The Student Assembly's Executive Committee unanimously passed a resolution last night calling for the College's Commencement ceremony to be moved back to the Baker Library lawn from Memorial Field and for graduates and their families to be given seating priority.
"The purpose of the resolution is to acknowledge that this is meant to honor members of the graduating class," Assembly President Rukmini Sichitiu '95 said.
Acting President James Wright announced last week Commencement would be moved from Baker Lawn to Memorial Field in order to accommodate the large crowds expected due to President Bill Clinton's visit. Clinton is delivering the keynote address at Commencement.
The resolution, sponsored by Sichitiu and Assembly Vice President John Honovich '97, urges the College to find a solution to the space problem by creating a section on Baker Lawn for graduates and family members only.
A given number of tickets, to be determined by the College President's Office and senior class officers, would be allotted to each graduate, according to the resolution. Alumni, students and the general public would be seated in the rear of the partition.
"The College is giving equal priority to outsiders and graduates, and the SA believes that the first priority should be the graduates," Honovich said.
Sichitiu also said a relocation to Memorial Field this year could mean a permanent move.
"The last time we had the president of the United States come to Dartmouth, we had a precedent for moving graduation," she said.
Commencement ceremonies were relocated to Baker lawn from the Bema in 1953 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered the keynote address.
The resolution will be voted on by the General Assembly Tuesday.
