Blame COVID? Today's graduation ceremony is canceled for Maryland students.
Students graduating this week at the University of Maryland recently learned that their graduation ceremonies were canceled due to COVID fears.
The university president reported an increase in positive cases in his letter announcing the decision.
University of Maryland at College Park has canceled Monday’s winter graduation ceremony due to COVID-19 concerns.
On Wednesday, the university announced an increase in confirmed cases on campus, though the number was “relatively low a community [its] size,” Spyridon S. Marinopoulos, the director of the University Health Center, wrote in the statement.
Marinopoulos also confirmed that a high percentage of the campus is fully vaccinated and diligently wears KN95 masks.
UMD President Darryll J. Pines announced the cancellation in a letter Thursday. The document also stated that graduation ceremonies scheduled for tomorrow and Wednesday were also canceled.
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Pines reported “98 positive cases from university testing plus an additional 12 self-reported cases” in his letter, referring to statistics from the university’s COVID-19 dashboard.
University of Maryland Director of Communications Natifia Mullings confirmed to Campus Reform that all graduates will be invited to participate in the spring ceremony and that a video message will be sent to all graduates the evening of the original ceremony.
In a Dec. 20 letter sent to all winter graduates, Pines extended his congratulations while also reaffirming the administration’s decision to postpone the ceremony.
”Although I believe we made the prudent decision to postpone our commencement exercises to help keep you and your loved ones safe, it is a decision that comes with great sadness and heartbreak. I feel for every single one of you,” Pines wrote.
The letter also contained a video featuring remarks from 2021 commencement speaker Kiara Anthony and Pines.
The Health Center deferred to the University for comment.
