With graduation quickly approaching, many Harpur College of Arts and Sciences seniors are concerned about choosing which four of their beloved friends and family members will be allowed to attend commencement. Although each student receives only four tickets with the purchase of their cap and gown, a new alternative is being provided this year to accommodate those who can’t be present for graduation: video commencement.

According to Laura O’Neil, Binghamton University’s director of commencement, the decision to limit tickets to four per graduate is based on the fact that there’s limited room in the Events Center and safety concerns.

“We regret that we have to turn away guests who are not holding tickets and we will be offering alternatives to them,” she said.

According to O’ Neil, this year the ceremony will be streaming live on the Web so those who cannot attend in person can watch via the Internet at http://commencement.binghamton.edu/watchitlive.html. Also, guests who come to campus without tickets will be asked to go to the alternative site, the Osterhout Concert Theater, located in the Anderson Center, to view the ceremony on live camera feed.

According to Jeffrey B. Donahue, of the Educational Communications Center, DVDs of Harpur’s graduation, as well as the Graduate School and the professional schools’ graduations, will also be available at a cost of $10 each.

Students graduating from Harpur College have expressed mixed opinions on what they think about the new broadcasting of graduation and the issue of limited ticket sales.

“The school meant well and had good intentions when deciding to put the ceremony online, but that doesn’t make a family member feel any better about not coming. They are missing the real ceremony,” said senior psychology major Kristen Farris.

“Graduation is a very big deal for college students, and to pick and choose which family members should come is ridiculous,” she said. “They should have broken the ceremonies up like they did for the recognition ceremonies.”

Many students are looking to other classmates who may have extra tickets to pass on to those in need of more.

Farris was unhappy at first because there was only room for her parents and grandparents at the ceremony and not her brother. But when she asked around, she was able to find a friend with an extra ticket.

“One of my friends needed extra tickets because she was inviting her in-laws, and because I only needed three, I gave her one,” said Jonathan Weiss, a senior biology major.

Weiss was not overly impressed with the idea of the sale of DVDs, and said he feels it’s not worth buying a DVD when his name is not even mentioned during the ceremony.

“I believe there has been less emphasis placed on personalized graduation and it has literally become a mass-market graduation,” he said.

Students and parents should remember that tickets are not required for the Harpur College Recognition Ceremonies on Saturday, May 20. Also at these ceremonies, all graduating seniors get recognized individually.

Anyone wishing to buy a DVD can make a check payable to Jeffrey B. Donahue, Educational Communications Center, and mail it to Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902. Donahue can also be reached at (607) 777-4750. The deadline for orders is Aug. 31, 2006.