Difference between revisions of "Class Day"

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'''Class Day''' is like graduation, but not really ([[University Commencement]], at which students are formally conferred their degrees, is held on a separate day). These celebrations, held for each of Columbia's undergraduate schools, feature keynote speakers (usually alumni), and an occasion for students to have their names called out and walk across the stage. Their existence forces students' parents to spend an extra day or two dealing with their children's commencement. The upshot is that the ceremonies are more intimate and personal.
+
'''Class Day''' is like graduation, but not really ([[University Commencement]], at which students are formally conferred their [[degrees]], is held on a separate day). These celebrations, held for each of Columbia's schools, feature student speakers (usually class presidents and [[valedictorian]]s or [[salutatorian]]s, depending on the school) and keynote speakers (usually alumni), and an occasion for students to have their names called out, walk across the stage, and shake hands with the [[Dean]] and the [[University President|president]]. Their existence forces students' parents to spend an extra day or two dealing with their children's commencement. The upshot is that the ceremonies are more intimate and personal. Both the [[Columbia College]] and [[SEAS]] ceremony includes a [[Parade of Classes]].
  
−
==Speaker controversies==
+
Instead getting a [[diploma]], undergraduate students receive a [[Class Pin]] from members of the 50th reunion class of that year.
  
−
Speakers at recent [[Columbia College]] class days have stirred some conroversy. In [[2006]], Senator [[John McCain]] (whose daughter is [[CC]] [[2007|'07]]) spoke, and some students expressed disapproval arguing that he did not represent the political beliefs of most CC students. [[Matthew Fox]], a star of TV's ''Lost'', was the speaker for [[2007]], and was seen as an underwhelming or inappropriate choice for such a serious occasion, although his speech turned out well-received. These controversies generally involve petulant members of the senior class, who desire a meaningful close to their four year stint at the university, i.e. a charismatic intellectual celebrity.  
+
== History ==
 +
 
 +
The first class day for Columbia College was held in [[1865]].<ref>[http://spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/columbia?a=d&d=cs19640601-01.2.7]</ref>
 +
 
 +
The location of Class Days has shifted considerably over time, moving between indoor and outdoor locations. Columbia College Class Day was held in the [[University Gymnasium]] around [[1907]], on "the Green between [[Earl Hall|Earl]] and [[School of Mines|Mines]]" in [[1921]], and in [[McMillan Theater]] in [[1931]].<ref>http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F20C15FF3D5F157A93C0A9178DD85F458385F9</ref> In [[1938]], Class Day was held on the [[Van Am Quadrangle]]. In [[1943]], ceremonies moved indoors again, to [[Brander Matthews Hall]]. Over the years, Class Day exercises have gradually migrated to [[South Lawn]]. However, [[Barnard College|Barnard]]'s Class Days have often been held in [[Dodge Gym]]. In [[2024]], Class Days were moved to the [[Baker Athletic Complex]] as the [[Morningside Heights campus]] was sealed off as part of the fallout from the [[Gaza Solidarity Encampment]] clearance.
 +
 
 +
In [[1944]] due to "wartime difficulties," Class Day for Columbia College was held without cap and gown.
 +
 
 +
Although speeches have become the focal point of Class Day, in earlier years, prior to the establishment of the [[Academic Awards Ceremony]], the focus was on distributing prizes. In [[1941]], for example, there were no designated speakers at Columbia College Class Day other than University President [[Nicholas Murray Butler|Butler]], Dean [[Herbert Hawkes|Hawkes]], and the valedictorian and salutatorian.
 +
 
 +
In subsequent years a Senior Banquet was held on the same day, during which students would hear from an invited speaker, but the integrated Class Day speaker tradition did not begin until the later decades of the 20th century.
 +
 
 +
===Speaker Complaints===
 +
 
 +
Speakers at recent class days have stirred howls of complaint. Supposedly there is a rule the speaker must be an alumnus of their school, which accounts for Columbia's less famous speakers relative to our [[Ivy League|peer institutions]]. However, this rule has been ignored by CC when speakers such as novelist Ralph Ellison or Senator John McCain have agreed to speak, and does not apply to GS when the administration finds it convenient. Barnard does not have this rule.
 +
 
 +
In [[1991]], students circulated a petition hoping to disinvite [[1968 protests]] leader [[Juan Gonzalez]] as speaker; Gonzalez spoke anyway. Among the complaints were that literally no one apart from the class president could identify who Gonzalez was when the choice was announced.
 +
 
 +
In [[2006]], Senator [[John McCain]] (whose daughter is [[Columbia College|CC]] [[2007|'07]]) spoke, and some students expressed disapproval arguing that he did not represent the political beliefs of most CC students.  
 +
 
 +
[[Matthew Fox]], a star of TV's ''Lost'', was the speaker for [[2007]], and was seen as an underwhelming or inappropriate choice for such a serious occasion, although his speech turned out well-received. These controversies generally involve petulant members of the senior class, who desire a meaningful close to their four year stint at the university, i.e. a charismatic intellectual celebrity.
 +
 
 +
In [[2012]], controversy was ignited again when President [[Barack Obama]], a Columbia College alumnus, opted to speak at [[Barnard College]]'s Class Day, despite entreaties from CC.
  
 
== Class Day speakers ==
 
== Class Day speakers ==
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| '''[[General Studies]]'''
 
| '''[[General Studies]]'''
 
| '''[[Barnard College]]
 
| '''[[Barnard College]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[2024]]
 +
|[[Poppy Harlow]] '05CC
 +
|
 +
|[[Troy Murphy]] GS '16
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|[[2023]]
 +
|[[Katori Hall]] '03CC
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|[[2022]]
 +
|[[Tom Kitt]] '96CC
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|[[2021]]
 +
|[[Mario Van Peebles]] '78CC
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|[[2020]]
 +
|[[Rolando Acosta]] '79CC '82Law
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|[[2019]]
 +
|[[Brandon Victor Dixon]] '03CC
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|[[2018]]
 +
|[[Dede Gardner]] '90CC
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|[[2017]]
 +
|[[Sheena Wright]] '90CC '94 Law
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|[[2016]]
 +
|[[Dean Baquet]] '78CC
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|[[2015]]
 +
|[[Eric Garcetti]] '92CC '93 SIPA
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|[[2014]]
 +
|[[Dan Futterman]] '89CC
 +
|
 +
|[[Gale Brewer]] '97GS
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|[[2013]]
 +
|[[Terrence McNally]] '60CC
 +
|[[Robert Bakish]] '85SEAS, '89[[Business|BUS]]
 +
|[[Nicholas Dirks]]
 +
|[[w:Leymah Gbowee|Leymah Gbowee]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[2012]]
 +
|[[John MacArthur]] '78CC
 +
|[[Ursula Burns]] '82SEAS
 +
|[[Thomas Reardon]] '08GS
 +
|[[Barack Obama]] '83CC
 +
|-
 +
|[[2011]]
 +
|[[Alexandra Wallace Creed]] '88CC
 +
|[[Ralph Izzo]] '79SEAS
 +
|[[Roger Leeds]] '66GS
 +
|[[w:Sheryl Sandberg|Sheryl Sandberg]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[2010]]
 +
|[[Benjamin Jealous]] '94CC
 +
|[[Paul Brandt-Rauf]] '70, '74SEAS; '79[[College of Physicians and Surgeons|P&S]]; '87[[Mailman School of Public Health|PH]]
 +
|[[Jacques Pepin]] '70GS
 +
|[[w:Meryl Streep|Meryl Streep]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[2009]]
 +
|[[Eric Holder]] '73CC
 +
|[[James Albaugh]] '74SEAS M.S.
 +
|[[Philippe Reines]] '00GS
 +
|[[w:Hillary Clinton|Hillary Clinton]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[2008]]
 +
|[[Joel Klein]] '67CC
 +
|[[Armen A. Avanessians]] '83SEAS M.S.
 +
|[[Alicia Graf]] '03GS
 +
|[[w:Michael Bloomberg|Michael Bloomberg]]
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[2007]]
 
|[[2007]]
−
|[[Matthew Fox|Matthew C. Fox]] C '89
+
|[[Matthew Fox|Matthew C. Fox]] '89CC
−
|[[Santiago Calatrava]] Parent '06, '07
+
|[[Santiago Calatrava]] Parent '06, '07, '08, '09SEAS
−
|Deborah Marshall, GS '79
+
|Deborah Marshall, '79GS
 
|Anna Deavere Smith
 
|Anna Deavere Smith
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[2006]]
 
|[[2006]]
−
|[[John McCain]] Parent '07
+
|[[John McCain]] Parent '07CC
−
|Raymond P. Daddazio E '75
+
|[[Raymond P. Daddazio]] '75, '76, '82SEAS
−
|Antonio Luis Freitas GS '97
+
|Antonio Luis Freitas '97GS
−
|Francine du Plessix Gray BC '52
+
|[[Francine du Plessix Gray]] '52BC
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[2005]]
 
|[[2005]]
−
|[[Robert Kraft]] C '63
+
|[[Robert Kraft]] '63CC
−
|Mynoon Doro E '73
+
|Mynoon Doro '73SEAS
−
|Michael Margitich, GS '99
+
|Michael Margitich, '99GS
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[2004]]
 
|[[2004]]
−
|[[Tony Kushner]] C '78 [http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/jul04/cover.php]
+
|[[Tony Kushner]] '78CC [http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/jul04/cover.php]
−
|Savio Tung E '73
+
|[[Savio Tung]] '73SEAS; Parent '01SEAS, '11B
−
|
+
|[[Carlos Fedrigotti]], '73GS
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[2003]]
 
|[[2003]]
−
|[[George Stephanopoulos]] C '82 [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/vforum/03/cc_class_day/cc.ram]
+
|[[George Stephanopoulos]] '82CC [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/vforum/03/cc_class_day/cc.ram]
−
|Michael Massimino E '84 [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/vforum/03/seas_class_day/seas.ram]
+
|[[Michael Massimino]] '84SEAS [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/vforum/03/seas_class_day/seas.ram]
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[2002]]
 
|[[2002]]
−
|[[David J. Stern]] L '66 [http://www.college.columbia.edu/aboutcc/news/video_classday2002_stern_ref.php]
+
|[[David J. Stern]] '66L [http://www.college.columbia.edu/aboutcc/news/video_classday2002_stern_ref.php]
 
|Jeffrey Bleustein [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/vforum/02/seas_class_day/seas.ram]
 
|Jeffrey Bleustein [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/vforum/02/seas_class_day/seas.ram]
 
|
 
|
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|[[2001]]
 
|[[2001]]
 
|[[w:David Boies|David Boies]]
 
|[[w:David Boies|David Boies]]
−
|
+
|Russell Bassette
−
|R. W. Apple, Jr GS '61
+
|R. W. Apple, Jr '61GS
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[2000]]
 
|[[2000]]
−
|[[Brian Dennehy]] C '60
+
|[[Brian Dennehy]] '60CC
−
|
+
|[[Peter Slosberg]] '72SEAS; '74B; Parent '04SEAS
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[1999]]
 
|[[1999]]
−
|[[Claire Shipman]] C '86
+
|[[Claire Shipman]] '86CC
 
|[[David E. Shaw]]
 
|[[David E. Shaw]]
 
|
 
|
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|-
 
|-
 
|[[1998]]
 
|[[1998]]
−
|Judge [[Joseph A. Greenaway]] C '78
+
|Judge [[Joseph A. Greenaway]] '78CC
 
|Norman R. Augustine
 
|Norman R. Augustine
 
|
 
|
−
|Joyce Purnick BC '67
+
|Joyce Purnick '67BC
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[1997]]
 
|[[1997]]
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|David Marks
 
|David Marks
 
|
 
|
−
|[[Anna Quindlen]] BC '74
+
|[[Anna Quindlen]] '74BC
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[1996]]
 
|[[1996]]
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|[[1995]]
 
|[[1995]]
 
|[[w:Tom Brokaw|Tom Brokaw]]
 
|[[w:Tom Brokaw|Tom Brokaw]]
−
|Samuel L. Higginbottom C '43, E '43
+
|Samuel L. Higginbottom '43CC, '43SEAS
 
|
 
|
−
|[[Madeleine Albright]] GSAS '68, SIPA '76
+
|[[Madeleine Albright]] '68GSAS, '76SIPA
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[1994]]
 
|[[1994]]
−
|[[Fritz Stern]]
+
|[[Fritz Stern]] '46CC
 
|Eleanor Baum
 
|Eleanor Baum
 
|
 
|
 
|Sheila E. Widnall
 
|Sheila E. Widnall
 +
|-
 +
|[[1993]]
 +
|[[w:Marian Wright Edelman|Marian Wright Edelman]]
 +
|[[Anna K. Longobardo]] '49, '52SEAS
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|[[1992]]
 +
|[[w:Louis Harris|Louis Harris]]
 +
|Lee-Un Chung
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|[[1991]]
 +
|[[w:Juan Gonzalez (journalist)|Juan Gonzalez]] '98CC
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|[[1990]]
 +
|[[w:Ralph Ellison|Ralph Ellison]]
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|Madeleine Kunin
 +
|-
 +
|[[1989]]
 +
|[[Herman Wouk]] '34CC
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|[[Mary Gordon]] '71BC
 +
|-
 +
|[[1988]]
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[1987]]
 
|[[1987]]
 +
|[[w:Anthony Lewis|Anthony Lewis]]
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|Charles S. Robb
 +
|-
 +
|[[1986]]
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|[[Thomas Kean]] MA (TC)
 +
|-
 +
|[[1984]]
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|Vartan Gregorian
 +
|-
 +
|[[1983]]
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
−
|Charles S. Robb
+
|Mario Cuomo
 +
|-
 +
|[[1982]]
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|Carol Bellamy
 +
|-
 +
|[[1980]]
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|Shirley Hufstedler
 
|}
 
|}
  
 +
==Trivia==
 +
 +
*Part of [[James Russell]]'s valedictory speech was delivered in ancient Armenian
 +
*In [[2010]], the [[General Studies]] valedictorian, [[Brian Corman]], plagiarized part of his speech from comedian Patton Oswalt
 +
*In [[1961]], valedictorian [[John Vaio]] delivered the first Latin Valedictory at Columbia since 1901, while his classmates followed along with English translations.<ref>[http://spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/columbia?a=d&d=cs19610605-01.2.6 Exercises Today to Include Latin Valedictory Address], Columbia Spectator, 5 June 1961</ref><ref>Coincidentally, two months earlier Harvard had announced it would be issuing undergraduate diplomas in english, to great uproar. [https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2011/5/23/students-latin-ravenel-pusey/ As Diplomas Change from Latin to English, Students Join in Protest], Harvard Crimson, 23 May 2011. Columbia's undergraduate diplomas notably remain in Latin as of 2024.</ref>
  
 +
==References==
 +
<references/>
  
 
[[Category:Commencement]]
 
[[Category:Commencement]]

Latest revision as of 15:53, 7 May 2024

Class Day is like graduation, but not really (University Commencement, at which students are formally conferred their degrees, is held on a separate day). These celebrations, held for each of Columbia's schools, feature student speakers (usually class presidents and valedictorians or salutatorians, depending on the school) and keynote speakers (usually alumni), and an occasion for students to have their names called out, walk across the stage, and shake hands with the Dean and the president. Their existence forces students' parents to spend an extra day or two dealing with their children's commencement. The upshot is that the ceremonies are more intimate and personal. Both the Columbia College and SEAS ceremony includes a Parade of Classes.

Instead getting a diploma, undergraduate students receive a Class Pin from members of the 50th reunion class of that year.

History

The first class day for Columbia College was held in 1865.[1]

The location of Class Days has shifted considerably over time, moving between indoor and outdoor locations. Columbia College Class Day was held in the University Gymnasium around 1907, on "the Green between Earl and Mines" in 1921, and in McMillan Theater in 1931.[2] In 1938, Class Day was held on the Van Am Quadrangle. In 1943, ceremonies moved indoors again, to Brander Matthews Hall. Over the years, Class Day exercises have gradually migrated to South Lawn. However, Barnard's Class Days have often been held in Dodge Gym. In 2024, Class Days were moved to the Baker Athletic Complex as the Morningside Heights campus was sealed off as part of the fallout from the Gaza Solidarity Encampment clearance.

In 1944 due to "wartime difficulties," Class Day for Columbia College was held without cap and gown.

Although speeches have become the focal point of Class Day, in earlier years, prior to the establishment of the Academic Awards Ceremony, the focus was on distributing prizes. In 1941, for example, there were no designated speakers at Columbia College Class Day other than University President Butler, Dean Hawkes, and the valedictorian and salutatorian.

In subsequent years a Senior Banquet was held on the same day, during which students would hear from an invited speaker, but the integrated Class Day speaker tradition did not begin until the later decades of the 20th century.

Speaker Complaints

Speakers at recent class days have stirred howls of complaint. Supposedly there is a rule the speaker must be an alumnus of their school, which accounts for Columbia's less famous speakers relative to our peer institutions. However, this rule has been ignored by CC when speakers such as novelist Ralph Ellison or Senator John McCain have agreed to speak, and does not apply to GS when the administration finds it convenient. Barnard does not have this rule.

In 1991, students circulated a petition hoping to disinvite 1968 protests leader Juan Gonzalez as speaker; Gonzalez spoke anyway. Among the complaints were that literally no one apart from the class president could identify who Gonzalez was when the choice was announced.

In 2006, Senator John McCain (whose daughter is CC '07) spoke, and some students expressed disapproval arguing that he did not represent the political beliefs of most CC students.

Matthew Fox, a star of TV's Lost, was the speaker for 2007, and was seen as an underwhelming or inappropriate choice for such a serious occasion, although his speech turned out well-received. These controversies generally involve petulant members of the senior class, who desire a meaningful close to their four year stint at the university, i.e. a charismatic intellectual celebrity.

In 2012, controversy was ignited again when President Barack Obama, a Columbia College alumnus, opted to speak at Barnard College's Class Day, despite entreaties from CC.

Class Day speakers

Undergraduate School Speakers

Year Columbia College SEAS General Studies Barnard College
2024 Poppy Harlow '05CC Troy Murphy GS '16
2023 Katori Hall '03CC
2022 Tom Kitt '96CC
2021 Mario Van Peebles '78CC
2020 Rolando Acosta '79CC '82Law
2019 Brandon Victor Dixon '03CC
2018 Dede Gardner '90CC
2017 Sheena Wright '90CC '94 Law
2016 Dean Baquet '78CC
2015 Eric Garcetti '92CC '93 SIPA
2014 Dan Futterman '89CC Gale Brewer '97GS
2013 Terrence McNally '60CC Robert Bakish '85SEAS, '89BUS Nicholas Dirks Leymah Gbowee
2012 John MacArthur '78CC Ursula Burns '82SEAS Thomas Reardon '08GS Barack Obama '83CC
2011 Alexandra Wallace Creed '88CC Ralph Izzo '79SEAS Roger Leeds '66GS Sheryl Sandberg
2010 Benjamin Jealous '94CC Paul Brandt-Rauf '70, '74SEAS; '79P&S; '87PH Jacques Pepin '70GS Meryl Streep
2009 Eric Holder '73CC James Albaugh '74SEAS M.S. Philippe Reines '00GS Hillary Clinton
2008 Joel Klein '67CC Armen A. Avanessians '83SEAS M.S. Alicia Graf '03GS Michael Bloomberg
2007 Matthew C. Fox '89CC Santiago Calatrava Parent '06, '07, '08, '09SEAS Deborah Marshall, '79GS Anna Deavere Smith
2006 John McCain Parent '07CC Raymond P. Daddazio '75, '76, '82SEAS Antonio Luis Freitas '97GS Francine du Plessix Gray '52BC
2005 Robert Kraft '63CC Mynoon Doro '73SEAS Michael Margitich, '99GS
2004 Tony Kushner '78CC [2] Savio Tung '73SEAS; Parent '01SEAS, '11B Carlos Fedrigotti, '73GS
2003 George Stephanopoulos '82CC [3] Michael Massimino '84SEAS [4]
2002 David J. Stern '66L [5] Jeffrey Bleustein [6]
2001 David Boies Russell Bassette R. W. Apple, Jr '61GS
2000 Brian Dennehy '60CC Peter Slosberg '72SEAS; '74B; Parent '04SEAS
1999 Claire Shipman '86CC David E. Shaw
1998 Judge Joseph A. Greenaway '78CC Norman R. Augustine Joyce Purnick '67BC
1997 Jonathan Kozol David Marks Anna Quindlen '74BC
1996 Robert Rubin Y.D. Kim Joseph Califano
1995 Tom Brokaw Samuel L. Higginbottom '43CC, '43SEAS Madeleine Albright '68GSAS, '76SIPA
1994 Fritz Stern '46CC Eleanor Baum Sheila E. Widnall
1993 Marian Wright Edelman Anna K. Longobardo '49, '52SEAS
1992 Louis Harris Lee-Un Chung
1991 Juan Gonzalez '98CC
1990 Ralph Ellison Madeleine Kunin
1989 Herman Wouk '34CC Mary Gordon '71BC
1988
1987 Anthony Lewis Charles S. Robb
1986 Thomas Kean MA (TC)
1984 Vartan Gregorian
1983 Mario Cuomo
1982 Carol Bellamy
1980 Shirley Hufstedler

Trivia

  • Part of James Russell's valedictory speech was delivered in ancient Armenian
  • In 2010, the General Studies valedictorian, Brian Corman, plagiarized part of his speech from comedian Patton Oswalt
  • In 1961, valedictorian John Vaio delivered the first Latin Valedictory at Columbia since 1901, while his classmates followed along with English translations.[3][4]

References

  1. ↑ [1]
  2. ↑ http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F20C15FF3D5F157A93C0A9178DD85F458385F9
  3. ↑ Exercises Today to Include Latin Valedictory Address, Columbia Spectator, 5 June 1961
  4. ↑ Coincidentally, two months earlier Harvard had announced it would be issuing undergraduate diplomas in english, to great uproar. As Diplomas Change from Latin to English, Students Join in Protest, Harvard Crimson, 23 May 2011. Columbia's undergraduate diplomas notably remain in Latin as of 2024.
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