This week, the Center for Disease Control recommended that gatherings of 50 or more people be suspended for the next eight weeks in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus among Americans. This news comes as a disappointing shock to college seniors that were anticipating their upcoming graduation dates over the next few weeks. In an effort to preserve student experience amidst this difficult time, many universities have opted for remote virtual graduations that put student safety at the forefront this issue. At other schools, though, commencement ceremonies have been cancelled completely for senior students. As expected, these updates have been met with resistance from students who have been waiting four years to walk in their graduation ceremonies. In a response to these announcements, numerous students across the country have created multiple petitions through Change.org, where they are urging students from their community, as well as other communities, to sign in solidarity.
- University of California Irvine
-
Students at the University of California Irvine have created a petition in regard to how the administration has decided to cancel commencement. To assist UC Irvine students in this matter, you can sign the petition here.
- Fordham University
-
Fordham University’s administration is now offering senior students a virtual commencement ceremony. Students are urging their school to reconsider postponing this event into the summer as alternative. To assist FU students in this effort, you can sign the petition here.
- Bridgewater College
-
Students at Bridgewater College have started a petition addressed to their president in order to reschedule their commencement ceremony for senior students in place of a virtual ceremony. To assist BC students with this issue, you can sign the petition here.
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
-
Students at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are imploring its administration to reschedule their commencement ceremony for the class of 2020, as opposed to just mailing graduates their degrees. To help students at UIUC with this matter, you can sign the petition here.
- University of Colorado Boulder
-
Students at the University of Colorado Boulder is proposing to administration that they “postpone graduation to a time in the late summer or expand winter 2020 ceremonies and allow spring graduates to walk in December.” To assist UC Boulder students in this effort, you can sign the petition here.
- University of Tampa
-
Students at the University of Tampa are requesting that their administration move commencement to an alternative date later on in the year for senior students. To assist UT students with this matter, you can sign the petition here.
- Old Dominion University
-
Students at Old Dominion University are requesting that May 2020 graduates be granted the opportunity to participate in the December 2020 commencement ceremony, as a “better alternative to the virtual graduation” option. To assist ODU students in this effort, you can sign the petition here.
- University of Virginia
-
Students at the University of Virginia are asking their administration to postpone graduation to a later date as a “creative alternative.” To assist UV students in this matter, you can sign the petition here.
- Northeastern University
-
Students at Northeastern University have created a petition in response to the university’s new virtual graduation announcement. To assist NE students in this matter, you can sign the petition here.
- James Madison University
-
James Madison’s students are urging administration to postpone graduation for students on behalf of “JMU families, friends, faculty, staff, employees, and alumni.” To help JMU students with this matter, you can sign the petition here.
Unfortunately, there is no definitive timeline for when the coronavirus outbreaks will decline. Students across the country can only hope that their schools will find alternative options in place of the ones that are currently offered. Graduation is a milestone that all students look forward to from the moment they step on campus, and these unforeseen circumstances are halting their well-earned moment of recognition.