AMHERST — This year’s commencement at the University of Massachusetts, scheduled for May 8, has been postponed because of coronavirus concerns, Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy announced Tuesday.
In a letter to the campus community, Subbaswamy said that, because of continuing uncertainty about when life would return to normal, he could not say when a ceremony to honor this year’s graduates would be held. He said he would be working with the commencement team to develop other plans, and invited students to submit their ideas and suggestions.
UMass announced Friday that it would suspend all in-person classes for the remainder of the semester.
In his message, Subbaswamy expressed gratitude to the entire campus community “for pulling together to confront the unprecedented challenge we are facing.
“Our faculty are taking extraordinary measures to prepare for remote learning; our staff are working hard to ensure continuity of campus operations; and our students are proving their resilience by accepting this difficult transition with grace and patience,” he wrote.
The chancellor said those wishing to share alternative commencement ideas can email them to commencement@umass.edu.