Coronavirus: UCLA Cancels In-Person Graduation Ceremonies, Instead Will Hold 'Virtual Events'
WESTWOOD (CBSLA) — The University of California Los Angeles will not hold in-person commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the university's chancellor announced Wednesday.
Instead, the school will hold virtual events for the graduating class.
"As we all work to limit the spread of COVID-19, it has become increasingly clear that we will not be able to gather in person for spring 2020 commencement ceremonies," Chancellor Gene Block said in a statement. "So the college commencement, doctoral hooding ceremony and all campus graduation ceremonies will be adapted to be virtual events."
On June 12, 2020, the university will hold "an engaging virtual ceremony" with more details to be announced, "as soon as we are able."
The ceremony will feature a keynote speaker, whose name was said to be announced soon.
"Our decisions to transition to remote learning and suspend all nonessential events of any size through the end of the spring quarter have been driven entirely by our desire to protect the health and safety of our community, which includes all of the family and friends who would have joined us at our commencement ceremonies," Block said.
On Tuesday night, 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.
