UCLA Backtracks On Replacing In-Person Commencement Ceremonies With 'Virtual Events'
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — UCLA has backtracked on announcements canceling the university's in-person commencement ceremonies due to the coronavirus pandemic.
UCLA Chancellor Gene D. Block announced Thursday that university officials will consult with student leadership before making a decision on the fate of its spring 2020 commencement ceremonies.
On Wednesday, Block announced that the school will hold virtual events for the graduating class in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
"In these unprecedented times, we are guided by our goal of protecting the safety of our Bruin community," Block wrote in a message to the campus community Thursday.
"But we should have known the impact this decision would make, especially during this tense time, and we should have listened first. For this, I apologize."
UCLA "will be connecting with our student leadership, including the Undergraduate Students Association Council and Graduate Students Association, so that we can make these decisions together," Block wrote.
"We are committed to giving all of our students the commencement they deserve. We should have known the tremendous impact that this decision would have on our students and their loved ones and friends. We will do better to include these important voices going forward."
On Tuesday, UCLA announced that a student tested positive for COVID-19.
The school said the individual is a student who lives in off-campus, non-university-owned housing and was receiving proper care at a local hospital.
The news comes just one day after the school announced that a staff member tested positive for the illness.
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