UCLA’s 2020 Commencement Ceremony Will Be Held Virtually Because Of The Coronavirus
Many big events in and out of the country have been postponed and even canceled due to the novel coronavirus. On Wednesday, UCLA announced that this year’s commencement ceremonies will be done virtually in order to reduce the spread of the virus (COVID-19.)
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The school’s Chancellor, Gene D. Block, explained in a press release,
“As we all work to limit the spread of COVID-19, it has become increasingly clear that we will not be able to gather in person for spring 2020 commencement ceremonies, so the College commencement, doctoral hooding ceremony and all campus graduation ceremonies will be adapted to be virtual events.”
The virtual ceremony for the College will be held on June 12, and will still feature a keynote speaker. However, that has yet to be announced. This move also comes shortly after the university had already announced that all classes were transitioned to remote learning for the rest of the spring quarter, which ends in June.
“The College will offer new opportunities to connect our graduates in a variety of ways that further enhance the virtual event,” the press release said.
“Please remember that, even for an event as momentous as commencement, the day does not define the journey. We will work diligently to make graduation as special as possible for all of our students and all of your loved ones. Even when we are apart, we remain deeply connected as Bruins, and I look forward to celebrating your accomplishments this spring,” the press release concluded.
While this move is to help protect students from the virus which has killed tens of thousands globally, a Change.org petition, however, called for the university to postpone its commencement ceremonies instead of holding them virtually.
“We did not work this hard to have an online graduation. Please sign this petition to have UCLA move to postpone it instead so that we can have our graduation, the thing we’ve been looking forward to for the last 2-4 years, on a day where we can all gather together versus an online ceremony that will not honor all our achievements. I know this sucks, but we can wait,” wrote the petition’s organizer, Tara Ostad.
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