UC Irvine relents, decides to hold multiple graduation ceremonies

UC Irvine officials have decided to hold a series of smaller graduation ceremonies, in addition to one at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, at which they hope President Obama will be the keynote speaker.

Administrators have invited the president to give the main address at the baseball stadium on June 14. A UC Irvine vice chancellor visited Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to deliver about 10,000 letters from students and alumni, asking Obama to attend.

The president might not reply until April.

Irvine officials announced plans last month to hold only one graduation ceremony at Angels Stadium, on June 14, but some students complained that their families had already made plans to attend previously scheduled ceremonies held by individual schools.

A petition asking administrators to change graduation planswas signed by more than 2,000 people.

This year’s graduation ceremony will commemorate the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon Johnson‘s dedication of the campus in 1964.

Five years ago, UC Merced students successfully lobbied First Lady Michelle Obama to be the school’s first commencement speaker, sending her valentines, videos and letters.

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Song writes for the Los Angeles Times.