To all you groovy graduands and graduates who are expecting to have a ceremony this summer (finally)... if you've read the graduation schedule, you'll have noticed that not only do we not get to do the one staple of graduation- going up onto the stage to receive your award- but instead of being congratulated individually, we'll be congratulated amongst the entire block of our individual schools (i.e. likely 1k+).

Most of whom we won't have even seen since the respective introductory lectures many, many years ago.

This is not standard, and it's more Cardiff going out of their way, as usual, to diminish the student experience (also I assume to save money to build a lovely new building it can't afford and no one will use).

Exeter uni has allotted 5 days (i.e. a working week) per graduating cohort - and over 45 graduation ceremonies over those weeks; Swansea has staggered each of its days so each departmental subject gets its own special time; Manchester has spread its graduation across two-and-a-half weeks. Even Met managed to organise letting their graduates do the walk.

Across the board, universities are trying to make up for the missed year(s) and give some resemblance of a regular graduation experience to their students who have missed out on so much. Cardiff? Nah, why would they bother when they've already gained the hundred of millions of pounds from the student body graduating.

Can we do anything to change it now the plans have been made? not really. But can we at least send a couple of emails to the uni to voice our opinions to at least let them know that they're being as cheap and withholding as Cardiff Landlords when it's time to give back deposits? Sure, why not.
To my knowledge, if you want to contact the uni regarding the graduation, go via the Alumni services (alumni@cardiff.ac.uk)