The above message title is what yesterday's graduation ceremony resembled
for me.  Each year the crowd in attendance at the May graduation seems
rowdier than ever.  Yesterday's group took the prize.

I have been thinking of what might be done to improve the ceremony.  I
cannot think of anything that can be done to alter the behavior of the
families who bellow uproariously and in a prolonged fashion when a member
of their tribe receives the fake sheepskin.  Some people are so
self-absorbed that they think that they have the right to do anything.

But they should not act rudely during the address by the commencement
speaker.  Yesterday's commencement address was the best I have heard at
UTC in years.  In the midst of it, someone in the audience yelled
something in an incredibly loud voice.  The enunciation of the heckler was
not good so I am not sure what he said.  Throughout the speech, there was
also a constant buzz from the audience, who obviously were not paying
attention.

I realize that a tractor-pull crowd is not likely to understand what
yesterday's speaker had to say.  But part of the trouble was that
it was difficult to hear what the speaker was saying.  I think that he was
too far away from the microphone.  I suggest that someone in the platform
party at the next graduation be designated to make  sure that the
microphone is properly positioned for the commencement speaker.  It might
be a good idea to ask one of the faculty in the audience or one of the
marshals to signal if there is any problem.

Mike Russell