Quinnipiac University will hold a single outdoor commencement ceremony on the University Quadrangle for the Classes of 2010 and 2011, according to Lynn Bushnell, vice president for public affairs and chair of the Commencement Committee. Bushnell said this was done in response to the concerns of students and their parents. The ceremony will also remain on Sunday and each class will have a commencement speaker.

“Students spoke and we listened,” Bushnell said in a statement released last Thursday. “This is an important tradition here at Quinnipiac, and students didn’t want that tradition changed, even if it meant for a very long day for their families.”

In the event of bad weather, two ceremonies will be held – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. There will be a limited number of tickets for the indoor ceremony.

Bushnell praised the Student Government Association, specifically the Junior Class Cabinet.

“I appreciate all the work of the Student Government Association and of the Junior Class Cabinet, Bushnell said. “They really did a terrific job of prioritizing their concerns and making them known to us.”

Bushnell said in 2012 that changes would have to be made to accommodate its class size, outlining two different scenarios. The first includes holding one large outdoor ceremony in which students receive their degrees by school and not individually. There would then be smaller ceremonies based on the individual schools in which diplomas are awarded to each student. The other scenario would be to have two full commencements outdoors, continuing to award the diplomas individually.

Bushnell said the University has not decided which scenario it’s leaning toward, but she said the school wants to hear from students. She recognizes that, for students, having the graduation on the University Quadrangle is “critical.”