UM and FIU to hold virtual fall graduations. MDC sticks with outdoor ceremonies
On the same day the state’s tally hit a million confirmed cases of COVID-19, the University of Miami — the largest private school in South Florida — canceled its inperson commencement ceremonies for the fall semester, joining its public counterpart, Florida International University.
Miami Dade College, however, still plans to hold face-to-face graduations in December.
UM President Julio Frenk, a top public health expert, called off the events in an email to the UM community Tuesday, about a week before the first celebration was to take place.
He explained the administration had been “cautiously optimistic that efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic” would make it possible, but decided against it after looking at the rising number of COVID-19 cases across the country, including hospitalizations and deaths.
“We know this news is disheartening. Both as president of the U, and as the father of a 2020 graduate, I had looked forward to observing this rite of passage with all of you in person later this month,” Frenk said. “Please know that in no way does a virtual ceremony diminish your accomplishments nor the deep pride we feel for all that you have done to arrive at this important milestone.”
Miami-Dade County, the epicenter of the state’s cases, has been hovering around 2,000 new COVID-19 cases a day for much of the past two weeks. On Tuesday, the county reported 2,143 new confirmed cases, bringing the county’s total number of cases to 231,761, or about a fifth of the state’s more than 1 million cases.
Since Aug. 16, UM has recorded at least 1,466 COVID-19 cases among its 18,000 students and 17,000 employees.
UM had intended to hold the services for the previous spring semester combined with the fall semester at the same time, Dec. 10 and 11, in an in
person ceremony outdoors at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Graduates would have walked across the stage, received a diploma cover, taken a physically distanced photo with Frenk, and heard their name called and displayed on screen.
Now, the ceremonies will be held in a virtual format on the same dates.
“We have very mixed emotions,” said Mitch Karas, the father of an advertising major student who graduated in the spring. “Obviously my son and his friends all worked hard to graduate, and I know he was really look
ing forward to going down. Now, it will probably never be live.”
Karas said his son contracted COVID-19 in March and quarantined at a UM dorm until he returned home in Michigan about two months later. He had bought his plane tickets and set up a place where he could isolate in Michigan when he returned, as his parents fall under the high-risk category for infection.
His parents, however, had concerns about the trip and recently sent letters to Frenk asking him to reconsider. They’re glad he did, albeit late. At least
this way, the three will spend the moment together, he said.
“Now we can all share it,” he said. “And life will go on; this is just a glitch.”
FIU President Mark Rosenberg announced in late September the school would hold its graduation virtually on Dec. 13, the third time it will have held its ceremonies virtually.
An FIU spokeswoman confirmed on Tuesday that this still stands. FIU reported at least 328 COVID-19 cases from March 12 to Aug. 16.
Since, it has added at least 315 more cases.
“Similar to our Spring and Summer virtual commencements, where we saw nearly 11,000 students graduate, our Fall celebration will feature the national anthem, a Zoom-recorded performance of the alma mater by our School of Music students, remarks from me, our Provost and our deans, and personalized slides honoring our graduates’ achievements,” Rosenberg said in a statement.
Miami Dade College had announced Oct. 7 it would host five commencement ceremonies Dec. 12 at the North and Kendall campuses — with temperature checks at the entrance, mandatory face masks at all times and hand sanitizers available throughout. Only students who graduated during the 20192020 academic year, college trustees and select faculty and administrators will attend.
MDC spokesman Juan Mendieta confirmed Tuesday nothing has changed.
“This past academic year, the college had more than 15,000 graduates. Only a small portion are participating in our upcoming ceremonies,” he said, adding roughly 300 graduates will participate in each ceremony, outdoors and socially distanced.