Two more post-secondary schools in Ottawa have postponed their convocation events for graduating students in response to the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic and public health guidelines after the University of Ottawa cancelled its event last week.
Carleton University and Algonquin College said they’ve postponed their spring convocation ceremonies, both of which were scheduled in June.
In an update on its convocation webpage, Carleton said its COVID-19 steering committee decided to postpone or cancel all “in-person events” at the school until June 30.
“Specific details will be made available on the convocation website as they are finalized and will have to take into account guidelines and regulations from health authorities and the provincial and federal governments,” the update said.
For its part, Algonquin’s president and CEO said the college will reschedule its convocation ceremonies to the fall and update students when it has more information about dates and venues.
“This decision was not made lightly, but it is in the interests of the health and safety of our college community and our learners’ families, and is in line with the direction that most post-secondary institutions are now taking,” Claude Brulé wrote in a message dated March 27.
The University of Ottawa last week announced it had cancelled its spring convocation ceremony and that the school is exploring “an alternate convocation experience” for graduating students later.
As of Sunday night, Ottawa’s public health unit said there are 130 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city, including two “institutional outbreaks” at separate retirement homes.
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