COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — After a flood of complaints, Ohio State University says it will issue tickets for six guests instead of four to graduates participating in the May commencement ceremony featuring President Barack Obama.
OSU faced a backlash after limiting each graduate to four tickets for the May 5 ceremony at Ohio Stadium. But officials now say more people can be accommodated because the athletic department decided to reschedule some maintenance work at the stadium.
The Columbus Dispatch (http://bit.ly/YX9Jnb ) reports that many students were disappointed by the original limit. Some made desperate pleas for additional tickets on Facebook, and more than 500 graduating seniors signed an online petition.
Obama will be the third sitting U.S. president to speak at an OSU commencement. George W. Bush spoke in 2002, and Gerald Ford in 1974.
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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com
