Rutgers' New Brunswick grads: Keep Camden and Newark students out

Rutgers University's New Brunswick commencement ceremony next month - with President Obama as speaker - will be ticketed for crowd control, which is riling some college seniors who say they now have to decide whom to invite.

Each of the 12,000 graduating Rutgers-New Brunswick students is being offered three guest tickets for the May 15 event at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway.

Rutgers-Camden and Rutgers-Newark students also are being invited to attend the ceremony as guests, which has made some New Brunswick students angry.

"We want our families to see us graduate, an incredible accomplishment in our lives, but we are only granted 3 tickets for graduation, because Rutgers Camden/Newark are going to be attending as well," reads an online petition that had 1,156 supporters Friday afternoon.

More tickets would be available, the petition reads, except Rutgers president Robert L. Barchi "wants to share this incredible opportunity to hear Obama speak, with non-New Brunswick students."

A Rutgers spokesman rejected that idea, saying they university is not taking seats away from New Brunswick students. Rutgers is ticketing the event for the first time because of Obama, he said.

"This year, because of the historic nature of commencement, there is limited space," said spokesman Greg Trevor.

He noted that the university is setting up alternative viewing options, including an online stream.

Camden and Newark students are being invited to attend the ceremony "because it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for members of the Rutgers community," Trevor said.

Obama's speech will be the first time a sitting president delivers a commencement address to Rutgers graduates.

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