, it is the responsibility of faculty and administration to uphold the high standards associated with this dignified academic ceremony.”
Dr Smith added that the only items that can be worn at graduation are “academically relegated regalia”, such as academic cords.
A press release from students sent to the Tribune on Wednesday, referred to this logic as “weak and unfounded”. It noted universities accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – an accreditation association UB is seeking to join – allows their students to decorate their hats and wear stoles.
Petition
“Is Tuskegee not an institution of academic achievement and dignity?” read the release, adding the students’ petition was “rebuffed personally” by Dr Smith.
During yesterday’s protest, participants chanted: “This is not a colony!
“We pay school fees!” and “Who stole my stole?!”
According to one student, who wished to remain anonymous, the demonstration was initially supposed to be a silent protest in the form of a walk through the Harry C Moore Library.
However, she said the students were locked out.
The group consequently gathered outside the UB sign facing University Boulevard.
Senior Class President Nelson Strachan told The Tribune yesterday: “At (UB), we as students pride ourselves in academics, service, and community.”
“What we would actually like is to be able to represent that on our graduation day.”
Ide Thompson, class of 2021, said: “We are here for our rights and education. And part of that is being creative and having our ability to wear stoles and to decorate our caps.”
“Wearing caps and stoles is not not academic, and is not undignified. There is dignity in being creative and expressing your part of being (in) a club and an organization on campus.”
Natino Thompson, class of 2020, said: “It seems like a small issue, right? But no…Always remember this— the small issues always are indicative of bigger problems.”
“One of the things we have been learning is…at the start of every revolution, students did that. Students were the ones. And so we are using our rights as Bahamians, as students, to counteract these unjust laws.”
Support
UB alumna Tameka Lewis said: “I’m out here today in support of the students but mainly in support of my sisters in my sorority.”
“(The wearing of stoles) wasn’t a problem last year, but all of a sudden it is a problem now.”
“People work hard to become members of these organizations—Greek letter organizations, academic organizations. But now they’re being minimized.”
In a statement released yesterday evening, UB reaffirmed that students will not be allowed to wear non-academic regalia at the May 2018 graduation. The university’s goal, according to its statement, is to maintain the solemnity, decorum, and respect of the ceremony.
Comments
sheeprunner12 6 years ago
Will these UB undergraduates get jobs or graduate opportunities after the ceremony????
That is far more important than regalia .......... but what is priority????
abe 6 years ago
good question
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licks2 6 years ago
I DID NOT KNOW WHAT A GREEK STOLE WAS. . .WENT AND LOOK IT UP. . .IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE AT THAT SCHOOL IS GETTING "PETTY". . .THEM STOLES LOOK "ACADEMIC" TO ME. . .IN FACT THEY MAKE OUR STUDENTS LOOK MORE DIGNIFIED. . .ALL THE "SMART" LOOKING THINGS ON THEM!! UB. . .I THINK YA DONE GONE PLAYING CRAZY. . .JUST MY VIEW. . .THEM THINGS LOOK "ERRIE MON" !
sealice 6 years ago
I would worry more about where you are going to work instead of what you think you are going to wear?
tetelestai 6 years ago
So, just so that I am clear: the fact that these students would like to wear "decorations" on their graduation caps/gowns, means that they are not worried about whether they will get a job? That is a very scatological and vacuous comment. You, sealice, should run for office.
rawbahamian 6 years ago
The graduation regalia issues remind me of the high school graduations where the dangerously dumb students jinx their parents/guardians to spend 'ginormous' amounts of money to fund their Royal regalia along with chauffer driven Rolls Royce limos even though these kids only got A's in baby making, gun use and drug dealing. But I guess looking the part makes more sense than actually doing the part !
HonestTruth 6 years ago
Completely off topic, but even all of our youth are fat. The picture the tribune chose to use in this article illustrates maybe 4 persons that wouldn’t be considered obease. We need healthier habits in The Bahamas
licks2 6 years ago
Chile you wrong fer that naw. . .but fer real. . .2 skinny boys and maybe on girl. . .errybody else fat, fatter and fattest!
sheeprunner12 6 years ago
Bulla, this whole country fat and dying from sugar and stroke ........ smdh
ThisIsOurs 6 years ago
Hmmm meanwhile the students in the US protesting being targeted with assault rifles..I guess if the students here learn to us that crosswalk like responsible pedestrians I'm ok with a meaningless protest
sheeprunner12 6 years ago
True ......... Bahamian children do not have much sense of social protest ..... why are the public school children not protesting that dumb ass Diploma that Fitzgerald stick them with ...... that only about one-third of them can qualify to get at high school????? ....... Meanwhile the private school children hogging up all of the seats at UB now ..... This country is a mess!!!!!!!!
hrysippus 6 years ago
Students wanting to wear a Greek fraternity stole, . . . . . ... Is not an approved administrate goal, . . . . . .... .... .. They want the grads to just be an academic clone . ., .. . .. ..... .Another college educated system worker drone, . . . ... Uniformity is the trait that is taught, . . . . . ... Thinking for yourself is danger fraught, . . . . . ..... How could these our rulers stay so long in power, . . . . ... Without these teachers living in their ivory tower. . . . . . ... With academic accreditation you can still be a fool, . . . .. .. Used by those with cunning as just another tool, . . . . . ....... To keep the system working, with the rich folk at the top, . . . ... As long as students keep conforming the machinery won't stop.
sheeprunner12 6 years ago
But the bigger question to ask is: ...... Why is the plagiarizer Dr. Rodney Smith still running UB?? .......... When will his sweetheart deal from Perry be provided for the public record??????? ...... and who is been groomed to take over UB once his fat contract expires????? ....... What is going to happen with the future expansion of the Oakes Field dormitory facility???? .......... When will UB request for the Government to close the old Thompson Blvd at its new entrance and purchase all of the properties on both sides of the road???????........When will BAMSI become an official campus of UB????? ....... When will UB offer online classes for Family Islanders?????? ............. When will a new Law School and Medical School facility be added to UB??????...........There is much to be discussed besides caps and stoles.
DaGoobs 6 years ago
What these people need to understand is that this is not their ceremony, it's the university's so UoB gets to decide what is official regalia and what is not. If the graduands want to wear anything then they can have their own ceremony wherever they want in whatever outfits they ws6 to wear but clearly it won't be at UoB.
sheeprunner12 6 years ago
The university exists for the youth, not the seniors. Take a look at any graduation in American university and see how absurd Smith position is towards these students
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