Its amazing really that the last post went through. Bittygirl unplugged my laptop as I hit post. It didn't go to back up because I took out the battery for fear it would burn up.
Have you been getting a workout with the Doggie Ping list today or what! I come in from playing in the dirt and there are two doggie pings, and not the cute or funny kind either.
Those dogs were obviously so well loved, and then I look out my side window and see four neglected dogs and look out my back window and see three more, and I just want to scream at both sets of neighbors for being such complete and total jerks.
I just came from the University Commencement Meeting. I'd like for you to scatter this email to as many graduate students as you can. This is a fun (and stressful for the staff!) time to be at OSU!!
If you are graduating or planning on attending graduation, please check the following website as often as you can: http://gradcollege.okstate.edu/events/current/commencement.htm
or
http://osu.okstate.edu/commencement/
Here's the deal:
The Secret Service comes to campus on Monday, May 1st. When they arrive, they are in charge of securing campus for the President. Because we have invited the President of the United States to our commencement, we will be forfeiting doing things "our way" so that the Secret Service can keep him safe. The Secret Service is the security branch that cares for the President to make sure that he stays alive and safe. It is their job to be very protective.
Naturally, the Secret Service can't make decisions about what's safe for the President until they are here actually walking on our campus and checking for security breeches. That means that a lot of the decisions and details about Friday night and Saturday morning have to wait until they get here--which is only four days before commencement. When they get here, they will make decisions and then ask our administration to pass the word to the general public. The administration asks that you please visit the commencement webpages continuously for up-to-date information. When they know, they want you to know.
Please be patient with our administration because the White House does not share everything that it is doing. That should make sense. If they shared all their security plans, then someone could just recalculate how they want to breech them. Everything that OSU knows is posted on the websites for you to know.
Here are things we do know: *All graduates (undergraduate, masters, doctoral, veterinary...) are invited to Saturday morning's commencement. We will not have our individual names called and we will not walk across the stage, but they will confer degrees as we stand to our feet by colleges. In order to have your name called, you must attend the regular commencement exercises. Schedules are on the websites.
*There will be metal detectors and VERY limited permission to bring things in with you. We don't know if you will be able to bring cameras, binoculars, padded chairs... When we know, the website will state it.
*There will be roads blocked and alternate paths (kinda like game days) for transportation. We don't know which ones yet.
*Friday night's commencement will be as normal as possible, but the photo shoot and reception will not be in Gallagher-Iba. Plans are to have it in the Noble Research Center. We will be asked to vacate the building immediately after the ceremony. There is a chance that the Secret Service will ask us to move Friday night commencement to another location. Again, honoring graduates is the goal while keeping the President safe.
*There will be water bottles and special programs made available to graduates as they enter the stadium.
Here are some of the things that we don't know yet: *whether there needs to be tickets to get into Saturday mornings commencement. If a need for tickets arises, all details will be made known by the website. That's why it's important to keep visiting the website.
*details, details, and other details. Details will be made available when the Secret Service gets here. Be patient, be flexible, and CHECK THE WEBSITE!! :)