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To University staff and decision-makers,
It’s been over a week and I'm disappointed to have not heard a follow-up regarding the last two emails sent. Therefore, I’ll be sending it again to remind you that I, personally, as well as many seniors and parents are awaiting a reply and action to be taken.
In the meantime, I would like to share that a change.org petition regarding your premature decision to make graduation virtual has reached 1,500 signatures (https://www.change.org/p/university-of-oregon-administration-include-students-in-reconsidering-alternatives-for-spring-2021-commencement-cancellation?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_27288172_en-US%3A3&recruiter=628633055&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=share_petition).
Since time is of the essence, I do believe it’s in everyone’s best interest to move forward with collaborating with students to get input to plan a safe event.
I believe the call to make graduation online was made too soon and out of a place of financial incentive to not do it. Just by doing a quick Google search, I was able to figure out that the 2021 Olympic track trials will still be taking place at Hayward Field, and to pull a quote from the website, "Tickets will be going back on sale for the Olympic Trials at some point, but a date has not yet been established" (https://gotracktownusa.com/events/2020-us-olympic-trials/). So what this insinuates to me is that you care more about making money from a track and field event happening one week later from graduation, than celebrating the students that have helped pay for and funded this field to be made. This doesn't sit right with me nor any reasonable student paying to attend UO. Last year I felt extraordinarily bad for the 2020 seniors. A large reason why graduation didn't take place in-person was that we didn't know a lot of information about Covid. Luckily, it's almost been a year and there has been an exceptional amount of research done. Even with Oregon's outdoor gathering restrictions right now, we could make it work. I hope I speak for everybody when I say this but the symbolism of walking across a stage alone and being able to celebrate with family after it's far more impactful than an online graduation ceremony. I think with teamwork and collaboration and input from students most importantly we could find a way to make this Covid safe.
The Student Recreation Center did a beautiful job of conforming to Covid regulations and setting up shop outside even though Lane is high risk right now. Obviously, it's not ideal but they made it work. I understand Oregon could stay high risk for awhile and the limit for outdoor gatherings could continue to be 25. Let's make in-person graduation work for 25 people at a time. What if you considered setting up many different areas for graduation and had students come to their respective area to graduate based on a time slot. For example if we social distanced and had several "graduation areas" such as:
1. Autzen
2. Hayward Field
3. Papé field
4. PK park
5. Jane Sanders Stadium
6. Athletic turf field 1
7. Athletic turf field 2
8. Athletic turf field 3
9. Athletic turf field 4
10. EMU lawn
11. Knight Library lawn
12. Gerlinger lawn
There could be ceremonies going on consecutively every hour where 25 students are at each venue with family cheering them on virtually. There can be a video recorded traditional speech played each time and every single student still gets to walk. Doing it this way allows us to still follow high-risk Covid guidelines while letting students celebrate the way that they've been looking forward to for the past 20 years of their life. Based on my research there are about 21,800 students enrolled in Fall 2020. If a quarter of them are graduating, that's about 5450 students. Then we have 12 different locations to walk for graduation. Assume it will take an hour to file students in, have a brief masked ceremony, walk, and exit. That's 300 students an hour. Ceremonies 8am-6pm (10 hours a day), it would only take 2 days to have every senior walk that wants to. And given how large and beautiful our campuses I'm sure you could figure out a few extra locations to host outdoor graduation ceremonies and expedite the process to be even shorter. And I think it's only fair that you extend an extra day to invite back the seniors that you didn't have an in-person graduation ceremony for in 2021.
I've seen setups with chairs be done for Introducktion so I know it can be done. I hope you reconsider your initial decision to have a virtual graduation ceremony because I will not stop emailing until I get a convincing response on why you will not (and what I've heard from on-campus students in the dorms, there doesn't seem to be much of a reason that you suddenly are being over cautious about covid).
I'm looking forward to a response from you soon or a statement to be posted.
Best regards,
A concerned and frustrated student