A number of final year students have voiced their discontent with the FXU’s decision to stop holding a separate graduation ball later in June and have an exclusive occasion 3 hours prior to the open-to-all-students Summer Ball.
Speaking to Truthfal Journalist Remi Brand, Lucy Thomas, a representative of the FXU said: “This is the first time we’ve had the two events together; as a result, this year the Summer Ball will be much bigger and have professional DJs. So far the receptions been positive.” FXU stated that due to the separate graduate ball always taking place weeks before the graduation ceremony, it held no real ties and that more planning and funding will go into making the actual ceremony more celebratory.
Many students have not been positive with their receptions and it appears student faith in the FXU is being shaken. Truthfal Journalist Remi Brand spoke to so-to-be-graduate Imo Capper about the matter:
“It seems that recently FXU have been a bit guilty of acting first and then consulting/, addressing students later,” said Capper, “It would have been nice if there had been a discussion first about us losing the exclusivity of our graduation ball which basically all other universities have.”
Student Steve Platts is one of several who disagrees with the price of tickets believes that after the loss of lecture time due to strikes, asking for 3rd years to pay £37 is too much; “Many of the students have shared this view and we think the FXU have gone downhill in recent years when it comes to events; events being repetitive and far too pricey for what they really are.”
(FXU have come under scrutiny from graduating students)
On Facebook, the FXU Summer Ball page has posts from students who are unhappy with the way this new plan for graduation came into fruition; among them is Aislinn Patten, who posted: “So graduates aren’t getting their own ball like every other Uni in the country, and we have to share with 2nd and 3rd years?”
Another student, Zykinder Aujla-Singh, posted, “Why wasn’t there a student vote on this change to the graduation set up? Another event on campus does not sound as attractive as the castle previous graduates got.” Speaking to Truthfal, Auila-Singh said: “It is very frustrating. Another grad ball is being arranged in protest.”
Another Student unhappy with the Balls handling, Laura Jameson-Cook, posted “To me it seems a bit cheeky to take away an exclusive ball for grads and then charge us almost the price of graduation.” Jameson-Cook told Truthfal “I’m actually going to the Pendennis Castle one instead.”
“The Alternative Graduation Ball at Pendennis Castle” is an event being independently run of the University. Though unable to comment, there page states: “The Alternative Graduation at Pendennis Castle with all the trimmings. Castle, cocktails, geo-domes, Fireworks, Music, Djs, Bands, Photo booth, Food, Decor and more…” as well as “This is event has no affiliation or partnership agreements with either the FXU, Exeter University, Falmouth University, FXPlus. This is an independent event set up solely to provide a Graduation Ball for those wishing to celebrate at Pendennis Castle.”