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There was a loud boom and then the sky caught fire, raining colorful strips of metal upon the blue people below
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| Steve with one of his students and her family |
(Click on graphic to enlarge)
See also IVC commencement on
FACEBOOK, which sports such cool photos as this one:
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| Live Oak Terraces |
Back to DtB photos:
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| Lots of smiles |
Teacher of the Year, Diana Hurlbut
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The student speaker (right) was colorful and, well, grateful to Jesus.
(I believe that's Linda Fontanilla, VP of Student Services, at left) |
This little girl adopted me for some reason. Cute kid.
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| At one point, she insisted that she and I take turns taking pictures |
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| Unfortunately, the little girl's mom (at left) exhibited no interest in adopting me |
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| Davit K prowled around like a Secret Service agent |
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| I do well with kids and animals |
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| The back of the PAC |
Virginia, Lisa, Brittany: the women of H&L are formidable
This is the guest speaker, Mary Niven, I believe. According to the Lariat, she's "Vice President of Disney California Adventure Park and Guest Services at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif."
Pretty typical of the non-academic speakers President Roquemore seems to prefer
Always with the balloons
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| The so-called "Live Oak Terraces" seem to work well as a venue for commencement. These people found 'em and feel the need to point at 'em. "This must be them," they're saying. |
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| American Dyspeptic |
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| People like to dress up. Nice |
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| I'm still puzzled by this armpit maneuver |
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| Don't know what this is about. About somethin' though |
The student speaker was entertaining, though he ended his spiel with a reference to the Lord, not the first of the day. Pres. Roquemore seems to prefer lots of references to the Deity. Many faculty take a dim view of this and of him.
A friend of mine
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| As we all know, blue is better than red |
Hippies with flowers, I guess. Flower People
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| A proud little girl |
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| Speakers' perspective (sans studentry) |
These flowers were only two or three hundred feet to the southwest of the Oak Terraces. Check out the crops beyond. One might assume that we're running a farm college, or a farm 'n' posy college
This hawk (?) had something in his beak, dunno what. He and his pals circled above. Good thing he didn't drop that rat on somebody's head.
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| Just to the southwest: crops on campus. There's a nice vegetable stand on Jeffrey, near the PAC. I bet everybody likes that. |
The Performing Arts Center from the front
Boom!
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| These kids never stop running |
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| Free water |
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| Darryl and pals |
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| "WTF?", she said, in my imagination |
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| Reserved seating for bigwigetry, I guess |
Lots of happy families
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The quiet before the storm (4 p.m.)
Sierra saw this pic and said, "Nice landscaping" |
Yes, Commencement Bingo, a very popular game at IVC
The contents of IVC Commencements are very predictable, I'm afraid, especially now that the President has weakened faculty involvement and oversight. The process of choosing the guest speaker is absurd. Grist for the bingo mill
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| Dean of Humanities & Languages (and I-don't-know-what-else), the Chief of Police |
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| Tryin' out her IVC sunglasses. They're wondrously kitchy |
Trustee Tim Jemal, Academic Senate Prez Kathy Schmeidler
This was Jemal's first commencement with us, I think. He seemed pretty happy about it
My old pal Mark
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| More posies |
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| There was quite a turnout, lots of color. Great weather |
Howard Dachschlager got some kind of prize for leaving us, I guess, which makes sense. When his name was called, he was nowhere to be found. Natch.
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| Another kid, runnin' |
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| Karima, Virginia, Glenn, Craig |
Re prayer at commencement:
Who does Tod Burnett think he is? Saddleback Prez imposes prayer at commencement
60 comments:
I could swear I heard that student speaker say at least twice, that his mother was born into slavery. How is that possible, didn’t slavery end in 1865? Does everyone have to be a victim these days?
You are incorrect Anon. He said - at least twice - that his parents met during the Civil Right movement.
great pics - as always - Roy!
I noticed that too. Shouldn't one take the time to proof-read such things or at least have a professor proof-read it?
He said Civil Rights movement, not slavery. His great grandmother he said was born into slavery.
He didn't present himself as a victim either. Nice work with the photos Roy. I like how you show us the families.
Great commencement, good speeches by Diana and the student speaker. I continued to be discomfited by the continued Christian prayer overlay - this time invoked twice. It's too much.
I didn't know we even HAD an alma mater - nor did I know we were going to be asked to sing it. Nice touch - but could they prepare us better?
Glorious photographs.
Oh 8:47, it's just too hard to take! How about the student speaker thanking Jesus Christ at the end of his speach? You have no say or control over that. Also no one to sue.
Great picture Coops took of the Terraces from the library rooftop!
I hope the Christian talk isn't too much of a discomfort on judgement day. Eternity is forever,
We're a public, secular institution with a number of students who deserve to be represented. From the ceremony it seems that our students are only male, Christian veterans. Take a look at the names of the graduate class. Tell me how good a job IVC is doing holistically representing our student body. We talk diversity, but certainly don't celebrate it. It's shameful.
"You better believe--and the right way--or eternal punishment in the lake of fire."
Signed,
Your Loving God.
That's exactly what Glenn said: bow your heads and pray or go to hell. It really set the mood.
Good pics as always. Good commentary too. Davit does prowl around like a secret service agent. I thought the ceremony was notable not just for its prayers (oh god!) but for notable absences - Lisa Davis Allen and others, including Howard Dachslager. That moment when Glen asked Howard to stand up - (ha!) - has Glen noticed that Howard and that gang seldom attend anything?
Can I say this? They're not really reverent believers - the ones who engineer the Christian overlay of our commencement ceremony. They don't go to church weekly. They do not live the gospel. I'd respect them more if they did. But they are doing what they feel like they must - exercising their power and their cultural prerogatives in ugly coercive shameful ways. A real Christian wouldn't act like that.
Well said! I hear some students are going to start a petition for making the invocation a "moment of silence." This includes some vets too. Sad thing is they are scared. Tod bad the admin can't be out in front on this one.
A "moment of silence" would make so much more sense.
A "moment of silence" is respectful and inclusive. Can alumni sign the petition? I know several (transfers to Cal & USC) who would be happy to do so.
The "moment of silence" is a nice compromise and all, but really, why have even that? How does an order to the gathered crowd to be silent and reflect on some value or whatnot accomplish anything? I'd posit that essentially everyone there is hoping for the event to start, to see their relevant graduate get his/her degree, and then for it all to be over so they can get away for drinks and dinner.
It would be GREAT to have some leadership from the board or the chancellor on this, which has been such a divisive issue in the past. I think this is an opportunity for some people to step up and do the right thing.
I would like someone to ask each of these people in a public forum if they, as men and women, think it is right to take the money from students, to brag about the colleges' diversity - and then, at this important moment, year after year, assert their so-called christian values over them. I would like to hear them be asked this question.
Point is, beautiful day for the grads and their families to celebrate their accomplishments. Good time had by all except for those looking for a reason to complain or assert their own agenda. GTFU!
Ah, the voice of wisdom, telling us that those who object to anything about how our college president handles commencement are immature. Yelling "grow the fuck up!" Yeah, that clinches it for me.
Well, now you know what we're up against
No agenda here but an acknowledgement that Glenn and the entire district makes about our "diversity" - but one that they only use when it suits them - the ongoing overt Christian prayer tradition case in point. If anyone has an "agenda" it's the people who want to use their position to assert their religion on others (employees and students) at a public institution. As a Christian, I do NOT want to PRAY at my workplace among my colleagues and students. That is NOT the place for it.
Much appreciated, 7:19
I never thought of what it truly means for employees (and students) to be asked to pray in front of their "superiors," supervisors, teachers, etc. Perhaps because I was raised Christian - and so it it a kind of default privilege that I don't really notice. But what happens when your boss says "bow your head" or "Say Amen" - and you don't want to - or cannot because you are not? How does that affect the supervisor-employee relationship? the teacher-student relationship? It shouldn't be there at all.
I adore the level of discourse here but you must remember that these are the people who stood beside Frogue and his Holocaust denial until the he very end. These are the people that tolerated the ravings of Fuentes and Mathur. These are the people who ooozed over Mike Carona for a photo op while he was f***ing women in his squad car van and taping it. Where is he now? oh that's right: the FEDERAL PEN. They'll never change. They'll never acknowledge what has changed. I don't know how they live with themselves let alone bow their heads in public and claim to pray. And their flunkys who do their dirty work - the worst of the worst no matter what they may tell themselves.
Prayer at institutional functions is like cheerleading squads and homecomings. It's all so old and traditional. Any value related to it has long been replaced with PC or feeble attempts to present some form of pomp and circumstance.
Your point?
My point is the day was to celebrate the students and their accomplishments with their families. The day is not about you or your or Glenn's, or districts, or anyone else's issues, grievances, religious views or ANYTHING else. Yes, Glenn was out of line again. No argument. There are only two positive postings, the rest are all bashes and complaints. What a shame. Event actually went well and people seemed to be enjoying themselves. People, in general, have a way of overlooking others shortcomings or misinformed ways. WE, however, do not.
Any graduates that might read this;
Congratulations and best of luck on your future. I hope you and your family had a great time and enjoyed yourselves. I apologize for my colleagues loss of focus for the day and it's purpose. Cheers!
Yes, the event went well. The mood is captured in glorious photos. Many good-hearted faculty were there to celebrate along with their students. I do not think it takes anything away to point out - as some of us do year after year - that there is something problematic in the opening Christian "prayer" - which, of course, does distract from the "day" and its "purpose." To suggest that offering criticism is somehow taking away from the day is too simplistic. Faculty and staff are part of commencement after all - part of the process. I think you'd find that the people who offer comments are often the ones who care enough to attend - not like others who seldom or never do. They attend commencement because they care about their students and the institution.
For years now, the blog has been a forum. If you want more positive comments, make them. There are a couple dozen comments here, some critical, some positive, some thoughtful, some defending one person or another, some a mix. That's what a forum is. The commentators are a minority of the readers. I hear that the blog gets 200-300 readers every day. By the way, I doubt that students and family come to the blog often. The blog isn't really for them, is it?
I see a lot of love and respect and appreciation in the photos - both in their content but also in the effort it requires to take them and post them. You might want to focus your ire, 9:28, on the faculty and staff who don't show up to such events. Some 50 faculty attended out of what number? 130?
This is too big an issue to tackle in a brief comment. Still…:
I’ve never understood the assumption—perhaps made by one of our readers—that criticism is incompatible with love and affection and the like. In my experience, the people who are critical of administration (et al.) are also the people who do most of the work that makes IVC as good as it is. Those critics are endlessly supportive and encouraging, which is pretty obvious, if you pay attention. It’s even obvious on these pages.
Well-put, Roy. I have to cringe and gasp at the arrogance and out-of-it-ness and ignorance and disrespect and incivility exhibited by both administrators and students at IVC on occasions like this. References to the lord at a secular ceremony inclusive of many faiths, and (let's hope) atheists? GTFU, indeed!--MAH
p.s. Gorgeous photos!--especially the painterly one of the little girl toward the end.
It's just driving you people up a wall that a student invoked and thanked our lord, Jesus Christ and there's not a damn thing you can do about it.
Yeah - that's the spirit! Tell it like it is brother.
Don't feed the Troll
But I'm being driven up the wall! How did he know? (Nice view from here, though.)
It is printed on our currency, "In God We Trust." With your logic shouldn't all you antitheists be handing all your money to the theists?
Is that supposed to be funny? Stupid, stupid troll.
What's an "antitheist"?
Among the Ilitterati, it is code for "heathen." Did I ever mention that Nancy Padberg refers to me as a "heathen"? ("Heathen" is code, too.) --And after all that effort I taken to make her look good on this blog!
I checked on this "heathen" business. It turns out that Nancy "agreed" with constituents who referred to me and other plaintiffs (in Westphal v. Wagner) as heathens.
3:21: well, it's just a job, then you go home and have your own life. Jeez!
7:49, people like you are the reason the world sucks as bad as it does.
Then what is your solution, Roy? Is it to have admin prohibit student speakers from invoking their religion and thanking their deity? Maybe a new policy of some kind? What would you propose?
When it comes to a student making a speech, the preeminent concerns should be maturity, good manners, and respect for the occasion. To inject a personal religious invocation at a secular gathering like a graduation ceremony is, well, rude. The speaker can save such commentary for when it's appropriate--at his/her church, family gathering, etc.
11:41: solution to WHAT exactly? (You write like many of my students.) The lawsuit made no reference to student speakers, though I suppose one could interpret the settlement as covering all speeches during district or college events. (Have you read it? Likely not.) You're cherry-picking to make your case appear stronger than it is. The focus has always been on official prayers, such as invocations at the start of commencement ceremonies. In the settlement, the district agreed to leave the matter of prayer to the organizing entity for the occasion (commencement)--with the proviso that that entity (typically, the planning committee) would not be directed by anyone outside its own membership. Those who are selected to speak are given a copy of the settlement verbiage to read.
I agree, 11:57, but I would reject an attempted censorship of a speaker's speech. The emphasis of the critics (of the district/college practices re religion) has always been official prayer (or invocations of the Lord) at events. If, however, a guest speaker's honest message to students includes references to Jesus (et al.), then so be it. I think they should be given a copy of the settlement agreement (this is the status quo) so that they understand the issues involved. If they decide to refer to Jesus anyway, then, well, that's just the way it is. I can easily live with that.
Maybe if we have to have prayer at Commencement we could have Muslim services next year just to be more representative of our student body and rotate the religion diversity wheel.
IVC isn't a Christian college, so I'm still unclear on why there are any references to gods in commencement.
12:37, what you are suggesting should be brought to the attention to the college commencement organizing committee (per college) as a proposal. They could hardly refuse to consider it.
Can I make the religion diversity wheel in order to ensure representation of all? (I am a Wiccan.) Who gets to spin it? Glen?
How about we spend $1M on a special prayer center like UCI did?
Great photos, as always!
Did Burnett get the gig up north? That is why he was so agreeable about the prayer thing this year. When you google "Todd Burnett" and "Saddleback" the third thing that pops up is a newspaper article about him "imposing" prayer" at the Commencement. He had to get out in front of that one. Probably blamed it on the board. Glen is going nowhere so he doesn't have to get out in front of anyone. I think an earlier commentator was right - Glen is still trying to please Tom Fuentes.
No word yet on the Cabrillo job
Who cares. The wig salesman is gone.
As far as I know, he isn't gone just yet.
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