Dear gair rhydd,
With regards to Piers Thompson’s letter in issue 866, I wonder what alternative arrangements he has to offer.
I for one would be happy to bring my mother, my father, my grandparents, aunts, and uncles to my graduation, yet I realise that if everyone from my year of 300 brought more than 2 guests each (in my case 7), there would be nowhere in the university capable of housing everyone. As Piers notes, conditions are likely to be cramped enough as it is, so imagine if, instead of the current maximum of 900, the university suddenly had to house 2400 people in one place at one time. Maybe we should all just graduate in Cooper’s Field?
As for the university trying to “usher through” several schools during one day, I for one will be thrilled to know that there is a time limit to the actual giving of the awards, and not a whole day of tedious pomp and ceremony. That way, I get to spend more time with the family who have been able to attend, rather than waiting for the crucial moment of handing over the degree and letting me get at the bar.
Piers also complains about the “umpteen thousands of pounds worth of tuition fees” he has paid, and wonders why, in exchange for this, he is not getting a fabulous ceremony worthy of his talents. The simple answer, and one I am shocked a man of his intelligence has overlooked, is that in exchange for his tuition fees he has received…tuition! And the money has not been put aside to build a hall big enough for 2100 people so 300 medics can bring 2100 guests with them to an all-day graduation ceremony.
Finally, even if I accepted all of Piers’ points so far, I would like to say that viciously attacking other people’s degrees to (tenuously) put forward his own point is a base and childish way of going about things. Not only are most of the gair rhydd’s most regular and interesting contributors “fruity little English literature” students, but to suggest that, because he is a medic, he has automatically contributed more to the university than they have is disgraceful. They may not have contributed as much money, but they probably haven’t used as many resources either and to my knowledge they haven’t dragged “the prestige of Cardiff University” through the mud with their bitter, vitriolic whinging and senseless derogatory comments against other groups of students.
Harding Richards
Third Year Medic
