UIS cancels commencement ceremonies amid coronavirus pandemic
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The University of Illinois System announced that the commencement ceremonies had been canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. The ceremonies were scheduled at the Springfield, Chicago, and Urbana-Champaign campuses of the UIS in May 2020. The UIS officials said that they were looking for alternative options.
The diplomas will be mailed to the students, according to the announcement. The UIS said that they were looking for other options including organizing virtual ceremonies to honor the Class of 2020. The officials said that they had not decided anything yet. The UIS leadership will stay in contact with the students and parents in the upcoming days.
The announcement stated that the UIS officials did not want that to happen. The UIS knows the importance of commencement ceremonies for the students, parents, and families. It is the core mission of the UIS to organize the commencement ceremonies each year. The commencement ceremony provides an opportunity for the graduates and their parents, families, and friends to celebrate.
The UIS said that the commencement ceremonies gather a lot of people at a single place. The federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has already given clear instructions to avoid large gatherings. The UIS said that they canceled the ceremonies on the recommendations of the CDC. The new CDC guidelines clearly stated that the larger gatherings were needed to be postponed or canceled for at least the next eight weeks.
The commencement ceremonies were scheduled in May. According to the CDC guidelines, these ceremonies are needed to be canceled or postponed. The UIS said, “We know you share the goal of those restrictions.” It is important for all of us to protect ourselves, our friends, and our families. The UIS added, “We are proud of your sacrifice and success.” The UIS announced that they would find a new way to honor the achievements of its students.
