THE University of Guyana on Friday announced that 104 graduating students will not be able to receive their graduation gowns for the graduation ceremony due to a shortfall in supplies by the maker.The announcement was made via an email sent to graduating students just after lunch on Friday. The graduation is slated for this afternoon at the university’s Turkeyen-based headquarters. The email read: “The University regrets to inform you that all Bachelor degree gowns have been exhausted for this 2016 convocation exercise. Master’s degree gowns with the exception of Earth & Environmental Sciences and Health Sciences are also exhausted.”

As such, the university will be reducing the recently-implemented $10,000 graduation fee for these students, who will now pay $7000. Further, the email states that “the absence of a gown, however, will not prevent a degree graduand from processing as part of the convocation ceremony.”

Addressing some of the graduating students on Friday evening at the University’s tarmac, UG’s Registrar Dr. Nigel Gravesande said that there are 104 students who will not be receiving gowns due to this shortage. What was surprising to students was the fact that the university had been informed since last week that the supplier fell short on the amount the institution needed. However, it is unclear whether attempts were made after that to get these 104 gowns.

But this did not sit well with students who lamented the “disorganized state of affairs” at the institution.

According to one affected student who identified himself a Kevin, he strongly believes that this kind of last minute practice is “unacceptable” given the fact that UG is the country’s premier tertiary institution.
“I strongly believe that it is unacceptable for UG to not have enough gowns to give 104 students. The administration implemented a graudation fee which covers a gown for each graduand. In announcing this, one would expect that UG had procured enough gowns for its graduands.”

He said that this graduation “carries a lot of sentimental value” for students and to not have the total experience may take away from the moment.”

Another students, who spoke under the condition of anonymity said that, “For some people they are the first in their family to get a degree. How can the University be so insensitive to these issues? There can be no plausible explanation for this lapse in judgment on behalf of UG. All we can hope is that it is not a repeated mistake in 2017.”

She also expressed dissatisfaction with the way in which the announcement was made, and when it was made – one day before the graduation ceremony.

“What I find shameful too, is the fact that the Registrar came on stage and explained why they were unable to get these gowns but offered no apologies to the students who will not receive their gowns and will, without a doubt, look odd. The excuse by UG has no merit because, as they said, they knew a week ago that they could not get these gowns and still today, one week after, students will be without.”