Will students walk?

The spring 2009 graduation commencement.

Leslie Cokley

The Signal Staff

This fall, the University of Houston-Clear Lake commencement will be split into two ceremonies. Commencement will be held Dec. 19 at the Reliant Arena in Houston.

There will be 900 graduates this year.  The commencement ceremony for the School of Human Sciences and Humanities and the School of Science and Computer Engineering will be held at 10 a.m. Graduates need to arrive at 8 a.m. The commencement ceremony for the School of Business and the School of Education will be held at 3 p.m. Graduates need to arrive at 1 p.m.

During this year’s spring commencement, students were walking across the stage to receive their degrees and then walking out the door. Graduates’ family and friends left before the end of the ceremony as well.

“By splitting the ceremony we hope to encourage graduates and their families to stay for the full event,” said Yvette Bendeck, associate vice president for enrollment management. “We would like the dignity of the ceremony to be preserved with all candidates celebrating with one another and their accomplishments.”

“Clearly this was not ideal or something we wanted to see,” said Anthony Jenkins, dean of students.  “In an effort to be more respectful of everyone’s time and to accommodate our growing graduation population, as well as their families, we felt it would be better to divide the ceremonies. To have students walk out after receiving their degree, indicates the lack of respect for others and their university.  We will curtail that this year.”

The distinguished speaker for the 10 a.m. commencement will be Dilhar De Silva, co-founder and chief technology officer of AtLink Communications, Inc. De Silva graduated from UHCL in 1991 with a bachelor of science in computer science, and in 1994 with a master of science in computer science. In 2008 the UHCL Alumni Association honored him as a distinguished alumnus.  De Silva was the recipient of a United States “O” visa, which is awarded to individuals with extraordinary abilities as demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim. As a pioneer in software modeling, De Silva was a member of the core team of eight industry experts that eventually standardized Unified Modeling Language, a visual language used to design, analyze and construct software and is supported by major software companies including IBM, Oracle, HP and Unisys.

The distinguished speaker for the 3 p.m. commencement will be Tina L. Farrell, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for Clear Creek Independent School District. She has served the district for more than 28 years. Farrell earned a bachelor of fine arts and graduated with honors from the University of Texas in Austin.  In 1985 she earned her Master of Arts in humanities from UHCL.  In 1998 the UHCL Alumni Association honored her as a distinguished alumna.  In 1988 she was the driving force in founding the Texas Art Educators Association’s prestigious Visual Art Scholastic Event, the largest high school art competition in Texas. Farrell has been recognized by numerous professional and community organizations including: the Getty Foundation’s 1988 National Award of Excellence for community programs; “The House that Art Built” and from 1989 to 1994 was a principal investigator for CCISD on a $1 million National Endowment for the Arts Challenge Grant, partnering with Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The Texas Art Education Association honored her as 1994 Art Supervisor of the Year and 1997 Art Educator of the Year. In 2000 she was named CCISD Educators Association’s Administrator of the Year, and in 2003 she received the Houston Symphony’s School Bell Award.