UW-Oshkosh Winter Graduation Rescheduled After Student Pushback

The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh has rescheduled its winter graduation ceremony after cancelling it in anticipation of the inclement weather that walloped parts of the state.

Between 8 and 10 inches of snow fell in the Oshkosh area Saturday. It was the expected snow coupled with slick roads that led the university’s chancellor on Friday to cancel Saturday’s commencement, leading to complaints from students.

Commencement ceremony for tomorrow, 12/17/2016, has been canceled due to dangerous weather. Go to https://t.co/9fAp689Irv for more info.

— UW Oshkosh (@uwoshkosh) December 16, 2016

Chancellor Andrew Leavitt said it is possibly the first time a commencement has been called off since the university’s inception in 1871.

“We’ve asked our archivist this, and we’ve not been able to find a time when it has been canceled. This might be a first,” Leavitt said.

Leavitt said he made the call to cancel and doesn’t regret it, even though other UW System schools held their ceremonies.

“It’s not from the System office but each individual campus that has the authority to make a decision and I made that decision for this campus,” he said.

About 1,100 graduating seniors were expected to walk to receive their diplomas Saturday.

Some students complained because their family members had already arrived in Oshkosh from out of town before the cancelation was announced.

Leavitt admitted communication could have been better.

“Where I could have done a better job was understanding the reaction of the students,” he said. “We did offer two alternatives for recognition. That simply wasn’t sufficient or adequate enough for our students, and so I’ve heard them loud and clear.”

I heard the response and listened. We will give @uwoshkosh grads the @uwocommencement they deserve Jan. 21. More: https://t.co/yba2rz6cHG

— UWOshkosh Chancellor (@uwochancellor) December 19, 2016

Besides the rescheduled winter commencement date on Saturday, Jan. 21, UW-Oshkosh will host two “recognition days” for those who can’t attend. Those are scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 22 and Saturday, Jan. 28. Winter graduates are also invited to take part in spring graduation.