LSE will hold in-person graduation celebrations in summer 2021, the Students’ Union announced in a statement. The move reverses the School’s earlier plans to hold them digitally, which attracted significant controversy and which the SU had promised to fight against.
In their statement, the Union announced that LSE had committed to “[i]n-person graduation ceremonies this summer for all finalists. Complete with Cap and Gown, photos, friends and family,” and “[a]n in-person graduation ceremony as in a normal year, for all students who want one, once graduation ceremonies can return as usual.”
In an email to final-year students, Pro-Director for Education Professor Dilly Fung said “As part of our graduation activities, we’re planning on holding smaller in-person celebrations on campus this summer for the class of 2021.” Fung cautioned that any events would be in line of national restrictions.
It was not immediately clear whether LSE would be holding events according to their earlier timeline, which would have celebrated graduation in July 2021.
The move appears to be limited to this year’s finalist cohort. LSE told 2020 graduates that they would have the option of in-person ceremonies beginning in 2022. 2021 finalists will also have the option of rescheduling their graduation from summer 2022 if they are unable to make celebrations this summer.
The Beaver has contacted LSE and the Students’ Union for comment on this developing situation.
Note: The Students’ Union mistakenly used the term “graduation ceremonies” in their initial announcement. LSE has clarified that the events will be “small, in-person celebrations” rather than traditional, large-scale ceremonies.
