Are you
planning on graduating? Be warned – some schools are now incorporating a “Pledge
of Social Responsibility.” Weird, right?!
Bates
College in Lewiston, Maine is one example of a school incorporating this into
their graduation ceremony. Here’s their version of a “Social Responsibility”
pledge:
“I,
_____________________________, pledge to explore and take into account the
social and environmental consequences of any job I consider and will try to
improve these aspects of any organizations for which I work.”
This “pledge”
is strange on a number of levels. What do they mean by “… social and environmental
consequences of any job I consider?” Are they making students pledge not to
commute more than 15 minutes to work? And what about “… and will try and
improve these aspects of any organization for which I work?” Are they asking
students, as entry level employees, to start trying to influence an
organization’s energy consumption? It’s very ominous.
Granted,
there is no real way of knowing what this pledge means exactly. All I know is
if I was graduating, I would not raise my hand and recite a pledge so devoid of
meaning and substance.
Does your
school’s graduation ceremony include a pledge similar to this? Let us know!
Bates College has put their Baccalaureate
Service schedule online, which is where the “Graduation Pledge of Social
Responsibility” can be found. You can view it by clicking
here. (Page 3)
