Few freshmen attended the freshmen convocation Friday, to President Jem Spectar’s apparent disappointment.

The convocation was held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Pasquerilla Center auditorium.

The convocation was intended to replace the one traditionally held during freshmen orientation.

Freshman Alsadan Alquraini attended the convocation. She estimated 25 freshmen were there, along with a few resident assistants and three student government association members.

Alquraini said Spectar unhappy with the turn out. He reportedly said he was disappointed in the entire student body—not just freshmen—for not attending.

Spectar also reportedly apologized to the faculty for having to make time for a sparsely attended event.

According to Alquraini, Spectar told students not only to be present in classes, but to have a passion to learn and to seek knowledge.

He recommended  students take notes whenever they have an academic conversation with a professor.

Alquraini said she attended the convocation because she felt obliged. She said she was also reminded by her roommate and her University Scholarship instructor.

She guesses there was a low attendance because it was a Friday and students were hyped about homecoming.

She also said students did not prioritize the convocation and didn’t feel an urgency to attend.

Freshman Allena McCloud said she did not attend the convocation because she had an English class with Professor Ann Rea at the time.

McCloud said she would not have attended even if classes were canceled.

“There are still parties and more events to go to rather than convocation,” she said.

If classes were canceled, McCloud said, students may have realized the convocation was important, but she guesses it would not have changed many students’ decision to not attend.