Message From the Chancellor

Dear Bruin Community:

Graduation from UCLA is a deeply meaningful milestone. It is a moment for our graduates to celebrate years of hard work, reflect on their academic journeys and honor a time of great transition in their lives.

This year, the dangers posed by the pandemic again require us to make changes to how we traditionally celebrate our graduating class. Since we will not be able to safely host large in-person events by the end of the academic year, the UCLA College, many of UCLA’s professional schools and our student group communities are planning to host virtual commencement ceremonies. The graduate hooding ceremony will be virtual this year as well. However, because of improving conditions in Los Angeles County, we are grateful to be able to offer graduating students the opportunity to be recognized in person. This spring, members of the Class of 2021 will be able to sign up to participate in a special in-person procession and individual commemoration at which they will have their names read aloud, proceed across a stage at one of our outdoor campus venues and have their photographs taken. These recognitions will be carried out in accordance with public health guidelines and will be offered over the course of several days beginning the weekend of June 11. Other dates may be added as well to accommodate as many of our graduates as possible.

More information about these in-person celebrations is available on the commencement site and we will share details about how to sign up in the weeks ahead. All graduating undergraduate and graduate students will be able to participate, though students traveling from outside of California will need to self-quarantine before coming onto campus per public health guidelines. While we know friends and family members may wish to join, our ability to conduct these events safely means that they must be limited to graduating students only. The recognitions will be livestreamed so that others can join virtually. We regret that we are not able to welcome back the Class of 2020 to participate in these limited in-person celebrations.

For graduating students who are unable to participate in these individual recognitions in June, rest assured we will give you the opportunity to celebrate in person at a later date. In addition to this spring’s events, UCLA remains committed to hosting in-person commencement ceremonies for the entire Class of 2021, the entire Class of 2020, and their families and friends when it is safe to do so.

These decisions were made with input from a survey of graduating seniors as well as a commencement working group consisting of representatives from the College, Undergraduate Student Association Council, Graduate Division, Student Affairs, Alumni Affairs, Athletics and others.

I, along with all of our faculty and staff, have the utmost appreciation and respect for our students who have displayed such remarkable perseverance over the course of this challenging year. We owe our graduates a rousing sendoff. This spring’s events will allow us to safely recognize the Class of 2021’s achievements, and we commit to hosting the full in-person commencement ceremonies our graduates richly deserve as soon as it is possible.

Sincerely,

Gene D. Block
Chancellor