With a pandemic, everything at Lake Land College had to make changes to keep everyone safe. Last year, one of the hardest losses for graduates was the canceled commencement. However, Lake Land did their best in trying to make commencement as exciting as they could without being on campus. 

A year later, the spring commencement is just around the corner, and this time Lake Land could plan and prepare for how to give graduates a graduation without a normal commencement. For the most part, Lake Land did a good job. Graduates can get involved with a campus parade, meet with President Dr. Bullock and take graduation photos on campus. Lake Land also sent all graduates their caps and tassels that they get to keep. Normally, graduates rent their caps and gowns from the Laker Nest Bookstore. However, there was one big mistake Lake Land made.

When Lake Land decided to mail caps for graduates to keep, they also decided to not have gowns available at all since they thought graduates wouldn’t want them. However, when Lake Land made that decision, they didn’t consult any graduating students to ask if they would or wouldn’t want gowns. 

Once graduates recently found out there wouldn’t be gowns available for them, there were understandably upset students who wanted gowns just to have some normalcy and to have gowns for graduation photos. 

When SGA discovered there wouldn’t be any gowns, they immediately came up with an action plan for students to get to have gowns. However, by the time students and SGA found out we wouldn’t have gowns, it was too late to get them. When SGA reached out to the college, they explained their reasoning for the lack of gowns and that it was too late to order and distribute gowns in time for graduation. Thus, graduates only have their caps and tassels for any celebrating activities.

However, recently the college sent out emails and social media posts with a link on Amazon for graduation gowns graduates could buy themselves. The gowns retail for $17.99 plus shipping and taxes and is up to graduates whether or not they want to order one for themselves. 

Many students were upset over the fact that Lake Land, whose main focus is giving their students the best opportunities, failed and didn’t even think about consulting graduating students about what they wanted. The Navigator published a poll asking if viewers believe Lake Land should have consulted students, and over 80 percent said “yes” Lake Land should have consulted students.

While it was a massive failure on Lake Land’s part, graduates still have a way to make their graduation as best as it can be during a pandemic. Hopefully for future abnormal commencements, Lake Land consults students about decisions involving them.