In a message sent to the Morgan State University community Sunday, President David K. Wilson addressed disruptions during Saturday’s undergraduate commencement ceremony, where he paused the program multiple times to speak directly to members of the Divine Nine organizations about their conduct on stage.
Wilson pledged that university officials will be ‘reviewing and updating our policies around ‘strolling’ during Commencement,’ adding that new guidance and restrictions are expected in the coming weeks.
Wilson’s remarks came in the wake of repeated interruptions by campus fraternity and sorority members as they received their diplomas, including a student member of the Board of Regents.
In the written address to the university, Wilson said, “For the first time in my tenure as President, I had to pause the ceremony on a couple of occasions to remind certain members of the graduating class—particularly those from a Divine Nine organization—that Commencement is a shared celebration.”
“It is not about any one group; it is about all graduates and the thousands of family members and friends gathered in support. As a proud member of a Divine Nine organization myself, I say unapologetically that their behavior did not reflect well on them—or on our University.”
During Saturday’s ceremony, Wilson directly admonished the conduct, saying “The (podium) stage is not built for that, and you are powering out the equipment. And that’s standing in the way of all your loved ones who are gathered here to watch their loved ones come across the stage. And so we understand that. So, let’s go forward and absolutely understand the serious nature of this ceremony so we can make sure that we’re celebrating everyone.”
His remarks, however, were met with audible boos from the crowd.
Despite Wilson’s comments, more individuals from Divine Nine organizations—including Jared Patterson, a student member of the Board of Regents who was graduating—continued the celebratory strolling across the stage, seemingly in defiance of the earlier warning.
Still, Wilson noted that the incident did not overshadow what he called one of the most ‘successful Commencement weeks Morgan has experienced in some time.’
