Bishop’s University cancels Homecoming activities

Bishop’s University has cancelled in-person Homecoming activities this fall due to health and safety concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think, realistically, it’s officially cancelled barring a miracle, such as a vaccine tomorrow and everyone being inoculated. We felt while it was a really tough decision, it was the only decision we could make given the circumstances,” said Associate Viceprincipal of Advancement Jacqueline Scott.

The event, better known as ‘HOCO’, is a longstanding and cherished tradition among students and alumni. It was slated to take place from September 24 to 27. The university plans to monitor the possibility of hosting the event in the spring.

According to a university update, administration “will continue to prioritize the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and alumni above all else.” Bishop’s also plans to offer virtual alumni experiences in order to keep the spirit of the event alive.

“Some have already made suggestions as to alternative means of commemorating Homecoming, so we’re just going to take the next few days to see what people come up with and make them part of Homecoming, but in a very different way from what we’ve done before,” Scott said.

She added that they haven’t committed to anything yet. The university is waiting to hear back from the different generations of alumni because they may want to celebrate in different ways, she explained.

Homecoming involves a lot of people in the same place, Scott continued, it’s the biggest event of the year, so it’s impossible to keep spaces to a 50-person limit. She reiterated that the priority is to keep students and staff safe from the ongoing pandemic.