The Housechick Blog

Today, thousands of university seniors will graduate, get diplomas, and be released upon the world.  For those wanting to attend, ceremonies are at 9 am and 1:30 pm today, and will be broadcast via the web at KUAT.org.  All the details are at the U of A Commencement site.

I remember when I graduated from U of A.  I didn’t attend the big communal ceremony, didn’t wear the cap and gown, and didn’t toss even a single tortilla.  My engineering college was a pretty small class, so we had our own celebration a few nights before, and that was enough for me, I think. 

This year, there’s a new twist in the graduation ceremonies.  The Daily Wildcat reports that all who enter McKale Center will be searched for tortillas.  Don’t ask me how this search will actually go down: how do you pat someone down for a tortilla? 

For those unfamiliar with the tradition, U of A graduates - instead of throwing their cap at the end of the ceremony - throw tortillas in the air to celebrate their graduation.  It’s a controversial move.  Some people find it insensitive or racist, I even read an argument that it could be dangerous (think airborne stale tortilla shards hitting someone in the eye).

The U of A Administration has taken a stand against the tortilla tossing.  Given their stance, and the search at the entry, it will be interesting to see how many fly at the end of the ceremonies.

Graduation Facts:

There will be 4,557 undergraduate degrees awarded, along with 1,253 master’s degrees and 272 doctoral degrees, according to numbers released from the UA.

Dr. Richard Carmona, former US Surgeon General and a U of A professor of surgery and public health, will give the commencement address at both ceremonies.

EDIT: Overheard while eating at Rosa’s Mexican Food on the day of graduation, “Dude, they don’t throw their hats in the air, they throw tortillas! There were like a thousand tortillas flying, it was crazy!” Guess the person-by-person tortilla search didn’t do so well…

Photo from flickr, courtesy of bwalsh.