Recent changes in California state guidelines covering outdoor events, and L.A. County’s move out of the most restrictive purple tier to the red tier on Monday, have finally opened the door to be able to make definitive plans.
Dear Class of 2020:
Last year, after the pandemic so suddenly disrupted your final months at Oxy and required us to put on a virtual Commencement, we committed to providing you with an in-person Commencement celebration in Spring 2021 to recognize your achievements. Ever since then, the College has been working to determine how to fulfill its commitment to do just that. Recent changes in California state guidelines covering outdoor events, and L.A. County’s move out of the most restrictive purple tier to the red tier on Monday, have finally opened the door to be able to make definitive plans.
We would like you to save the date for an in-person, student-only event during Reunion Weekend, June 11-13. Reunion classes will be meeting virtually this year, which means that the uncrowded Oxy campus will be available to safely welcome you back for a very special celebration.
For anyone who is unable to join us in June, the College plans to offer you future in-person opportunities. We are still working out the details, but our plan is that any student from the Classes of 2020 or 2021 who would like to walk on stage and hear their name read aloud with family in attendance will be able to do so. This would conceivably take place during a future Commencement weekend, beginning in 2022.
There are still many logistical details to resolve, given that the regulations have only just changed. We will be providing more updates as those details are worked out. In the meantime, we wanted to give you as much advance notice as possible in the hopes that you might be able to join us in June to celebrate the Class of 2020.
Importantly, we all know and have seen that in times of a pandemic, conditions can change. We will continue to monitor our own circumstances and public health guidelines and adjust our plans accordingly. Should conditions improve, we may consider expanding the scope of the ceremony, potentially to include guests. Whatever the case may be, I am grateful to Oxy staff, whose tireless efforts and selfless dedication to our students will make it possible to put on such complex events under such short timelines and challenging conditions.
Very best,
President Elam