Fayetteville Today

Although walking across a stage in a cap and gown to be handed a diploma is just a ceremony, it represents an achievement that most students like to celebrate. 

This year, though, supply-chain disruptions have put a damper on graduation plans at some universities.

Fayetteville State University (FSU) is one of the schools affected.

"We cannot participate in these ceremonies that we worked so hard to get to this point in our career and in our journey,” graduate student Bobbie Burks told WRAL, referencing both a hooding ceremony and graduation. “We won't be able to celebrate.” 

The problem is that Herff Jones, one of the country’s major suppliers of caps and gowns, is behind schedule for delivering the items.

“Our singular focus is ensuring every student has a cap and gown to walk across the stage for graduation,” Jeff Blade, company president, said, as reported by WRAL. “Regrettably, Herff Jones is not immune to the supply-chain disruptions and labor shortages realities across the country. These factors have caused us to fall behind schedule and, in some cases, miss scheduled delivery dates. And for that, we are deeply sorry.”

Herff Jones will send refunds to those students who are unable to get their orders on time, but it will take weeks to get the money, WRAL reported.

To the students, it’s about more than money; it’s about missing out on the ritual of graduation.

“The last thing that you want to be stressed out about is ‘I scraped [by],’ or even if you didn’t scrape, you paid for this,” Burks said.

Herff Jones apologized for not being able to deliver the items on time.

“We understand the disappointment your students are experiencing at the culmination of their education and the frustration this is creating for all involved,” the company said.

FSU is holding its hood ceremony on Thursday, with graduation set for Saturday. School administrators asked students who are having issues with caps and gowns to get in touch with the campus book store, WRAL reported.