University of Limerick,

This petition is in relation to your email circulating earlier today (May 29th 2020), addressing the class of 2020 and cancelling the conferring ceremonies due to take place between Monday 24th of August and Friday 28th of August 2020. The email outlined conferring ceremonies are to be replaced with online ceremonies and electronic certificates. 

We understand that this decision was made with government guidelines in mind, however, we the students, feel deferring the ceremony until such a time as it is safe to have a an official graduation ceremony instead of the proposed digital ceremony would have been a better alternative had we been included in the decision making process. Winter conferring is due to take place in University of Limerick in late January 2021 and deferring Autumn conferring to this date would be a more feasible solution. 

We the students are urging you to revoke your decision. Student’s put in tremendous effort throughout their years at University with the hope that they will one day have their achievements recognised among their friends and family by wearing the cap and gown and being part of the formal presentation. The magnitude of such an achievement can not be replaced by an online ceremony.

Covid 19 has already taken so much from the class of 2020, and we urge you to reconsider letting it take this milestone from us too.

By signing this petition you agree that UL Autumn Graduations 2020 should be deferred until such a time as it is safe to have an official graduation ceremony instead of the proposed digital ceremony.