Ball State University has cancelled its scheduled May commencement ceremonies as part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an email, President Geoffrey Mearns says it is following “increasingly aggressive guidelines” from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as state and local emergency plans.
Mearns says he understands the disappointment as a parent. Two of his children are college seniors at other schools, and he says their commencements were also cancelled.
The university has released a survey to decide how to best mark the graduating classes in a safe way. Among its options are to combine spring graduation with the summer graduation on July 18, join with the fall commencement on December 19, or hold a replacement ceremony for only spring graduates on July 17. That survey can be found here.
Also like other universities, Ball State is closing the residence halls for all students, with some emergency exceptions. Students must move out by March 29. The university had already announced classes would be given online-only through the end of the semester.
