FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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1. Who Coordinates the Latino Commencement Celebration (LCC)?
Dr. Gonzalez, Dean of the College of Social Sciences, several university faculty, staff and a handful of student volunteers. We are committed to the event because we want to do something special for our students and the Latino community. Nobody gets paid for working on the event. The only payment that we get is your “thank you” and knowing that we've had a role in providing you and your family and guests a memorable graduation.
2. What happens if my check bounces?
Your application will be discarded and you will not be allowed to participate.
Comment: If you know in advance that your check is going to bounce, quickly come to the Social Science Building, Room 108, and pay in cash or money order. You will have to pay an extra $25.00 to cover the cost of running the check through with insufficient funds through our Foundation.
3. Is this event a function of the Chicano and Latin American Studies Department and do I have to be a “CLS major” to participate?
No. The LCC is coordinated out of the office of Dr. Luz Gonzalez, Dean of the College of Social Sciences. It is for all Fresno State students.
4. I am not a Latino, but I want to participate in the LCC. Can I apply?
Yes. The LCC is open to all students who wish to participate.
5. I will not complete my degree until December 2009. Can I still participate in the LCC?
Yes, you do not need to have your degree completed to participate.
6. I applied to graduate through the university, am I automatically applying to the LCC?
No. All Fresno State students are required to apply for graduation through the university. The LCC is optional. You need to submit a separate application and fee to participate in the LCC.
7. I noticed in the application that we are only allowed to write the first and last name for our parents, spouse, and ourselves. Why?
Because of TIME CONSTRAINTS. There are approximately 550 students that need to be recognized on stage and we have an hour and thirty minutes in which to do it. The university requires that we end the program by no later than 9:00 PM. We have one hour and forty-five minutes to conduct our program. We have timed it for years and confirmed that we only have enough time to announce the students, their parents and/or spouse's first and last names. If we were to allow the graduates to add middle names and other last names, we would have to eliminate their parents' names and/or spouse from the program.
Comment: The first goal of the LCC is to give students the opportunity to walk on stage and be recognized. The second goal is to acknowledge their parents and/or spouse. Middle names and additional last names (other than the first and last) would add an hour an a half to two hours to the program. That means we would not be able to end our program by 9:00 PM, but rather by 11:00 PM.
To give you an example, use a word, any word, and repeat it 550 times while you time yourself. That will give you an idea as to how much time additional names would add to the program.
8. I did not write in the accents on my first and last name. Will this be done for me?
No. Your name will appear exactly as you input it when submitting your application online. If you have more than one last name, the database will automatically drop the second last name. (see question/response to No. 7)
9. Why does the application ask for degree and major if it is not going to be read on stage?
This is done for organizational purposes. We organize the graduates by colleges/schools for the procession and for the announcement of their names on stage.
10. What is my application fee used for?
This year, as in the last 6 years, the Save Mart Center will charge us approximately $14,000 to pay for staff and police security during the event. This is a mandatory fee. We collect approximately $14,000-$15,000 in student application fees. In addition to the above cost, Dr. Gonzalez raises additional money to pay for the sashes (approx. $4,000), the mariachi band (approx. $1,000), video taping of the event (approx. $2,000),postage, telphone service, Xeroxing, etc., etc.,....as you can see, student fees cover the cost of the Save Mart Center only. Dr. Gonzalez seeks donations and volunteer help for everything else.
11. How many guests can I invite and is there a fee?
Admission to the celebration is free and graduates may invite as many guests as they wish. There will be free parking available in the parking lots around the Save Mart Center.
12. Why does the application ask for "national heritage"?
We provide the students with a Sash (A ribbon that goes
around the shoulders). The Sash colors are determined by the flag of the
country that the student identifies. See the graduate
instructions for more information.
13. Do I have to pay for the sash separately?
The sash is a gift from Dr. Gonzalez paid for by donations.
14. When do I get the sash?
The day of the Ceremony.
15. What happens if I lose my sash?
You will have to purchase another one for $10.00 the day of the event.
16. Can I wear my honor cords at the LCC?
Yes.
17. Can I apply after the application deadline?
If filed after the deadline, the participation fee is $40. (Please also note if applying after the deadline, your name will not appear in the LCC '09 program).
18. I read that there is only one mandatory rehearsal at Save Mart Center. Do I have to attend?
Yes, A practice session has been scheduled for the LCC participants. It is mandatory for graduates to attend. Rehearsal is usually two hours long, if you know you will not be able to attend, due to a final, it is your responsibility to contact someone who is attending the rehearsal and get and update.