Commencement gets a face lift

Reacting to problems with sound, time efficiency and lighting, University officials yesterday unveiled a complete redesign of Commencement ceremonies for this year's graduating seniors. After spending $200,000 in design fees, the University has announced that it will make several changes in the construction and placement of the stage at Commencement. Also, all ceremonies taking place on Franklin Field will be consolidated onto a single stage rather than two stages, as was done in the past. The new design was created after consultations with MGA Partners, an architectural firm that has worked on several projects for Penn, including additions and renovations to the Annenberg School for Communication and most recently to the Kings Court/English House Dining Hall. According to Vice President for Facilities Services Omar Blaik, the new design, in which the stage faces the eastern end of Franklin Field, will allow the University to better utilize Franklin Field, while simultaneously saving money. "By making the orientation this way, you eliminate the need for two stages, which is expensive," Blaik said. In the past, a separate, smaller stage had been placed on Franklin Field for the separate ceremonies of Penn's individual schools, such as the School of Arts and Sciences and the Wharton School. Furthermore, Blaik says that by making the stage face eastward, the ceremony will be able to make better use of the sun and the acoustics of Franklin Field. "Now, we have sun that is projecting on the stage and away from the spectators," Blaik said. "The third [advantage] is sound because you have an enclosed area [the curved rows of seats at the east end of Franklin Field]." By locating the stage in its new orientation at the 30-yard line, Blaik expects that seating capacity will be increased by 10 to 20 percent. And the construction of the stage itself will also change with the reorientation of the stage. Unlike previous years, in which the stage was made primarily of plywood, this year's stage will employ a great deal of stronger, more durable steel scaffolding. According to Senior Class President Ray Valerio, a member of a consultation committee of students and administrators that discussed the changes, the new design will bring a lot to this year's Commencement. "I think the layout is a definite improvement from last year's Commencement," Valerio said. However, Valerio did not want to say whether the $200,000 it took to create the design was worth it until he actually sees the ceremony. "I couldn't tell you if it was money well spent until Commencement comes," Valerio said. But Social Planning and Events Committee President Theo LeCompte, who was also part of the committee, said that Commencement is an event definitely deserving of University attention. "Graduation and Commencement are very important to a lot of people, and for the University to concentrate on it and concentrate on making it a memorable experience is really important," LeCompte said.