Emporia State University has announced its backup plans for spring commencement this upcoming weekend.
The original game plan is to have a socially-distanced pair of graduation activities, with students eligible for graduate degrees having commencement at 6:30 pm Friday and students eligible for undergraduate degrees having their ceremony starting at 9 am Saturday. Both are tentatively planned for Welch Stadium.
However, with numerous chances for showers and storms Friday and Saturday, White Auditorium will serve as the alternative site for both events if needed. The decision was announced shortly after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said fully-vaccinated adults can resume activities without masks or social distancing in many settings, but Provost David Cordle says the only connection between the ESU and CDC announcements was the timing.
If changes are needed, ESU will make announcements no later than four hours ahead of the scheduled start times, meaning 2:30 pm Friday or 5 am Saturday.
Regardless of the site, ESU will have several COVID-19 protocols in place:
*Each graduate can have two guests. Graduates will be given two wristbands as they check in. They will then be responsible for getting wristbands to guests. No audience members, including children, will be admitted without wristbands.
*Participants will wear masks and use social distancing.
ESU will also live-stream the events on www.emporia.edu/commencement. More information about graduation activities and plans is available on that web page.
