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The Santa Fe Community College has most generously donated their recreational facility to CSF so that we may hold graduation cost-free. However, many of the seniors (myself not included) are up in arms over having the commencement off-campus. They, perhaps, do not realize that many colleges do not hold their graduations on campus, and that it was only the recent past that CSF did. They wish to host the graduation on campus, on the quad, and then have a big party afterward. It's a nice idea, but I don't think they're taking into account the kind of planning it would take. Where are they going to get enough chairs, a P.A. system, a stage, etc.?

Recently I was at my workstudy job in the Greer Garson Theatre Box Office when a Santa Fe, New Mexican reporter, John Sena, asked if any of us were graduating seniors. I piped up and said that I was, so he took a few moments to get my opinion on the issue. I told him that I had received the emails from the rabble-rousing students, and that they'd made me roll my eyes. To me it seemed like they just wanted to cause trouble for the sake of it. I, for one, haven't the time to protest an off-campus graduation. Just a month ago we were worried we wouldn't be able to have a graduation at all. I am grateful to the community college that they are allowing us to use their facility. 

Sena's article states: 

So you can see that having it on campus is not feasible. I'm sure it wouldn't cost quite that much to have graduation on the quad--but I have not heard one mention of how it would be funded. 

I am quoted in this article:

"This e-mail made me roll my eyes a little bit," said Zoe Etkin, a senior in the creative writing department. She said seniors she's talked to agree with her and are glad to have it at the community college because more people will be able to attend. 

We learn, when we are quoted by journalists, how are words can be misrepresented. I mentioned MANY other reasons why it was better to have it at the community college, which I later outlined in a rather lengthy comment respond to the article's online version. Unfortunately, the comment board quickly became a CSF bashing fest. I did my best to defend the school, and my experience there. Please check it out to see what kind of muckraking and hatefulness is most ignorantly directed at our beloved school. What is gladdening to see though is that there are New Mexico community members who do love and support our school. 

I feel like, in my response to the negativity, I made it clear how positive my CSF experience has been, despite the recent disappointment and difficulty. I will always value the education I received at this school. I wouldn't be the writer I am, the human I am, without the guidance of not only wonderful Creative Writing professors, but also the invaluable friends I have made here (not only students, but also staff and faculty members). Nothing can change the happy memories I have made here.