BANDUNG, unpas.ac.id – After inaugurating 558 students of Bachelor, Master and Doctoral programs virtually in November 2020, Universitas Pasundan will again hold an online graduation at the end of May.
The graduation registration for 2020/2021 academic year has been already opened since March 1st and closed in May 1st, 2021. The graduate students that will attend the ceremony are required to register themselves through the website akd.unpas.ac.id as soon as possible.
Vice Rector I as well as Head of Gradutaion Committee Prof. Dr. H. Jaja Suteja, SE., M.Si said the graduation is still held online since it is not possible to hold in onsite. Moreover, people’s mobility is also limited by the government. Unpas would also obey the rules not to create crowds or even make a new cluster of Covid-19 case.
“There are different views of online graduation, but generally it was not as enthusiastic as when it was held onsite (live); because it seemed like a spirit was missing. However, I think it is rather difficult to hold an onsite graduation in the midst of pandemic because [our] graduates students come from various regions; while we also have a limited mobility,” he said at Unpas Campus IV, Jalan Dr. Setiabudhi No. 193, Bandung, on Saturday (April 17th, 2021).
The mechanism of Phase-II online graduation is still the same as the previous one. Students are required to do the registration, fill the academic and personal identity form and pay for the registration. After the payment is received, the committee will send the graduation supplies and outfit, such as gowns, medals/ necklaces, graduation guideline and others.
Students are also required to send the video of the process of embedding the toga by parents or guardian by May 15th, 2021. If the video are not yet sent by the time, the committee will only show the graduate’s photo and biography data in the ceremony.
According to the Vice Rector I, the online graduation ceremony lacks significantly on participants if compared to the onsite one; it does not even reach half of the regular number. On the onsite graduation, the number of participants could reach 1.300 students.
There are lot of obstacles in implementing online graduation, commonly found in logistic distribution, especially for those students who live within limited transportation. Apart from that, the unstable internet connection also makes is hard for students to access Zoom Cloud Meeting application.
In order to make the graduation run smoothly, Unpas collaborates with the third party. This is done to avoid and prevent sudden technical problems, because it needs to be supported by proper technology. Furthermore, best graduates of each faculty will be invited to the graduation location and the others are through the application.
“Though it is indeed different with the onsite graduation, it is indeed a memorable event for the graduates. Maybe with this situation, graduates could be much closer to their whole families, especially when it comes to moving the beret strap which is done also by the parents. We all pray, Covid-19 pandemic would pass quickly so that we are allowed to do our regular activity, especially the graduation, onsite and directly,” he ended (Reta Amaliyah S)*.