UNC System graduation ceremonies won’t happen as planned because of coronavirus
Graduating students at UNC System schools will not be walking across the stage to receive their diplomas this spring because of the ongoing threat of the coronavirus pandemic, UNC System interim President Bill Roper announced at a special board meeting Friday.
“We believe that spring graduation ceremonies will be disrupted, and it’s time to make alternative plans,” Roper said. “I know and understand that this will disappoint our students and their families who have worked so hard toward this goal for so many years.”
But the health and safety of students, staff and faculty are the top priority, Roper said. He cited guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to cancel or postpone events with 50 people or more for eight weeks, which reaches into commencement season.
“We’re in the midst of a very serious health crisis,” Roper said. “It’s going to get worse before it gets better.”
There will not be one way of doing graduation for the system, and chancellors will make plans for how to celebrate at individual universities.
Roper also said other universities have made the move, including Duke University. Duke postponed commencement ceremonies earlier this week amid dozens of reported cases of coronavirus connected to the school.
UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz sent a letter to the Carolina community Friday expressing his regret to have to postpone all commencement ceremonies and his personal disappointment as the parent of a graduating senior.
“I know that our undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional students have looked forward to this day for a long time,” Guskiewicz said. “Commencement is the culmination of years of hard work from not just students, but their families and other loved ones.”
“However, protecting the health, safety and well-being of our campus community, the region, our state and the nation is our first priority,” he said.
Universities consider other options
UNC-CH will send out a survey to all members of the Class of 2020 to get their opinions about alternative dates and other options, which will inform leaders’ decisions on the future celebration.
N.C. State University Chancellor Randy Woodson announced the “difficult decision” to postpone all spring 2020 commencement exercises, a few days after the system-wide announcement. Woodson did not give a new date, but assured students that the delay will not impact the completion of their degree requirements and they will still graduate on time.
UNC-Charlotte announced it will also postpone the May commencement ceremony. The university is considering in-person ceremony options in either August or December and those plans should be finalized by May.
East Carolina University is currently “working on plans and logistics” for its ceremonies.
Western Carolina University will reschedule commencement ceremonies and said it will make plans for those events by April 3.
Students and parents should check for communications from university leaders about how their school will alter plans for upcoming commencement ceremonies.
UNC-CH has reported one employee tested positive for COVID-19, but no other UNC System universities have reported cases on campus for students or employees.
Doctor addresses UNC System board
UNC System board members heard from Dr. David Weber about the most recent developments of the coronavirus as it continues to spread across North Carolina and worldwide. Weber is a professor of medicine, pediatrics and epidemiology and associate chief medical officer of UNC Health Care.
Weber warned that the state, which has more than 160 reported cases, could see four times that number by the end of next week.
He said the number of cases will peak in four to twelve weeks and social distancing will continue for four to six weeks after that.
With community transmission in North Carolina, which means the spread isn’t tied to a definite person, the system’s universities might not be back to normal operations until August.
Weber said he expects it will be 8 to 20 weeks before places like restaurants, hotels and sports venues re-open.
Given the severity of this public health crisis, committee chair Temple Sloan asked for a special motion to table all items voted on by the budget and finance committee Thursday.
Sloan said he believes the more prudent action is to reconvene committee members within the next two weeks to create a coronavirus relief package and request for the state legislature, review potential refunds for students and make a request for an enhanced online learning package.
The board voted to pass that motion.
Board members Marty Kotis brought up a few concerns, including students whose lives are riddled with uncertainty and anxiety as they navigate the semester financially. He noted many students rely on their universities for housing, food and a job.
Roper said in his report that the system should be able to make decisions on refunds for housing and meal expenses, as well as grading procedures, next week.
“It’s surely understandable that people want their money refunded,” Roper said.
Considerations about housing and meal refunds
But they need to consider how much money will be returned, how they will get students the money, how this impacts students who have taken out loans and who that money goes back to, among other things, Roper said.
“These are substantial and real issues,” Roper said. “We’re working them aggressively.”
Roper said he understands that many students can only access online course resources, housing and food on campus.
“We will continue to serve those students,” Roper said.
The system will ensure those who remain have facilities that are safe and that effective quarantine or isolation plans are in place. Roper said leaders across the system are working together and adapting quickly to the rapid changes that this global pandemic is causing.
All universities have recalled students traveling abroad, postponed large gatherings and events on campus, canceled university-sponsored travel outside North Carolina and suspended in-person instruction to transition to remote or online classes.
Roper said the academic switch is progressing well and more than 95% of UNC System classes are now ready for online instruction.
Universities are also continuing to reduce the number of students on campus, which is now down to about 10% of students, Roper said. Schools limited university housing and dining options and now require students to seek permission to stay on campus in an effort to help prevent the spread of the virus. Students are expected to move off campus by March 23.
Board member Anna Nelson said the number of students on each of the 17 campuses ranges from zero to 150, depending on the size of the institution.
Amid this crisis, four universities are searching for chancellors. The board is expecting a list of finalists for UNC-Charlotte in March and at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in April. The search timelines at East Carolina University and Fayetteville State University have been delayed, but the board expects to have chancellors named at those universities for the fall 2020 semester.
The board’s next scheduled meeting had been April 16 and 17 at UNC Pembroke, but that trip has been postponed to next year.
If you or someone you know has been affected by the coronavirus at a university, including international students, please contact higher education reporter Kate Murphy at kamurphy@newsobserver.com.
This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 11:05 AM.
