Graduating seniors at Nevada universities and colleges won’t get to walk across a stage to get their diplomas in May according to new guidelines issued by Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Thom Reilly.
The memo, issued Wednesday, also extends remote instruction through the end of the spring semester and confirms that degrees and certificates will still be conferred. Reilly noted that getting graduates into the workforce immediately after degree completion was a priority, especially for those entering the healthcare field.
“Given the ever-changing environment following the spread of COVID-19 and consistent with Governor Sisolak’s current emergency directives on social distancing, all NSHE institutions will complete the spring semester through remote instruction,” the Chancellor said in a statement.
“We have made these extraordinary decisions in consultation with the Board of Regents leadership and institution presidents to ensure the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, and campus communities.”
Some case-by-case exceptions to the remote education will be allowed, such as for healthcare clinicals, CTE labs, or practicums. However, these will still need to comply with the governor’s directives.
The Board of Regents has plans to meet in the coming weeks to address a number of policy issues to help students at all NSHE campuses who’ve been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The board will also review alternative plans for Spring 2020 graduation ceremonies and consider if there’s a need for remote-only instruction during the summer semester. A meeting date and agenda are forthcoming.
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