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UH resumes fall commencement

UH is reinstating the December commencement ceremony which was discontinued under UH President Jay Gogue in May 2004.

‘The reason was because of low attendance,’ said history professor Lawrence Curry, who has ben the commencement marshal for the past 22 years.

‘All colleges were holding commencement convocations along with the general commencement exercise and the college programs were attracting far larger turn-outs.’

The ceremony will be similar to those in the past.

‘There will be several important differences,’ Curry said. ‘This fall, the plan is to combine the colleges that usually hold December graduation exercises into three groups and have a general ceremony for each group. And at each of the three combined ceremonies, each of the graduates from each of the combined colleges will receive individual recognition.’

Due to size and time restraints, three ceremonies will be held on the same day.

There will be various reception parties held by individual colleges. The receptions will take place before or after the commencement ceremony at the discretion of the college hosting it.

‘The target is to have the ceremony done in two hours,’ Student Government Association President Kenneth Fomunung said. ‘We had conversations on … what colleges would be directly involved in the general commencement … We asked what the focus was of the general commencement ceremony. We were asking what could we cut out.’

UH President Renu Khator recognizes the importance of the ceremony.

‘I am pleased that our new commencement exercises will recognize and acknowledge each graduate individually. Each has played an important role in helping the University take the next bold steps toward greatness,’ Khator said in an e-mail.The Fall 2009 General Commencement is planned for December 18th in Hofheinz Pavilion.

For more information about the 2009 Fall Academic calender, visit: http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/cal_f09.html

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