Officials at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga have decided to cancel the school's rescheduled spring 2020 graduation due to rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Tennessee and in Hamilton County, according to a news release.
The school initially made plans to postpone the May commencement ceremonies, but current data and consultations with medical professionals called for the cancelation of the large, in-person gatherings formerly scheduled for August 7 and 8, school officials said.
"We know how much an in-person commencement means to our recent graduates and their families," reads a statement from the school's executive leadership team. "But the health and safety of everyone at UTC must remain our number one concern."