UPEI planning in-person convocation for Class of 2020 next May

Students who wrapped up their University of Prince Edward Island degrees as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in the spring will have to wait until the spring of 2021 for their convocation ceremony.

Some universities held virtual ceremonies for 2020 grads, but UPEI decided to wait. 

"The feedback that we received from our students is that they missed having something in person," said Kathy Gottschall-Pass, UPEI's interim vice-president academic and research. 

So a message just went out to the campus community letting students know that both the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021 will have convocation ceremonies in May of next year.

We will have a plan and we'll have a backup plan, and we'll have a backup plan to the backup plan.— Kathy Gottschall-Pass

"We have a good amount of time to plan and try and do an in-person convocation," said Gottschall-Pass. 

"If we are not able to do that, we will have a plan and we'll have a backup plan, and we'll have a backup plan to the backup plan."

Convocation dates will also be later in the month of May than usual, with ceremonies on May 14, 26, 27 and 28.

Both undergraduate and graduate degrees for a particular faculty will be presented at each ceremony.

More information about the time, location, and number of guests will be sent to students as soon as it becomes available, said Gottschall-Pass.

The university senate has also unanimously voted in favour of continuing with a blended delivery model for the 2021 winter semester.

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