For the first time, Texas A&M University will host an additional graduation ceremony for students belonging to the school's GLBT (unlike most, A&M puts the G before the L) Resource Center. The event will be called "Lavender Graduation," Campus Reform reported.

Because the GLBT Resource Center is a member of the Offices of the Dean of Student Life, it receives funding from the school -- meaning so will it's Lavender Graduation. Money allocated to an extra graduation ceremony for only certain individuals has drawn some criticism around campus -- especially in light of GLBT's perceived message.

"I just don't see the necessity," Joseph Francis, a senior history major at the university, told Campus Reform. "Why should certain students be celebrated 'more' just because of their sexuality? I could also see it as somewhat demeaning...what if there was a 'special graduation ceremony' for disabled people, or black people, or white people? The student body is diverse, and that's a great thing which should be commended, but I don't see how a ceremony like this merits endorsement by the university."

Also speaking to Campus Reform, junior political science major Chris Woolsey was even more explicit in his critique.

"Texas A&M should not be using mandatory student fees to support a GLBT Resource Center, which is used to push a one-sided sexual worldview," he said. "This Lavender Graduation is one such example of Texas A&M using student money for political activism."

Dean of Student Life Anne Reber, however, pointed out that many clubs and organizations at A&M hold extra graduation ceremonies for their members. Sidney Gardner, program coordinator for the GLBT Resource Center, further underscored the event's significance, noting she'll try to keep the budget under $1,000.

The commencement speaker, Phyllis Frye, wasn't ready to downplay the ceremony. Frye is the first transgender judge in Texas as well as a graduate of A&M. That such a highly regarded public figure would speak at an auxiliary graduation ceremony indicates her belief in the day's importance. So does her statement to Campus Reform below.

"This is a significant event and the first of its kind on this campus," she said.