Situation: Herzing University-Madison has decided not to hold an in-person commencement ceremony for their May 2021 Bachelor of Science in Nursing students. BSN students are the only students who attend classes in-person at the Madison, Wisconsin campus.

Background: Individual students have made appeals to the administration to change their current plans for an abbreviated video ceremony and allow an in-person ceremony to happen; including suggestions for safety, location, and noting that other area schools have updated their plans to celebrate this important milestone with their students at modified, in-person graduations.

Sadly, Herzing University-Madison’s administration has refused our requests, stating they are following “current guidelines from the CDC” and they “look forward to hosting these celebrations in person as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Ironically, the administration did state they have been holding pinning ceremonies throughout the pandemic, and are planning one for this graduating class. If this can be done safely in-person, graduation can also.

Assessment: Our May 2021 graduating class has less than 30 students. The CDC webpage on gatherings states “Event planners should work with state and local health officials to implement this guidance, adjusting to meet the unique needs and circumstances of the local community. This guidance is meant to supplement—not replace—any state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations with which gatherings must comply.” https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/considerations-for-events-gatherings.html#Gatherings

Current Public Health Madison & Dane County orders allow for gatherings up to 350 people indoors and up to 500 people outdoors. This ceremony can be held safely with mitigation strategies in place, such as wearing facemasks, limiting attendance to only graduating students and possibly a limited number of guests, and physical distancing. UW Madison, the largest university in our region, requested student input and made plans to safely hold modified in-person graduation ceremonies in this time-honored recognition of student success. https://publichealthmdc.com/documents/2021-03-02_Order_14.pdf

As a small, private university in a large university community, we want our school to be recognized for not only a high-quality nursing education, but for demonstrating Herzing’s Core Values: P.R.I.C.E. of Success. We would like our administration to honor Herzing by incorporating Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Caring, and Engagement as they reconsider their decision and engage with students to plan a safe, in-person commencement ceremony. https://www.herzing.edu/about/mission

Recommendation: Please join us in urging Herzing University-Madison to hold an in-person graduation in May 2021. If this request is denied, we would like a truthful explanation stating why they are not willing to do so, since safety does not seem to be a legitimate concern.