COMMENCEMENT 1989

Cal State Long Beach held nine ceremonies over a three-day period to celebrate its 40th annual commencement.

Nearly 4,300 students received diplomas beginning Wednesday at graduations for the schools of humanities, engineering and applied arts and sciences. Thursday’s graduations were for business administration, social and behavioral sciences and natural sciences. Friday’s covered fine arts, education and the center for public policy and administration.

John Sikula, dean of the School of Education, delivered the keynote address at his school’s ceremony. He told the graduates: “We must stop being our own worst enemies, and we need to mobilize to increase teacher salaries and working conditions, to reduce class sizes, to individualize instruction, to update curriculum, to integrate multicultural learning experiences and to build stronger connections between the home, school, university and community. The ways and means to more effective schools have been clear for some time. What is no longer clear is America’s commitment to educational excellence. This can be revived, but not without your help.”

Other Graduations:

Cal State Dominguez Hills featured Bill Davila, president and spokesman for Vons Companies Inc., as the keynote speaker at its 22nd commencement Friday evening in the 7-Eleven Olympic Velodrome on campus. More than 1,800 degrees were conferred.

Cal State Northridge held its 31st commencement Friday at the Hollywood Bowl. Dr. Haing S. Ngor, the Cambodian physician whose experiences were depicted in the film “The Killing Fields,” delivered the keynote address. Degrees were conferred on about 4,650 students.