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SUNY Fredonia's College Council won't get to sit on stage at this year's commencement, and members expressed disappointment about it at the group's quarterly meeting Wednesday.
Council President Frank Pagano addressed the issue before the meeting started, and University President Stephen Kolison opened his report talking about it.
"You will notice fewer chairs on the stage this year," Kolison said. "It was done for safety reasons. It was not to take you off the stage."
Instead, they will sit in the first few rows of the audience.
Kolison said 777 undergraduates and 101 graduate students will get diplomas in Sunday's ceremonies. He said they hail from 18 states and nine countries. "That is remarkable for a school this size," he said.
SUNY Fredonia's president highlighted the importance of foundation aid for helping students stay in school to graduation.
He said 47% of SUNY Fredonia students come from a "financially challenged" background and many would not be able to attend school without aid from foundations.
The school's foundation aid rose from $1,138,450 in the 2018-19 school year to $1,290,950 for 2022-23.
Kolison noted the school's new Bicentennial Fund will pump $200,000 into the 2023-24 budget's line item for foundation funding. The fund will be promoted soon as a new way to donate to SUNY Fredonia, he added.
Pagano asked Kolison if students would get aid from that fund based on merit or need. Kolison responded they could get it through both routes.