The Council on Academic Affairs Thursday voted against rescheduling fall commencement, contradicting a proposal made by the president and supported by the Student Senate.

The Fall 2002 commencement ceremonies are currently scheduled for Dec. 21, the Saturday before Christmas. Interim President Lou Hencken sent an e-mail to the CAA, the Student Senate and the Faculty Senate suggesting that the ceremonies be moved up to Dec. 14.

Student Senate members Wednesday spoke in favor of rescheduling commencement, but Tuesday the Faculty Senate passed a recommendation to keep commencement on Dec.21.

“I have reservations about changing it so soon after we fought the long, hard battle to get commencement moved to after finals,” said CAA member Nancy Marlow, managing/marketing professor. “We do recognize the concerns of students, but its an issue of consistency.”

Joe Robbins, speaker of the Student Senate said Thursday that senate members were opposed to having commencement on Dec. 21 mainly because it is so close to Christmas. He said he is concerned with representing the students and taking action to get their views known, which may or may not come in the form of legislation.

“I think we need to get our two cents in also,” he said.

He said those involved need to work together to form a consensus on the issue.

Donna Fernandez, student member of the CAA and a Student Senate member, said that holding ceremonies so late inconveniences student volunteers and the band who have to stay for two days after finals.

In the e-mail, Hencken proposed moving graduation up a week to accommodate any travel plans faculty, staff, students and parents might have the weekend before Christmas. He was also concerned that a graduation date set so close to the holiday could adversely affect the number of graduation participants and volunteers.

Faculty Senate members said that they didn’t want to make an exception because finals usually aren’t held that late in the month.

Blair Lord, provost and vice president for academic affairs, explained that a faculty subcommittee plans the calendar based on various criteria every year, and commencement will probably never be later than Dec. 21.