Recently, McGill University suddenly changed the number of guest tickets for each graduate at the graduation ceremony scheduled for 2025 from four free tickets to two paid tickets, with each ticket costing 25 Canadian dollars. This move sparked strong protests from students.

After receiving widespread complaints, the university administration reversed its decision by Friday evening. Not only did they restore the original plan of allowing each graduate to receive four tickets, but they also announced that all tickets would be distributed for free.

McGill University previously stated that this year's graduation ceremony had to take place indoors, with Tomlinson Fieldhouse as the venue, thus limiting the space and providing only two tickets, with charges to cover the cost of the ceremony. However, this move infuriated many graduating students. Some initiated a petition, which quickly gained over 1,100 signatures of support.

Last year, due to a pro-Palestinian protest camp on campus, the graduation ceremony was moved to the Bell Center in downtown Montreal, costing more than 700,000 Canadian dollars. This year, the Bell Center is unavailable, so the school decided to hold it in the on-campus gymnasium, resulting in limited space and reducing the number of guest tickets while also starting to charge for them!

Sara Raubvogel, a graduate of this session, expressed disappointment upon learning about the school's plan: "This is an important moment in my life, and I was originally looking forward to having all my family members attend."

Mason Di Pierdomenico, another student, also lamented: "We cannot celebrate together with our loved ones on the McGill campus lawn, which makes us very sad."

The dissatisfaction of the students attracted media attention. Faced with pressure, McGill University issued a statement on Friday afternoon, acknowledging that there were indeed "problems" in the planning of this ceremony. Acting Associate Provost Angela Campbell sincerely apologized to the graduates in a letter: "I have heard your disappointment and frustration. We should have planned and communicated this important event better."

The university has now decided: each graduate can receive four free tickets; the ceremony will still take place at Tomlinson Fieldhouse, requiring prior registration; two additional evening ceremonies will be held on May 28th and 29th to ensure that every graduate can have a full experience; temporary cooling systems will be installed in the gymnasium to address the temperature issue; live streaming services will be provided on-site for friends and relatives who cannot attend in person.

In the fight for free tickets at this graduation ceremony, the students won, and McGill University returned to the right path.

Although McGill University did not explain why it insisted on holding the indoor ceremony for two consecutive years, in the context of Quebec universities facing a decline in international student numbers and overall budget shortages, McGill University is also exploring ways to reduce costs. This year's budget mainly saved expenses by reducing faculty and staff and retirement benefits.

The university estimates that the number of international undergraduates will decrease by 10%. If the number of international students continues to decline, it will have a greater impact on finances.

Source of information: CBC

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7503056698140000822/

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