It has recently come to students' attention that the President and administration of Long Island University is denying the College of Pharmacy's Class of 2023 standard request/expectation for a private hooding ceremony.

A hooding ceremony is a special part of graduation held in high regard and is common practice across most, if not, all doctoral and master’s programs in the US. While undergraduates also wear robes and caps for graduation, our doctoral hoods represent continued pursuit of knowledge and hooding ceremonies allow graduates to be individually recognized for their massive achievement. In the US, only about 2% of the population holds a doctoral degree and we will be among that 2% as representations of LIU.

LIU Pharmacy's class of 2023 has been pushed to persevere and prosper in an inconsistent and oftentimes, unsupportive environment with incessant waves of change. After countless faculty and staff turnover, COVID learning challenges, serving as front-line workers during one of the most devastating pandemics in US history, losing most/all vacation days this year due to qualified students not being placed into clinical rotations last year and being denied a White Coat Ceremony, our class has continued to dedicate itself to the betterment of higher learning at LIU. We have been expected to uphold a higher level of professionalism, advocacy, competency and regard for the pharmacy profession than that which has been reciprocated to us by the University as future pharmacists. The class of 2023 will include many students who have been accepted into fellowship programs, staff or supervising pharmacist positions and PGY-1 residencies. These accomplishments are a testament to our commitment to self-learning and advancement. Given this, are we not worthy of the University’s respect? Are we not worthy of any distinction?

According to data published by the AACP, LIU's pharmacy school reports a tuition that lands it a spot among the top 10 most expensive P4, in-state, tuition rate across pharmacy schools in the US. While all PharmD graduates are deserving, it should be noted that programs with much lower tuitions/fees and lower NAPLEX pass rates will be hosting meaningful, intimate events (many with refreshments and guest speakers) to honor and appreciate their students' achievements because we have ALL come a long way and overcome a lot in these past 4 years. We have sacrificed enormous amounts of our time, our money and our health to get to this point. Our family and friends have provided us with unwavering support during all this. We believe that deserves appropriate recognition for both us and support systems.

However, year after year, LIU students are made to fight and beg for the very simple and commonplace distinction of a hooding ceremony. Again, the University is trying to steal the honor of a private hooding ceremony from us. 

Please support us in our endeavors to encourage President Cline and the entirety of LIU's administration to reinstate our private Hooding Ceremony.