Forest Country News

Sam Houston State University’s (SHSU) decision to not allow graduating seniors on stage during the upcoming commencement ceremonies has caused an uproar, per reports from Houston-based media outlets. 

Officials with SHSU, which is in Huntsville some 70 miles north of Houston, said graduates walking across the stage presents a safety issue, Houston FOX affiliate KRIV reported.

The station reported one senior took to Change.org to make a petition for the university to reverse the decision. 

"As a soon-to-be graduate myself, this is very disheartening," Rayven Criswell said on the website. "A lot of students at SHSU have put in the time, hard work and a lot of money to be able to walk [at] stage at graduation." 

Criswell’s petition garnered more than 11,000 signatures as of Wednesday, according to the report.

Houston CBS affiliate KHOU reported that the change for the ceremonies – which is scheduled for May 11, 12 and 13 – was last minute. 

"I'm highly upset about it, especially all this money, and they could have told us beforehand that was the case,” senior Lara Thomas told KHOU. 

Families are also disappointed in the development. 

"It’s a rite of passage to walk across the stage for so many people to walk across the stage and symbolize that achievement and to be denied that is heartbreaking,” John Minix, who has a daughter slated to graduate, said in the report.

According to KRIV, several graduates-to-be asserted that the administration imposed the ban in response to dancing or other small celebratory gestures that members of Greek life organizations and other campus socials groups usually do when they get on the stage. 

The university told the station that its intent on hosting an event that’s "accessible and as safe as possible for all guests and participants” though it couldn’t confirm whether the practice of “strolling” factored into the decision.