The Class of 2020 will not have an on-campus, in-person Commencement ceremony in May due to the coronavirus pandemic, Chancellor Kent Syverud announced Monday.

Public health guidance has prevented the ceremony from happening as planned, Syverud said in an SU News release. Commencement 2020 was scheduled to take place May 10 on the Quad. SU’s individual schools and colleges will also cancel all on-campus convocation ceremonies, he said.

Syverud is committed to celebrating the Class of 2020 in a meaningful way, he said.

“I deeply regret this outcome,” the chancellor said. “I promised you would have the celebration you deserve and we will make good on that promise.”

SU’s decision to cancel on-campus Commencement celebrations comes after the university announced March 16 that it’s moving classes online for the rest of the semester. Syverud said in a video message Friday that the university was unsure whether public health orders would require Commencement 2020 to be postponed or changed.

Seniors will soon receive a survey from Syverud to collect feedback on alternative options for recognizing their academic achievements, the chancellor said. The university will respond to students’ input and share an alternate plan for Commencement quickly, Syverud said.

The novel coronavirus causes COVID-19, a respiratory disease that has infected over 370,000 people and killed over 16,000 globally. New York state has confirmed over 20,000 cases of the virus. Onondaga County has confirmed 53 cases this week.  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that events with more than 50 people in attendance be canceled or postponed for the next seven weeks. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday also banned gatherings of any size until further notice. Thousands of SU students and family members attend Commencement every year.

“These are challenging times for the Syracuse University community, and for families everywhere,” Syverud said. “However, I’m confident that we will navigate those challenges together.”