This year’s commencement ceremony will differ from years past in that it will have involve increased security and appeal to a broader audience.

The Department of Public Safety will heighten security procedures for Syracuse University’s commencement at the Carrier Dome on Sunday.

“The decision to heighten security at commencement was made partly because of the recent Boston [bombings],” said John Sardino, DPS associate chief. “We will still be following standard national security procedures, so we will be checking bags and [using metal detectors] for guests that come into the Dome.”

Since the university doesn’t limit the number of guests each graduate is allowed to bring into the Dome, attendants are not allowed to bring bags larger than 10 inches by 10 inches. This will allow DPS to minimize crowds near security checkpoints, said Susan Germain, executive director of SU’s Office of Special Events.

Security will also be present at the other convocation venues on campus, Sardino said. He recommended that guests arrive early to commencement so they can move quickly through the security checkpoints.

The planning for this year’s commencement began the day after last year’s commencement. The procedures were planned in conjunction with the two senior marshals, Stephanie Kranz and Kishauna Soljour. SU’s maintenance services also assisted in the planning, Germain said.

In addition to increased security, the commencement ceremony is expanding its reach.

This year’s commencement will feature a combination of inclusivity and global importance.

“I think what makes this year different is the fact that SU is making an attempt to accommodate everyone’s interests,” said Soljour. “We tried to bring a speaker to campus that year that embodied that, as well as the spirit of SU.”

Nicholas Kristof, an award-winning international affairs reporter and columnist for The New York Times, will be this year’s commencement speaker.

National news outlets will likely be covering Kristof’s speech at commencement, which has evoked a lot of excitement on campus, Germain said. She said Kristof’s acclaim as a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner and global affairs expert will ensure an inspiring speech for the graduating class.

One of the best ways SU achieves inclusivity across the world is through its live streaming of commencement on the ceremony’s website, Soljour said. The live stream also expands the commencement’s reach.

“We have so many foreign students whose families cannot get here, so the live stream is a great resource,” Germain said.

She added that many members within the SU community will also be able to view the commencement speech from the live stream.

“Commencement is made different each year by its honorary degree recipients and the speaker,” Germain said. “It only seems appropriate that exceptional students be paired with an exceptional speaker.”

Published on May 9, 2013 at 12:01 am

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