Dear RVU Community,

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, RVU has made the difficult decision to cancel this year's Class of 2020 Commencement Ceremony scheduled for Saturday, May 16th as well as all in-person and group activities during the month of May. The official date of graduation, May 16, 2020, will be affixed to the diplomas and University records. Please note that all Pre-Clinical courses are continuing online through May.

RVU is not alone in this decision as many universities across the nation are canceling in-person ceremonies. This is an unprecedented health care crisis which at this time has no predictable time nor date of waning.

This was a very difficult decision as commencement represents the very core of our mission and provides a well-deserved celebration for the milestone our graduates have worked so hard to achieve, for their loved ones who have supported and encouraged them along the way and for our faculty and staff who have mentored and encouraged our graduates during their tenure at RVU.

As a health-sciences university committed to excellence, our goal is to protect the interests of our campus community including our students and their loved ones. The guidelines recently issued by the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention call for canceling or postponing all gatherings for at least the next eight weeks - a timeframe which brings us too close to the date of our commencement ceremony. It is vital that we do our part to help contain the virus and protect our community, especially the most vulnerable among us.

I am working closely with the Class of 2020 leadership to explore alternative ways to honor the achievements of our MSBS and DO graduates. These decisions will be communicated as soon as they are solidified. Rest assured, we will find a way to appropriately honor our graduates.

Thank you for your ongoing patience and understanding as we work together to assure the safety and well-being of our communities both near and far. Let us remember to celebrate the traditional success our graduates’ enjoyed in last week’s residency match. They are going far and wide to an outstanding array of specialties and institutions proudly carrying and promoting the RVU reputation of excellence.

I wish health and well-being for all of you and your loved ones.

Sincerely,