BOULDER, Colo. — Students at the University of Colorado Boulder aren’t giving up their spring commencement without a fight.
Last week CU Boulder administration announced that the spring 2021 commencement would be held virtually.
Less than week later, over 3,000 students have signed an online petition asking school leaders to reconsider.
Claire Sweeney, a CU Boulder senior, created the petition. She said she and many of her peers think the decision was made too soon.
“I just felt like the decision was made pretty early given how much things could between now and then,” Sweeney said.
Denver7 reached out to CU Boulder for a response to the petition, and to ask whether or not the school would consider an in-person gathering if the state’s COVID-19 situation changed.
A school spokesperson referred Denver7 back to a teleconference held last week where Chancellor Philip DeStefano said he didn’t see how state’s COVID-19 would allow for an in-person commencement.
“There doesn’t seem to be the opportunity to host the type of in-person commencement that we normally do,” DeStefano said on the Dec. 10 teleconference.
Sweeney said she and her peers don’t expect a normal ceremony but do wish the school would consider smaller ceremonies group by students’ majors or coursework.
“The class of 2021 obviously understands how crucial this pandemic is and how important it is to take everyone’s safety seriously. All we’re asking for just at this point is a chance to meet with the administration,” she said.
