“We appreciate that students, whānau and friends will be as disappointed as we are to be in this position so close to the event,” says the University’s Chancellor, Neil Paviour-Smith.
“Unfortunately though, as gatherings of more than 100 people are not permitted in this alert level, it is clear that it is not feasible to proceed with the events as planned.
“The University has engaged with government officials and—with the potential that under alert level 1 there may still be mass gathering limits or other restrictions—the decision has been taken to add more ceremonies in December to ensure that all graduates still have an opportunity to attend a ceremony and a parade.”
The University had to postpone May Graduation Week due to the health and physical distancing requirements of COVID-19 and those ceremonies were rescheduled for September.