After a controversial announcement that UC Santa Barbara was changing its commencement ceremony venue, the university has walked back the decision, and is returning the events to their traditional location on the grassy area bordering the lagoon.
On Monday, the university announced it was changing the commencement venue for seven ceremonies — from the lagoon lawn to the Recreation Center Fields across campus.
The change sparked a petition to restore the original location, which earned over 2,000 signatures.
“We appreciate the extensive feedback we have received from our campus community regarding commencement,” the university wrote in an email to graduating students. “We know that the changes have resulted in some difficult choices for some students and their families, and we deeply apologize for the timing of these changes.”
Additionally, graduates will now be able to bring up to 12 guests to commencement instead of six.
Each ticket that graduating students received will allow entry for two guests, but they must be together if they are entering with a single ticket. In previous years, guests were allowed entry on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tickets still won’t be necessary to the Bren School and College of Creative Studies ceremonies.
The affected ceremonies are scheduled through the day on the weekend of June 14-16.
In its email, the university said it originally changed the commencement venue to enhance safety measures, but now is returning to the traditional location after reviewing and revising safety protocols and procedures.
The original announcement about the change in commencement venue came on the same day that UAW 4811 workers began their strike at UCSB in solidarity with supporters of Palestine and encampment protesters who have been arrested at other UC schools throughout the state
“Our goal has always been to create a safe and accessible ceremony that provides our students, many of whom were deprived of a high school graduation four years ago, the opportunity to cross the stage and receive the recognition that they have earned,” the university wrote its email.
