By Tiffany Meredith
Commencement will be ticketed this year and there will be no processional because of the prominence of Vice President Dick Cheney and heightened security.
BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins said the event will be ticketed because the university is concerned an increased number of people will want to attend. The university wants to insure graduates and their family members will be able to secure seats at the event, she said.
?We want to make this an enjoyable experience for all those involved, including graduates and their guests,? Jenkins said.
Four tickets will be allocated to each graduating student from April 16-18 at the Marriott Center ticket office. After April 19, students will be able to pick up additional tickets and on April 23 the remaining tickets will be available to the BYU community.
The last time an event was ticketed was when President George Herbert Walker Bush ? father of the current president ? came in July of 1992, Jenkins said. But this is the first time commencement will be ticketed.
This year, 22,000 seats will be available, which is near the total capacity of 22,600. Students will still have to wait to get more than the allotted four tickets, however.
?I can definitely see how that can be a problem for other people who have family members here,? Douglas Rodermund, a graduating senior from Allen, Texas. ?It makes it difficult to get a few tickets and have to wait a couple of days to get some more ? kind of a pain.?
Jenkins said the processional has been canceled to allow for more time to get through the screening process. Graduates are required to arrive by 2 p.m. and all attendees must be seated by 3:30.
Some students are upset there will be no processional because they feel it is a main part of the ceremony.
?The processional is a tradition and a lot more important than having the vice president coming to speak,? said Brynn Secrist, a senior from Colorado graduating in biology. ?I was upset that they canceled it. It is apart of the tradition, it?s like saying you can?t wear a gradua-tion cap.?
Along with the metal detectors, security assistants, provided through the vice president?s office will patrol the area, Jenkins said.
Students may be frustrated at some of the changes, but some agree with the reasoning behind them.
?I can understand security concerns with Vice President Cheney coming,? Rodermund said. ?They sent an email that we will have to arrive a couple hours early for security preparation. I think that is a long time to arrive early to any graduation ceremony, but that?s just how it goes.?
The heightened security has no connection with the College Democrats? plan to protest Cheney?s visit during commencement, BYU spokeswoman Carrie Jenkins said.
?We do know that one of our clubs has asked to conduct a demonstration away from the Marriott Center, but we believe those attend-ing will be respectful just like at any other commencement,? she said.
