OSU 2020 Commencement Cancelled
OSU faculty, staff and students.
I write with a heavy heart to announce that in light of the growing number of cases of COVID-19 in Oregon and nationally – and with a shared obligation that our university community observe heightened public health measures—OSU will not hold rescheduled 2020 Commencement exercises this fall in Corvallis and Bend.
In early April, with the support of graduating students, we announced the postponement of our traditional June Commencement exercises to reduce the risk and spread of COVID-19 and comply with Gov. Kate Brown’s executive orders to address the pandemic. Today, we recognize we must extend public health limitations for large events for the safety of one and all.
We did not make this decision easily as it affects more than 7,300 graduates from our Corvallis and OSU-Cascades campuses and more than 25,000 guests as well as OSU faculty and staff who participate in Commencement.
In making this decision, university leaders considered all alternatives – especially given the disappointing reality that this will be the first ever cancellation of an Oregon State University Commencement.
In lieu of continuing to plan what would be problematic in-person events in Corvallis and Bend, we will send a gift box to all Spring 2020 graduates with conferred degrees. We will invite all 2020 graduates and their guests to participate in 2021 Commencement ceremonies on June 12, 2021 in Corvallis and June 13, 2021 in Bend. In addition, we will invite President Emeritus Ed Ray to provide the 2021 Corvallis Commencement address as was planned for this year’s event, and Scott Allan will be invited to provide the 2021 OSU-Cascades Commencement address.
Despite this outcome, please join me in congratulating our 2020 graduates as they advance in their careers, continue studies in graduate school and engage in their communities as new members of the more than 200,000 Beaver Nation alumni throughout the world.
Sincerely,
F. King Alexander
President