ISU students graduating in December received approval through e-mail Wednesday, as they were unable to get needed approval at Tuesday’s Faculty Senate meeting because of the lack of senators in attendance.

Jack Girton, president of the Faculty Senate, said the senate was unable to approve the graduation list Tuesday because only 32 senators showed up due to poor weather.

To hold an official Faculty Senate meeting, 44 senators must be present.

The graduation list is usually approved at the Faculty Senate meeting immediately before commencement, but this year the votes came on Wednesday via an electronic ballot that was sent to all of the senators, Girton said.

Students are not allowed to graduate until the Faculty Senate approves the list, Girton said.

Faculty Senate members accessed a program that shows whether the graduating individual has been certified by the registrar and their adviser, meaning they met all of the requirements for their degree, he said.

Girton said the Faculty Senate has had to approve the graduation list via e-mail in previous years. “We had this happen one time in the spring and it was a real problem,” he said.

“Senators had left for break already so we made a special effort [to get the graduation list approved].”

As of noon on Wednesday, 51 senators had approved the graduation list, which is a majority vote, he said. President Gregory Geoffroy will receive a formal announcement from Girton that approves the graduation list.

— Emily Oliver