Students from the New Brunswick campus are upset that they will be limited to three tickets. Watch video
NEW BRUNSWICK -- Despite the impending deadline to register guests, some students who attended the annual Rutgers Day event on the main campus were still hoping for changes in how tickets are being distributed for the Rutgers University commencement ceremony featuring President Barack Obama.
What was supposed to be the highlight of the commencement has caused some students to criticize the university about its decision to distribute tickets to graduates from Rutgers' two other campuses in Camden and Newark.
The university has invited graduating students from Rutgers-Newark and Rutgers-Camden to sit in the stands.
The university says that even if Rutgers-Newark and Rutgers-Camden graduates were not invited to attend the ceremony, the stadium wouldn't have enough room to accommodate an extra guest ticket for each Rutgers New-Brunswick graduate. The 12,000 New Brunswick campus graduates have been given three tickets each.
"The ticket situation kind of frustrates me," said Britney Alcine, 22, a music education major. "I have family coming from all over the country that was planning to see me graduate...now that I can only bring three, that doesn't even cover my immediate family."
Leora Brenowitz, 25, graduating with a Master's in Education, said all students should get a shot at seeing the outgoing president.
"I feel like students from all campuses should be allowed to be in a lottery or pool so that it kind of makes it even for Camden, Newark and New Brunswick students that are graduating to have a chance to see the president," Brenowitz said.
The May 15 ceremony at High Point Solutions Stadium is for undergraduate and graduate students who are earning a degree from Rutgers-New Brunswick and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences.
The university said people without a ticket can watch the ceremony at the College Avenue, Busch and Livingston student centers. The commencement will also be live-streamed online and simulcast of RU-TV, Miranda said.
"Graduating students of Rutgers-New Brunswick and RBHS are not being deprived of a ticket because other graduating students are attending," spokesman EJ Miranda told NJ Advance Media this week.
Student's have taken to the University's Facebook page to blast the move and started a petition to allow only New Brunswick Students at the ceremony.
Students have until May 4, to let the university know who they plan to bring to Obama's commencement speech, the university announced Friday.
Over 100,000 people swarmed the three campuses to celebrate the eighth annual Rutgers Day.
Fausto Giovanny Pinto may be reached at fpinto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @FGPreporting. Find NJ.com on Facebook.