Announcement re Commencement (8/7/20)

August 7, 2020

Dear CBU Community:

I am saddened and disappointed to report that Christian Brothers University has been compelled to once again postpone the 2020 Baccalaureate and Commencement Ceremonies that had been rescheduled for the Labor Day weekend.

As a Lasallian community, we so very much want to gather in person along with family and friends to celebrate our graduates’ accomplishments. Our plans were to do so in a safe and socially distant manner on September 4 for Baccalaureate and on September 5 for Commencement. Unfortunately, those plans are currently unachievable because of the size and spacing limitations of the Cathedral and the state-imposed 25% or less capacity restriction presently in effect at the Landers Center.

We fully recognize the impact and heartache that this decision will create for the Class of 2020. We are all keenly aware that these graduates already have faced many hardships and frustrations during this crisis, and we also know that they merit a proper public recognition of their academic accomplishments. We especially recognize that they deserve the opportunity to celebrate with their justifiably proud parents, family members, and friends. However, in the interest of the health, safety, and well-being of our graduates, their friends and families, and our community, we must again delay this community celebration.

At this point, as all of our attempts to hold timely Baccalaureate and Commencement ceremonies have been thwarted, we are planning to hold a ceremony for the Class of 2020 next spring, alongside the Class of 2021, as part of a special commemorative celebration of these graduates and CBU’s sesquicentennial.

Please know that I, our Board of Trustees, and campus leaders share in everyone’s disappointment over this turn of events, and we continue to hold our CBU Class of 2020 in our thoughts and prayers every day. We understand the many uncertainties, challenges, and frustrations this situation has imposed on our newest alumni and their loved ones. As a Lasallian institution, we value the contributions of each individual and we remain committed to properly celebrating our most recent graduates — and their resilient spirit — as individuals and as the collective and historic CBU Class of 2020.

Together and by association,

Jack Shannon
President of Christian Brothers University