A message from the President regarding Commencement

On Monday, April 12, updated guidance was issued from the New York State Department of Health (DOH) regarding “Graduation Celebrations during the COVID-19 State of Emergency.” The DOH guidance is informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) “Guidance for Organizing Large Events and Gatherings.”

For now, our plan, previously communicated to the campus community before theupdated guidelines were shared, is that from Monday, May 17 to Sunday, May 23, theUniversity will host school-specific “Virtual Commencement and Degree Conferral Ceremonies.” The Virtual Commencement and Degree Conferral Ceremonies will fulfill the traditional academic protocols that, upon completion of required academic coursework, make individuals official college graduates.

In addition, and as we indicated before, we are planning in-person celebrations in thefuture—hopefully during the summer—when we can gather in larger numbers so that graduates and their family members may celebrate this important milestone.

I write now to inform you that St. John's University has been reviewing the updated New York State guidelines so as to evaluate in-person options for Commencement. The DOH and CDC continue to recommend that for now, large gatherings be avoided—particularly those at which social distancing cannot be maintained between people who live in different households. I have asked our staff to explore and evaluate multiple options for in-person ceremonies at several different outdoor venues in light of the newly issued guidance, and, to determine when those ceremonies might occur.

Of note, there are many required protocols (strict capacity restrictions, limits on thenumber of guests permitted for each graduate, social distancing, face coverings, required sign-in for contact tracing purposes, health screenings, etc.) which have been detailed in the latest guidance.

The Office of University Events will continue to communicate with graduating students all plans for how St. John’s will celebrate Commencement in a virtual format in May and with an in-person event at a date to be determined.

I ask for your continued patience and cooperation as our planning and Commencement procedures continue to develop.

Thank you.