Thesis submission deadlines
In order for a masters-thesis student to walk in the May commencement ceremony, we have to submit our thesis by April 11th (Standard May check-out). This is an entire month earlier than commencement. For early summer checkout, the thesis needs to be submitted by May 5th, and this option allows the student to walk in the December commencement, not in the May commencement.
I went to Mines in undergrad, and was the class of 2020, so I did not get a graduation ceremony, and didn't participate in the late ceremony, since I was getting a grad degree. I know this is something "superficial" and I will still get my degree, but I've been at Mines for 6 years, and it's been a lot of hard work that I would love to celebrate with my family and friends. Completing the thesis by April 11th is an insane, unreasonable deadline, and no one who plans to complete a masters-thesis in two years is able to meet this deadline. The early May deadline is completely reasonable to submit a thesis in the given timeframe, and an early may thesis submission should be allowed to walk in the May ceremony. Many graduated students that I've talked to never participated in their commencement ceremony because when they've finished their work in May, many students get jobs in other locations and why come back to Mines 7 months later just to walk across a stage? Celebrating the hard work 7 months later just doesn't feel the same as celebrating when the work has been completed.
The masters thesis submission deadlines should be changed so that submitting a thesis in late April or early May will allow the student to walk in the May commencement ceremony.