To all spring class of 2020 graduating seniors who may be upset about the decision to hold graduation ceremonies virtually - please read this letter written to ASU President Michael Crow. We understand that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of uncertainty and that ASU is taking precautions to keep students safe. However, we urge President Crow to consider postponing graduation ceremonies rather than doing them virtually. The Class of 2020 deserves to be recognized separately from other graduating classes with traditional ASU celebrations and ceremonies. Please consider signing this petition to support the class of 2020.

"Dear Michael Crow,

I write this letter to you as a disappointed graduating senior. This morning, I woke up to the news that Arizona State University’s Class of 2020 Commencement was going to be cancelled and done virtually. I think that many of my fellow graduates would agree when I say that this is the outcome that I had hoped for the least. After four years of late nights studying in Hayden library, exams, group projects, papers, labs, internships, volunteering, participating in student organizations, etc., having to watch my commencement from a computer screen is upsetting. Not only are commencement and convocation ceremonies a celebration of everyone’s academic achievements, but it is a celebration of our time spent at ASU.

To many of us who had the privilege of living on or near campus, ASU is not just a school, but a home. ASU is the place where I learned how to be independent from my parents. ASU is the place where I learned how to be a confident, empowered woman. ASU is the place where I learned to always speak my mind. ASU is the place where I met my lifelong friends. ASU is the place that shaped many of my experiences as a young adult. ASU is the place that will have a lifelong impact on me. You must understand the sadness that many of us feel as our final year has abruptly come to an end. Many of us have lost the opportunity to attend one last lecture, say goodbye to our favorite professors, walk down palm walk one last time, and say our goodbyes to the university that has been at the forefront of our lives for the past few years. Every college graduate deserves to be dressed in gap and gown, decorated in any earned stoles and cords, and walk across the stage to receive their diploma as loved ones celebrate in their honor.

I urge you to step outside of your role as dean and think of the spring class of 2020 not just as numbers, but as people. As time goes on and our world hopefully returns to normal, you and everyone else will move on and forget about that one year that ASU did virtual commencement. But the spring class of 2020 will never forget feeling as though they never got to properly celebrate all of their hard work and achievements. I also urge you to look at universities such as Texas Christian University as an example. Universities like TCU have postponed celebrations and ceremonies for the spring class of 2020 to later in August to ensure that despite these unprecedented times, all students get to experience that feeling of walking across the stage to receive their much deserved diplomas.

I know that your first thought to this letter may be that the spring class of 2020 has been encouraged to participate in either the December 2020 or May 2021 graduation ceremonies. However, I can assure you that it is not the same, and it is disheartening to know that spring 2020 graduates will not be able to partake in celebrations that are special and unique to their class. Additionally, it is unfair to think that the majority of us will have the time and the means to return to ASU six months to a year after our original graduation date. I hope by then that every graduate will be too busy succeeding in life, whether that means more education or full-time employment."