Graduation

Your personal charm and attractiveness has a positive effect on your career, reputation, or public image. People see you as a loving and lovable person and as someone who is aware of their needs and feelings, which can benefit you at this time. Others are willing to help and cooperate with your aims. Your interest in the arts or in promoting harmony and good will between people is brought out at this time.
Horoscope 31 August 2007

It was exactly a year ago that I started my master's studies, which was supposed to last one year. One year later, I passed all my subjects with good marks, and am more or less able to graduate, if only I could finish my thesis. The good thing in this country is that you can 'study' as long as you want... as long as you don't finish your thesis, you're still 'studying', even though you're not going to classes anymore.

So, with today in mind around a month or so ago, I proposed to our course convener that we should organise a graduation event. Even if people are not yet finished with their studies, we deserve a celebration to mark our year together. We worked hard, were constantly given assignments, and we were good as a group. My lecturer liked my proposal, and went to ask the department whether there is 'room' for a graduation event.

No, no. No money. I was not so much surprised, but just shocked. OK, it's not a tradition for people in the Netherlands to graduate together, because like I mentioned everytime takes their time to finish off their degree. But I'm doing a degree which also has international students, and the department should have at least considered something to bring the class together before we each go our separate ways. Like I told my lecturer it's such basic knowledge that people who are at the end of their studies have some kind of final get-together event... but I don't know whether the department staff is too incompetent or too stingy to even give the idea any thought. I mean, how much is it to organise a small reception? How much effort does it actually take??

However, what gets me even more shocked and upset is that there is another degree in exactly the same subject as my degree that is running parallel to mine. The difference between my degree and that other degree is that the other is (so-called) 'advanced', which in terms of contents is more in-depth. The other difference is that the other degree costs around ten thousand Euros more than mine. In the end, we both have a masters degree in Public International Law.

Ever since the beginning of the year, I've noticed differences in treatment between the two groups. On the first day for example, my group was left to walk around by ourselves in the faculty building, whereas the other group got invited to tea and cake with the lecturers. My group is not allowed to have classes in a new posh building that opened last year, but the other group can (it's the same building I work in, so I guess I'm the exception to the rule). And about the graduation: the other group has a proper graduation attended by VIPs and with proper pompous ceremonies... but my group has to organise our own graduation. This is what I call 'education Apartheid' based on the ability to pay. And it really disgusts me.

No matter. Where there are obstacles in the way, where bureaucracy tries to slow you down and undermine your wishes, you resort to self-help. My proposal to my lecturer was that we organise a 'pot-luck' event! So from the beginning of July till this week, I've been busy arranging for a ceremony of our own. I've mailed around asking my classmates to attend, and have been in contact with my course convener and invited the other department staff to attend. I managed to book a beautiful room at the place I work for this evening (see pictures!!!), and asked people to bring food and drinks so that we can have a wonderful get-together, even without all that pompous and fancy stuff.

Everything seemed to be set, and I was just about to buy the decorations and plastic cups and party hats.... then suddenly four days ago my lecturer mails me saying that the very time that our graduation is taking place coincides with the ceremony of the other group. Which basically means, none of the department staff will attend. My lecturer asked me for suggestions, and I said that perhaps we could merge our event with the official event. That was not allowed, because the room in which the official ceremony is taking place is "too small", and it will be odd to have people from our group there. That was the response.

I was so disappointed, frustrated and a bit bitter. What kind of department is this? Again my doubts and fears of working at the university was confirmed. So much politics, so much power-struggle and pompousness and snobbishness. The discrimination, the inequality in treatment... disgusting. Just disgusting.

All that hardwork, all that planning, and the department doesn't even seem to care at all. My lecturer asked me to reschedule, but I told him frankly that it's pointless and I don't want to. I'm not willing to commit myself to more hassle planning an event that people are not going to show up at. Why should I? I'm a student, and I like all other people pay for education. We pay for service, pay for recognition and respect, but instead we get treated like second-class citizens.

I left work together in the evening. Before I left the building, I walked into the room that was supposed to be the room for our graduation. It was dark, and silently empty. I stood in the room, touched the wooden walls and admired the neatly place tables and chairs, and I imagined.

Imagined what it could have been like to have a proper ceremony, there and then.