Trusteeship - May/June 2020 - 43

[Commencement] is one of my favorite times of our academic year,
and I cannot imagine not having that moment to share with our students.
At the same time, we had to balance the very real and
ever-evolving situation with the pandemic.
The safety of our campus community
is our first and foremost priority.

Emerging Technology in Business + Design department to help
create and plan the virtual event.

Postponing In-Person Celebrations
Although senior leaders recognize the importance of recognizing
seniors on the day of their planned graduation, they also acknowledge that virtual celebrations cannot replace in-person gatherings.
As Horner put it, "I want to shake their hands."
Miami University will be bringing the class of 2020 back to
campus for a weekend in the fall.
The weekend will include all divisional recognition ceremonies,
where the graduates will gather with their friends, families, and
loved ones to have their names called and to cross the stage. They
will invite members of the class of 2020 to gather on the field at the
end of the game, wearing their caps and gowns.
"Rather than a traditional main ceremony, the weekend will also
include a community-wide event to provide an opportunity for
everyone to celebrate together," Crawford said. "It will be a unique
and special occasion at the Miami football game, with all in-game
activities focused on our graduates."
At Portland State, the administration is working with student lead-

SHUTTERSTOCK

ers to see what a fall ceremony might look like. "Many students have
expressed a desire to host some kind of in-person event to complement the virtual commencement once things are back to normal on
campus," Kenpfle said. "We are considering a variety of options."

Navigating New Territory
Many institutions have previously live streamed graduation ceremonies for people who were unable to attend, but an entirely
virtual commencement is new territory for most. "We have livestreamed commencement but that is such a different experience
than hosting a virtual one that we don't feel as if the experience will
help us very much. We view this as a first endeavor!" Knepfle said.
Senior leaders point out that the need to support students is
more important now than ever, whether virtually or in person. "We
recognize that our students are in many ways feeling a great sense
of loss," Horner said. "And so we've really tried to lead with empathy, so that we meet our students where they're at and are attentive
to their needs during this difficult time."
Charlotte West is a freelance education reporter. Her work has appeared in the
Hechinger Report, USA Today, the Washington Post, and International Educator,
among others.

MAY. JUN. 2020  TRUSTEESHIP  43
Trusteeship - May/June 2020

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