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PLATTSBURGH — Plattsburgh State students will walk this December after all.

Faced with soaring costs and inadequate financial aid during the national recession, university officials had opted to cancel the winter commencement ceremony.

But the students have stepped up to ensure graduates and their families would enjoy the ceremonies.

"The SA knew that members of the student body would regret the loss of this event, but more than that, they knew that the families of many students had already planned to attend," Plattsburgh State President Dr. John Ettling said Monday in a statement.

CANCELED DUE TO COST
The university has faced tough decisions, including potential layoffs and program cuts as it suffers through trying economic times with the rest of the country. Revenues are few and far between at times, and when the state received funds from the federal stimulus, universities didn't enjoy the same support as public K-12 schools.

The winter graduation ceremony became another casualty of the financial war.

"As much as we disliked the idea of discontinuing winter commencement, we felt we had to cut the ceremony rather than something affecting our core mission of providing a quality education for our students," Ettling said.

SA STEPS UP
When Student Association President Lindsay Lyons and other SA members heard about the decision, they worried about the impact on students and their families, especially those who had already made arrangements for the December event.

"The Student Association's job is to look out for the students and to represent their voices," said Steven Booth, SA executive vice president.

"Mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, grandparents had made plane and hotel reservations," Ettling said.

The Student Association Senate met, through e-mail, and discussed the matter and weighed options. The group decided to earmark $8,000 toward this year's winter commencement.

The celebration is now scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, to honor roughly 500 students who are eligible to graduate.

FUTURE UNCERTAIN
Plattsburgh State is only one of two comprehensive schools in the SUNY system that will hold a commencement ceremony this winter, the other being Oswego.

"While the Student Association has ensured that this year's winter commencement will take place, we are evaluating whether or not the ceremony will be held in future years," Ettling said.

"A decision about winter commencement 2010 and beyond will be made in the near future."

E-mail Stephen Bartlett at: sbartlett@pressrepublican.com