SEATTLE — University of Washington graduates won't be crossing the stage this year, as the school canceled its in-person commencement as the area continues to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The in-person events for the Seattle, Tacoma and Bothell campuses will be replaced with one virtual event, which will be held online on June 13, according to a letter from university President Ana Mari Cauce.
"Despite all our hopes to the contrary, it is now clear that in-person campus ceremonies in June won’t be possible," she said in a letter to students, faculty and staff.
Instead, graduates will participate through a virtual ceremony, complete with the conferring of degrees and turning of tassels, according to the school. The class of 2020 will also be invited to participate in next year's commencement ceremonies.
Last year, more than 6,000 students took part in the Seattle campus commencement at Husky Stadium.
The University of Washington has canceled in-person classes since March, one of the first major universities in the country to do so in response to the outbreak of coronavirus. The classroom closure has continued through Spring quarter, though all classes are being taught remotely.
Other schools also are avoiding commencement ceremonies in June. Seattle University announced that it will postpone its commencement weekend to Oct. 9 to 11. Washington State University said it will postpone its spring commencement to August or later, but exact details were not available Wednesday night.