The senior student council has come together to address your concerns of graduation and to work with Andrew's administration to make the ceremony you want and deserve. Your support here will help us open up graduation. It will allow all your loved ones to celebrate the achievement of a lifetime live and in person safely.

With only 4 weeks to graduation, we still do not know how many family members we can invite. The student council has learned that students will receive around four tickets per graduate. With only 4 weeks before graduation, this is unacceptable. We know there has been the challenge of Covid-19, but Andrews administration has not been forthcoming and clear about graduation with graduates and their families. Many of our families have not bought plane tickets nor made concrete plans for graduation, as we do not have the full details of the ceremony.

Halfway through our sophomore year, we were sent from Andrews University back to our homes. We watched the University and the entire world shut down due to COVID-19. We sat powerless as our college experience was robbed of us. Some of our friends chose to attend remotely, transferred to different institutions, or dropped out of school entirely. Yet those of us who remained committed to Andrews persevered. We gave our best efforts, and we are finally here at the finish line. After everything we’ve been through, we deserve the opportunity to work hand in hand with the administration to create the best graduation experience possible.

While we understand, and want to emphasize that we greatly respect the hard work that the University has put in these past two years, the University does not appear to understand the monumental importance of graduation to its graduates. We have been explicitly told we have no input in the graduation ceremony, nor can we provide feedback. We respectfully request the voices of the senior class and their families be heard and respected, as graduating is our lifelong achievement, and not theirs. 

We now implore Andrews University to immediately begin work with the class of 2022. We request

• That the University Administration and Graduation Planning bodies work directly with and include the Senior Student Council to ensure that the graduation is fitting for a class that has given so much
• The same level of responsiveness and commitment that the University desires from us as well.
• A solution that removes the limit on the number of attendees or
  a larger venue with the ability to increase the number of tickets each participant may receive

To help you receive the graduation you always deserved, please sign this petition and share with graduates and loved ones.

Please leave in the comments below any ideas you have for what you would like the graduation to be and we'll make sure Andrew's administration hears you. We do this in the hopes that this will change the culture of Andrews University to ensure the proper recognition and investment is given to future graduates as well. With this petition we hope to embody our school motto, "world changers made here."