Few may know that, following the recent UK Winter Commencement, UK held another ceremony shortly afterward in Memorial Hall, during which three graduates of UK as well as the Army ROTC program were commissioned as officers in the U.S. Army.

What amazed me while I sat through the 20-minute ceremony was that not a single member of UK’s senior leadership was in attendance.

I cannot understand a reason as to why President Lee Todd or at least the dean of College of Arts and Sciences (the college that ROTC falls under) could not be in attendance. What shocked me more so is that neither of these people could find time to even send a letter congratulating these young men for their accomplishments and commitment to the country and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Is President Todd’s schedule that busy? Can he not take 20 minutes out of his day to make an appearance at the ceremony? At least he should notice such a momentous occasion in several of his students’ lives. For that matter, has President Todd shown any interest at all in student affairs?

To me, this just serves to emphasize the fact that this university does not place any importance on student affairs, nor does it pay any attention to student activities, and until it does so, how can it ever hope to achieve top-20 status?

Forrest Holdsworth

Civil engineering senior