The University of Delaware’s Class of 2020 will wait even longer for its official commencement ceremony.
The school announced Monday it is postponing that ceremony and related events until next year.
UD President Dennis Assani told this year’s graduates in a letter that the university tenatively plans to hold their commencement June 2-4, 2021 - ahead of the school’s annual Alumni Weekend .
Assanis noted that commencement attracts some 20,000 graduates, families, friends, faculty, staff and administrators, and even the smallest school convocations involve more than 250 people.
He says those numbers make planning to hold these events on campus in the near future impractical.
"Scheduling an event at this order of magnitude right now would be neither responsible nor allowable with the restrictions on travel and the size of gatherings. The numbers of positive COVID-19 cases have resurged in Delaware and nationally," said Assanis in his letter. "With crowds to gather, photos to capture and warm moments to celebrate, we would not want a UD Commencement to fall short of the meaningful and memorable experience it deserves to be."
The school held a virtual celebration for the Class of 2020 on May 30th, but had hoped to hold an in person event sometime later this year.
