NEW YORK – Columbia University said Monday it will cancel its main commencement ceremony weeks of protests i campus unrest.
Instead of a single commencement ceremony, the different schools involved will hold smaller individual ceremonies. They will take place away from the South Lawn, where the larger graduation ceremony was originally scheduled to take place on May 15, and where students had been camping. until the police took them away.
A university official said security concerns were a major reason behind the school's decision.
The school said that despite the changes, students will have the celebration they want, and the revised plan is the result of discussions with students about what kind of program they preferred.
“We are determined to give our students the celebration they deserve and want,” Columbia said in a statement. “Based on your feedback, we have decided to make the centerpiece of our commencement activities our class days and school-wide ceremonies, where students are honored individually along with their peers, rather than the commencement ceremony the entire University which is scheduled for May 15.”
Most graduation ceremonies at the school will now take place at the schools' Baker Athletics Complex. Tickets are required.
“Our students emphasized that these smaller-scale school celebrations are very meaningful to them and their families. They look forward to crossing the stage with applause and family pride and hearing their school's guest speakers. As a result, focus our resources on these school ceremonies and keeping them safe, respectful and trouble-free. A great deal of effort is already being made to achieve this goal, and we understand that deans and school teams look forward to working with their students to incorporate the most creative and meaningful ideas to celebrate this extraordinary moment,” the school said.
Here is the new schedule of ceremonies:
Friday, May 10
• 8:30 a.m. – Professional Studies, Morning Ceremony | Baker Athletic Complex
• 12:30 pm – Professional Studies, Afternoon Event | Baker Athletic Complex
• 4.30 pm – Social Work | Baker Athletic Complex
• 5:30 pm – Columbia Climate School | The Forum
Saturday, May 11
• 8:00 a.m. – Business School, EMBA and PhD candidates | Baker Athletic Complex
• 11:30 a.m. – School of Business, MBA | Baker Athletic Complex
• Architecture, Planning and Conservation | Chapel of Sant Pau
Sunday May 12
• 8:00 a.m. – Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Doctorate | Baker Athletic Complex
• 10:00 a.m. – Baccalaureate Service | Chapel of Sant Pau
• 11:00 a.m. – Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, MA | Baker Athletic Complex
• 3:00 pm – School of Engineering and Applied Sciences of the Fu Foundation, Graduation Ceremony | Baker Athletic Complex
Monday, May 13
• 8:00 a.m. – Columbia School of General Studies | Baker Athletic Complex
• 11:45 a.m. – School of Engineering and Applied Sciences of the Fu Foundation, undergraduate ceremony | Baker Athletic Complex
• 3:30 p.m. – Faculty of Law | Baker Athletic Complex
• 19.30 h – Public and International Affairs | Baker Athletic Complex
Tuesday, May 14
• 9:30 a.m. – Columbia College | Baker Athletic Complex
• 10:00 a.m. – School of Nursing | The Armory
• 10:00 a.m. – Physiotherapy | Alumni Auditorium, CUIMC
• 3:30 p.m. – Genetic counseling | VEC 201, CUIMC
• 4:00 p.m. – Mailman School of Public Health | The Armory
• 17:00 h – School of Business, MS | David Geffen Hall, Manhattanville Campus
• College of Teachers | Palau United Theatre
Wednesday May 15
• 12:00 pm – School of Journalism | Roone Arledge Auditorium, Lerner Hall
• 2.00 pm – College of Doctors and Surgeons of Vagelos | The Armory
• 4:00pm – Barnard College | Radio City Music Hall
• 19.00 h – School of Arts | Roone Arledge Auditorium, Lerner Hall
• College of Teachers | Palau United Theatre
Thursday, May 16
• 10:00 a.m. – Occupational Therapy | Alumni Auditorium, CUIMC
• 10:30 a.m. – Dental Medicine, Predoctoral | The Armory
• 2:00 pm – Institute of Human Nutrition | Alumni Auditorium, CUIMC
• 4:00 pm – Dental Medicine, Postdoctoral | The Armory
