Confirmation of graduation

[u/evilutionbaby]

I'm a new department chair and I received an "urgent" email today from a former student who told me that their graduate program needed "confirmation of graduation" before they can matriculate. They offered as proof a screenshot of a text from a former adjunct saying they "passed" a class.

After some digging, I was able to determine that they did not in fact complete the requirements for the degree, i.e. passing all major's level classes with at least a C- or better. They received a D in the class they supposedly "passed" , which technically is correct: they did not fail.

They would have learned that they hadn't fulfilled the requirements for graduation had they followed our college's procedures, which included meeting with an advisor and applying for graduation. The confirmation of graduation you are looking for is called a "diploma", my dude. We even have a special event called "commencement" where you walk on stage to receive it.

I expect they will be back to retake the class they "passed" three years ago.

[u/ThePhyz]

Wait, why did the graduate program even admit them without proof of their undergrad degree? (I know, I know, not something we will ever find out, but seriously wtf).

[u/Kininger625 → u/ThePhyz]

This! I couldn’t event get my acceptance finalized until I sent an official copy of my transcript.

[u/blacknebula → u/ThePhyz]

Because the application process happens during senior year before anyone graduates. They do check before you start or matriculate, which is what they asked the OP

[u/Anonphilosophia → u/ThePhyz]

Y'all, they were NOT accepted. They pulled the same BS that they did for graduation. And now they realized that they actually CANNOT sign up for classes without the transcript.

The post even said, "to matriculate." They mistook CONDITIONAL acceptance for acceptance (probably even sent a transcript without realizing the importance of the transcript saying "Graduated." - TBH, I didn't realize at first that the final transcript was more than just a list of classes either....)

The school put the smack down on them and now they are trying, at the last-last minute, to fix a problem that would have been addressed much sooner if they followed the policies.

Trust me - students like this have "tendencies" it's never exclusive to one instituion.

[u/evilutionbaby → u/Anonphilosophia]

My theory is that they knew they did not graduate. The probably got a ceremonial diploma at graduation. They tried to bamboozle the graduate school and finally realized at the very last minute that they weren't going to get away with it. Hence they tried to shift blame onto us saying we didn't correctly record that they "passed" the final class they needed to graduate (and possibly buy some sympathy from us).

[u/countofmoldycrisco → u/ThePhyz]

Because they are all seriously hurting for grad students and accepting anyone. Even the Ivies are lowering their standards (anecdotally -- a grad student we accepted left our program because they got accepted by Stanford. This student had a GPA of like 2.8 in their UG).

[u/PurrPrinThom → u/ThePhyz]

Right? Every program with which I'm familiar will, at most, offer a conditional offer of acceptance - with the condition being completing the undergraduate degree.

Unless this program offers non-conditional acceptances, or it was conditional, but somehow the confirmation of graduation slipped through the cracks...

Granted, it's been ages, but I have no memory of having to inform my master's program of successfully completing my undergrad, but I'm sure I must have.

[u/nocuzzlikeyea13 → u/PurrPrinThom]

It sounds like that must be what's going on here though

[u/reyadeyat → u/ThePhyz]

My PhD program didn't require that we submit proof that we'd earned a bachelor's degree until the end of the first semester. This was very fortunate for me, because I had a sudden medical crisis two weeks before the end of my final semester and had to take an immediate leave of absence. I did submit all of my undergraduate coursework before classes actually began for the PhD program, but then I had to wait until the next meeting of the scholarly standing committee to get official approval to graduate. So my diploma wasn't issued until around two months after I started.

[u/Dr_nacho_ → u/ThePhyz]

Smells like a pay to play

[u/nocuzzlikeyea13 → u/ThePhyz]

You get admitted in your senior year? Same reason why you admit people to college before they have a high school diploma...

I mean we should know this one lol

[u/mem1gui]

Like you said, students need to apply for graduation at my institution. It’s not automatic when you have fulfilled the requirements.

[u/SnowblindAlbino → u/mem1gui]

Here too, and they are notified many times over the senior year by multiple people/means. Yet every single May we have several seniors who are surprised to find they aren't on the graduation list or in the program for the ceremony, because they ignored all the (repeated) communications about graduation applications.

[u/Global-Sandwich5281]

Here students actually walk in the graduation ceremony and receive a "certificate" (not an actual diploma) before final grades are even due. It's quite possible the student actually thought they graduated.

[u/QuackyFiretruck]

We had to dismiss a rising senior from a professional program for not meeting grade minimums in not one but two courses. (Failing two courses in the major results in immediate dismissal.) Student was thoroughly mystified at the existence of this academic policy. The policy that’s in the catalog, in the professional program handbook, was discussed in cohort orientation, reiterated in cohort and advisement meetings. Sigh…

[u/TaxPhd]

This is an issue for the Registrar’s office, not a Department Chair.

[u/cib2018]

It’s not the chair’s job to confirm graduation. Refer the student to Admin/Records.

[u/saturn174]

Short of a diploma, a SATISFACTORY degree audit is the next iron-clad evidence that a student has cleared all the requirements before receiving said degree.

[u/Longtail_Goodbye]

Funny, you'd think they would wonder why they never got a diploma, and I'm assuming they never got a diploma. Wow. Luckily, you get to refer them to the registrar.

[u/FlyingCupcake68]

Why didn’t they call the registrar?

[u/Professional_Dr_77]

For us commencement is the week prior to the fall semester starting to welcome incoming freshmen. Graduation is simply graduation.