Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
PORTALES — Eastern New Mexico University on Tuesday afternoon sent students an email saying spring graduation ceremonies had been canceled. Then, about 15 minutes after The Eastern New Mexico News reported the cancellation on its website, University President Jeff Elwell said the email was “prematurely sent out.”
Faculty and staff were notified about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday that the university Board of Regents instead will consider at its April 10 meeting whether spring commencement will be held.
Spring graduation had been scheduled for May 9, but had been in question because of coronavirus fears.
It wasn’t immediately clear who had authorized the email announcing graduation had been canceled.
Elwell posted a note to students, faculty and staff on an ENMU portal at 8:50 p.m. Tuesday.
"Today we prematurely sent out a message saying we were cancelling Spring Commencement," it read in part. "After discussion with Terry Othick, president of the ENMU Board of Regents, this decision will be delayed until the Regents can review more information and make a decision at the April 10 Board of Regents Meeting."
Othick said information provided Tuesday was “a bit confusing.”
“As you well know, the rules and guidelines from both federal and State agencies are rapidly changing, including the size of gatherings and the expected duration of this deadly virus,” Othick wrote in a text message to The News.
The email supposedly canceling spring graduation ceremonies, from ENMU Assistant Registrar Sara Ricklefs, was sent to students about 5 p.m. Tuesday. It said spring and summer graduates “have the option to walk in the next scheduled commencement ceremony,” which is Dec. 12.
Regent Lance Pyle of Clovis said regents want to ensure the university complies with state and federal guidelines in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. But he said regents had not voted on whether to cancel graduation.
“Graduation is still a few months away, and this matter should have been presented to the Board of Regents,” he wrote in a text message to The News.
