Auburn readies for fall commencement with increased safety protocols in place

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In observance of current health and safety guidelines amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Auburn University will recognize its fall 2020 graduates with additional safety protocols in place for the fall commencement ceremonies set for Saturday, Dec. 12, in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

In lieu of larger ceremonies featuring multiple colleges and students, individual colleges and schools will recognize graduates at set ceremony times, beginning with doctoral students at 8 a.m. Following brief remarks by the dean to families and guests, graduates will have the opportunity to walk across the stage, receive their copy of The Auburn Creed and pose for photographs with their name on the stadium videoboard.

Contingency plans have been developed in the event of changes to existing COVID-19 regulations or severe weather. In the case of light rain, ceremonies will continue in the stadium, with guests permitted to bring umbrellas. Should the day bring intermittent rain that impacts individual ceremonies, the university will maintain the scheduled times and reschedule any school or college affected to the end of the day. If continuous rain is forecasted, the ceremonies will shift to Auburn Arena where they will be live-streamed without guests. Announcements regarding contingencies will be made on the commencement website and the Auburn University Graduation Facebook and Instagram pages no later than Thursday, Dec. 10.

Times for each college and school are available on the commencement website, and graduates must arrive no later than 20 minutes before their scheduled time. Each ceremony will include a 10-minute break between each college and school. The ceremonies will be live-streamed for guests unable to attend or who have health concerns.

Due to the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including limits on in-person gatherings and interstate travel restrictions, the university made the difficult decision to postpone the May and August ceremonies. Nearly 2,000 fall graduates are scheduled to graduate fall semester, with nearly 200 spring and summer graduates electing to participate.

Auburn will award 71 doctoral degrees, 353 master’s degrees, seven education specialist degrees and 1,500 bachelor’s degrees. The bachelor’s degrees by college and school are: Raymond J. Harbert College of Business, 362; Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, 312; College of Liberal Arts, 292; College of Sciences and Mathematics, 145; College of Education, 130; College of Architecture, Design and Construction, 86; College of Agriculture, 81; College of Human Sciences, 59; School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, 24; and School of Nursing, 8.

Fall graduates who placed keepsake regalia orders after Oct. 23 can pick up their order at the Auburn University Bookstore this week. All graduates participating in commencement must wear the proper regalia. Additional information is available on the commencement website, and information is posted on the Auburn University Graduation Facebook and Instagram accounts.

For questions regarding commencement, contact aucommencement@auburn.edu.

Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie’s Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn’s commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact.