Covid: University of Lincoln graduation delay prompts petition

Students who have waited since last year to graduate in person have been told the ceremony has been delayed by another 12 months.

The University of Lincoln said events due to take place at Lincoln Cathedral in September would be held virtually.

However, a large-scale ceremony is planned for next April, it said.

Students have urged university chiefs to reconsider, and an online petition opposing the move has attracted more than 5,000 signatures.

Harry Badman and Elise Fischer, who both completed a business and marketing course at the university last year, were behind the campaign.

"Our graduations were supposed to have been held last week, but obviously since the second wave of Covid this was pushed back," Mr Badman said.

The 23-year-old said most students were expecting to be moved to September and were shocked by the announcement in an email sent out on Sunday night.

"It left a lot of people disappointed," he said.

Mr Badman, who lost his father to Covid, said graduation was a chance for everyone to celebrate together, and not something that should be done virtually alone in a bedroom.

"Now that he's not here it took on an extra kind of symbolism in my family for the rest of us to have a moment of happiness and joy," he added.

Ms Fischer said she could not understand why in-person graduations could not take place if restrictions were lifted as planned in June.

"Events like Reading and Leeds Festival are still going ahead, so it all seems a bit backwards to us why they are saying April 2022 is the earliest they can do," she said.

In response, Julian Free, deputy vice chancellor, said all students were being given a choice between a virtual and in-person ceremony.

He said there was potential for in-person graduations, which are held over a number of days, to attract up to 45,000 people.

This would take some time to organise, he said, and involved a number of third-parties such as venues.

Concerns also remained about whether some restrictions might still be in place in September, he added.

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