May 17, 2024: Update on the 2024 Commencement Ceremony

May 17, 2024 email from President Sarah Bolton to campus regarding the 2024 Commencement Ceremony:

Dear Graduates, Friends, and Family,

With Whitman College’s 138th Commencement Ceremony just a few days away, we are making the final preparations and looking forward to welcoming families and friends from all over the world to campus. For some, it will be their first time visiting Whitman and Walla Walla. We are thrilled to be celebrating the accomplishments of the Class of 2024, many of whom did not get a high school graduation because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we hope that this commencement will be a wonderful occasion for all of our seniors and for their families and other visitors.

At the same time, we know that this commencement takes place in the context of a crisis in the Middle East and devastating loss of life in Israel and Gaza, which has been a matter of deep concern to many people, including many at Whitman College. I’m writing today because we have received a number of questions and concerns from students and families about the possibility of disruption of our commencement ceremony.

Our top priority for Sunday’s ceremony is to celebrate our graduates, and we want every graduate, family member and guest to enjoy the commencement and to feel truly welcome in the space.

For that reason, I want to share some expectations for the commencement ceremony. We do anticipate that some students may make their strongly-held concerns visible, and they are free to do so in a variety of peaceful and non-disruptive ways. However, no one may disrupt the ceremony or prevent others from enjoying the event or celebrating the graduates. Some examples of ceremony disruption include interrupting or making it difficult to hear the speakers; holding up signs, banners or flags that block the view of others; using noise makers such as cowbells or megaphones; and any activity that interferes with the flow of the program—from the processional at the beginning to the recessional at the end. Actions that disrupt the ceremony would result in the responsible individual being escorted from the space as well as other possible consequences. For students, these actions would also be in violation of our student rights and responsibilities.

Staff have been working hard on commencement weekend preparations for the past several months, to ensure that the Class of 2024 will have a wonderful celebration of all that they have accomplished over the last four years—a celebration of which they are so deserving. We are looking forward to honoring them!

Seniors, I hope you are soaking up your last few days on campus. We are so proud of all you have accomplished and grateful for what you have brought to Whitman.

If you have any questions about plans for Sunday, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Maggie Eaheart, Chief of Staff, who has been leading our commencement preparations at eaheartm@whitman.edu or 509-526-3031.

Sincerely,

Sarah Bolton, President