Compared with years of (some) surly professors, nonexistent parking, and ARAMARK food, taking 30 seconds to fill out a one-page form doesn’t seem like much of a barrier to getting a diploma.
However, many seniors risk delay in receiving their diplomas by not filling out an application for degree form on time.
Senior Kyle O’Connell barely made the Feb. 16 deadline.
“I didn’t know about it for a long time. Then Chris [a fellow student] told me about it. I was like, holy shit I didn’t know about it,” said O’Connell.
Seniors who still have not filled out the form should do so immediately, according to Registrar Steven Rand.
“The vast majority of seniors do get the forms in on time, well over half, but a significant amount, over 100, don’t. It doesn’t cause problems for the University, it causes problems for the graduating senior,” said Rand.
Seniors who do not get the forms in quickly risk having their names not appear in the commencement program. They could also experience a one to six week delay in receiving their diplomas in the mail, according to Rand.
“Some seniors need to be graduated in the summer to get jobs. Some might be trying to get into grad school,” he said.
The forms are easy to obtain. They can be picked up at the Registrar’s Office in Gorham, at the Advising Services Office and Information Center in Portland as well as on the USM home page.
Graduating seniors who have Stafford or Perkins loans also have to sign up for an exit interview concerning their loan before graduating, and should contact the above offices for more information.
Staff Writer John McCarthy can be contacted at: [email protected].