Postpone the Cancellation of In-Person Graduation and Look at Alternative Solutions

Recently students were made aware that the University had cancelled in-person graduation ceremonies. Whilst it is understood that it is necessary to put public health first; the decision was made extremely hastily.

Throughout the entire pandemic, the University has followed government advice, yet this one event that many of us had been looking forward to is a decision the University has taken months in advance.

The University should not cancel in-person Graduation until it is much closer to July and also look at options such as hosting the graduation ceremony outdoors, where it will be much easier to follow social distancing guidelines.

I believe the decision to cancel graduation has been taken as such an early date due to the fact that planning it and putting in extra work to try to make it a reality would involve a large amount of work on the Universities part.

If the public health situation and government guidance by the Summer meant that an in-person graduation ceremony was not doable, students would no doubt accept this if that situation arises.