“Ulster University has decided to postpone summer graduations because of coronavirus with a view to rescheduling ceremonies for later this year. In a letter to students and staff Professor Paul Bartholomew Interim Vice-Chancellor said …” (more)
[Garrett Hargan, Derry Now, 30 March]
“Physical commencement ceremonies – due to take place in April – have been cancelled, Trinity has announced, with graduations set to be live streamed instead and students conferred with their degrees in absentia …” (more)
[Donal MacNamee and Emer Moreau, University Times, 19 March]
“Student protests are taking place at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT) after a decision was made by the college to hold their graduation ceremony in the local arts centre and not on campus as in previous years …” (more)
[Emer Moreau, University Times, 11 October]
“Students at Dundalk IT staged a protest this morning against the institute’s plans to hold this year’s graduation ceremony off campus. Last week Dundalk IT announced that this year’s graduation ceremony, which runs from October 31st to November 2nd, would take place in the town centre rather than on campus as has been the case in recent years …” (more)
[Talk of the Town, 10 October]
“Local councillor Ruairí Ó Murchú has called on the management and the President of Dundalk Institute of Technology to engage with students and staff regarding the possible relocation of graduation ceremonies at the end of this month …” (more)
[Talk of the Town, 9 October]
“Calls by students and staff for the President of Dundalk IT to reverse his decision to move the annual graduation ceremony off campus appear to have fallen on deaf ears, according to the Teachers’ Union of Ireland. Staff and students at the Dublin Road institute were informed on Friday morning via email by DkIT President Michael Mulvey that he planned to proceed with moving the conferring ceremony at the end of the month to An Táin Theatre after plans to hold the graduation in St Patrick’s Cathedral fell through …” (more)
[Talk of the Town, 4 October]
“Several times a year, Front Square becomes a flurry of black robes, airborne hats and camera flashes as Trinity’s graduates celebrate receiving academic degrees. But for many, as the Irish Times discussed this week, the ceremony is not the day of unbridled delight that it should be. The practice of separating graduands into academic brackets – revealing the relative standing of each in terms of their grades – is self-evidently a misguided and antiquated way to run a graduation ceremony …” (more)
[University Times, 13 May]
“Trinity College Dublin’s graduation ceremonies are steeped in cherished tradition: the Latin ceremony, the front square procession and the strict black or white dress code. But one particular tradition is attracting criticism and, for some, turning graduating into a day of ‘dread’ or even ‘humiliation’ …” (more)
[Barry O’Rourke, Irish Times, 9 May]
“Graduation ceremonies for thousands of students could face disruption as a result of industrial action being taken by staff in institutes of technology across the country. Library, clerical and administrative staff at the State’s 14 institutes of technology have not been engaging in any form of communication …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien and Martin Wall, Irish Times, 22 October]
“Ireland’s main universities have promised to do more to promote competition between suppliers of gown hire and other services to graduating students. The Irish Times has established that a number of companies supplying gown hire and photography services to graduating third-level students are all controlled by the same London owner and all operate from the same Dublin address …” (more)
[Colm Keena, Irish Times, 20 December]
“Of the 11,147 people graduating with UCD degrees last year, including non-degree graduates and international students, just over half of that number, 5,471, attended conferring ceremonies to receive their degree …” (more)
[Alanna O’Shea, Irish Times, 22 December]
“UCD President Andrew Deeks is considering putting the issue of whether to remove Latin from college degrees and conferring ceremonies to a campus referendum. Today at a meeting of the UCD Governing Authority (GA) it was proposed the decision to remove Latin should be reconsidered by the college management …” (more)
[College Tribune, 20 December]
“Graduation is, for the majority of Trinity students, the final farewell to a place that has shaped them and their life immeasurably. A chance to catch up with old friends and celebrate a shared experience. It is also, College authorities have worked out, a last chance to make a quick buck from students …” (more)
[Jack Marks, University Times, 19 December]
“A Queen’s lecturer has branded the university’s warning to students to ‘cover their cleavage’ during their graduation ceremony as ‘sexist nonsense’ …” (more)
[Cate McCurry, Belfast Telegraph, 10 December]
“You may have seen the news today, but you may have missed it amidst all the graduation festivities this week. For those that are just catching up, you can read here. To quickly summarize, the above image was posted on the information page for the students that were graduating this week …” (more)
[Lawrence Dushenski, The Gown, 9 December]
“Students at Queen’s have hit out after the university issued a graduation ceremony style guide banning short skirts and cleavage – telling women not to dress like Kim Kardashian …” (more)
[Cate McCurry, Independent, 9 December]
“For the first time in my 14 years at National College of Ireland, I will not be attending our annual Graduation Ceremony being held at the National Convention Centre today. I have an almost full schedule of classes during both the morning and afternoon conferrals, so this year I am working with next year’s graduates! …” (more)
[Careful With That Axe, Eugene, 18 November]
“Plans to remove Latin from UCD degrees and conferring ceremonies by the President Andrew Deeks has caused a backlash among academic staff and the Students’ Union. Yesterday at the UCD Academic Council, which meets once a semester and deals with changes to academic issues and procedures the President brought forward a proposal to remove Latin from the UCD conferring graduation ceremony …” (more)
[College Tribune, 11 November]
“The use of Latin in conferring ceremonies and degrees is to be dropped in UCD following a decision by President Andrew Deeks and the University Management Team. The announcement was made today at academic council, which includes representatives from various schools and the students’ union …” (more)
[Roisin Guyett-Nicholson, University Observer, 10 November]
“Students have spoken of the moment they publicly snubbed the head of Queen’s University Belfast during their graduation ceremony. Several history and anthropology graduates refused to shake Patrick Johnston’s hand and others gave him a campaign flyer …” (more)
[Brendan Hughes, Irish News, 7 July]
