Delta College has reduced the number of commencement tickets per graduate from five to three, citing limited seating and a sharp increase in participation for this year’s ceremony.
In an email sent to graduates at 9:54 pm on April 21, the college said the change was effective immediately and attributed the decision to a “144% increase in graduates planning to participate compared to last year” at Adventist Health Arena, where commencement is scheduled to take place on May 14.
Adventist Health Arena, according to venue specifications, has a seating capacity of roughly 11,800 to 12,000 for large events.
Students who already picked up five tickets will be allowed to keep them, but all remaining ticket distributions will be capped at three per graduate.
The college said the adjustment is intended to allow as many graduates as possible to attend.
“We understand this is disappointing news,” the email stated. “Please know that this change is being made to accommodate as many graduates as possible.”
The change has sparked frustration among students, particularly those with larger families or who must travel to campus to pick up tickets.
“I am so upset I can’t even describe,” Alexandria Roseva Jackson wrote in a Delta College Facebook group. “First it was five, now it’s three. People have divorced parents and kids — if I have more than three, someone can’t watch me walk? It’s ridiculous.”
Posts across the group show students scrambling to secure additional tickets, with some asking classmates to donate extras and others attempting to purchase them despite the college’s warning against ticket sales due to prevalence of scams.
Delta officials said friends and family members who are unable to attend in person will be able to watch the ceremony through a livestream, which will also be available afterward on the college’s commencement website.
The policy change comes as demand for commencement tickets appears to outpace available seating, raising questions among students about whether current limits reflect the needs of graduating families.
