Forgo selfies, graduates told

Bryant University in Rhode Island has told its graduating seniors not to take selfies when they get onstage for their diplomas in May.

“We have about 850 graduates, and we have a professional photographer snapping their picture when they shake my hand and get their diploma,” said Ronald Machtley, the president of Bryant. “I don’t think their mom and dad and grandma want to get a picture of them holding up their cellphone.”

Last year, some graduates used their phones to take pictures of their big moment, and the commencement committee worried that this year everyone would do the same, slowing down the ceremony.

This is hardly a war on social media, however. While the parents are waiting for the ceremony to begin, students will be encouraged to post messages - “Thanks, Mom and Dad” was suggested - to an online site that will aggregate them with a Bryant graduation hashtag.

And when the president and his wife welcome the graduating class to their home in the lead-up to commencement, there will be plenty of time for selfies. “I’ll stand there with anyone who wants one,” the president said.

Machtley counts 2,200 of Bryant’s 3,300 students among his Twitter followers. The no-selfie policy was issued via the app Snapchat.

Front Section, Pages 6 on 04/27/2014

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