Several Chattanooga area colleges and universities have canceled commencement ceremonies scheduled for August due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in Tennessee.
Lee University President Dr. Paul Conn announced the school's commencement cancellation through an email and video message Wednesday to 760 graduates who had planned on participating in the ceremonies.
"As painful as it is to all to reach this decision, I believe for us to bring such big crowds together on campus is just too risky," Conn said in the video.
"My first responsibility is to keep you and your families safe and well. We looked at dozens of scenarios, in many different combinations, with masks and distancing in all of them, but we just couldn't find a way to make it work safely."
Chattanooga State Community College will opt for a non-traditional alternative to its in-person graduation ceremonies originally planned for August 1, according to a news release.
"Although it will not be a traditional ceremony, we know that our students have worked hard to mark their academic and personal milestones, and as an alternative, we've planned a hybrid graduation ceremony giving students an opportunity to walk across the stage," Vice President of Student Affairs Debbie Adams said in a released statement.
Chattanooga State students participating in the ceremonies have been assigned a date and time for the in-person portion of the commencement, and a virtual celebration video will be released on August 1, recognizing the 2020 graduates.
The area cancellations follow officials at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, which announced last week the cancelation of its graduation ceremonies scheduled for the same weekend.