University of DivinityThe following statement has been released by the University of Divinity on Monday 16 March 2020.
The Council of the University of Divinity has resolved to cancel the public Graduation Ceremony due to be held at 7.30pm on Friday 27 March 2020 at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne.
This decision is taken in light of the coronavirus pandemic and the need to take all possible steps to protect the health and safety of the University’s members and the general public.
The Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor will hold a private ceremony to confer degrees and award diplomas and certificates to the graduands. This means that all affected graduands will receive their awards without further delay. A video of this ceremony, together with a list of all graduates, will be published on the University’s website.
Academic documents, including the signed testamurs, will be posted to all graduates prior to the ceremony date.
When it is safe to do so, the University will arrange a Service of Thanksgiving to which the graduates of 27 March 2020 will be invited, along with their Colleges, family and friends. At this ceremony, graduates will be welcome to robe in academic dress, be presented to the Chancellor, and receive public recognition of their awards.
In the meantime, we invite all members of the University to give thanks for the achievements of our graduands next Friday, to seek opportunities to serve others, and to pray for all whose lives and livelihoods are at risk in this present moment of need.
Dr Graeme Blackman AO Professor Peter Sherlock
Chancellor Vice-Chancellor
Watch the ceremony video
The Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor will graduate all students in absentia at 7:30pm on Friday 27 March 2020. A video of the formalities will be available on the Vox website at the scheduled time.
Graduating students, guests and staff are asked not to attend. Instead, we invite you to tune in to an online video of the chancellor conferring your degrees and awards, at the time of the scheduled ceremony. Join the online community to congratulate and support each other using the hashtag #UDGraduate2020
Kerrie Burn
Pilgrim Theological College
I am very confused about what should I do tomorrow as a graduand.
Do I stay at home to join the Zoom for Thanksgiving?
Or do I need personally to attend St. Patrick’s Cathedral to the chancellor for Thanksgiving?
Please let me know tomorrow morning.
Thanks.
Yours sincerely
Ruth
Hi Ruth,
Sorry to hear that the communication was not clear enough. The public ceremony is cancelled, so please do not go to St Patrick’s Cathedral tonight. An online ceremony has been recorded with the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor only, and will be available this evening at 7:30pm. You can access the online ceremony from here: https://vox.divinity.edu.au/news/2020-melbourne-graduation/
Please feel free to reply to the email you’ve received if you have any further questions.
Thanks for comment!