UC Santa Barbara Returns Commencements to Original Location After Public Pushback
University Announces Ceremonies Will Be Held on Commencement Green, Will Allow 12 Guests Per Student
Following a sudden change that would have relocated seven of nine commencement ceremonies from the traditional lawn bordering the lagoon — a move that sparked two separate online petitions that garnered nearly 9,000 signatures in three days — UC Santa Barbara announced Thursday that the graduation ceremonies would be returned to their original location on the Commencement Green.
According to a statement released on the university commencement website, the seven relocated ceremonies scheduled for June 14–16 — including the Graduate Division, all College of Letters & Science, and the College of Engineering ceremonies — will take place at their originally scheduled times and locations.
The university also announced that it would amend the recently changed ticketing procedures. When the ceremonies were relocated, students were told that they would get a maximum of six tickets each, a restriction that drew criticism from graduates who had planned months in advance and invited their whole families to attend.
UCSB announced the seven relocated commencement ceremonies scheduled for June 14-16 will be returning to their original location at the commencement near the lagoon, where fencing has already started going up. | Credit: Stephanie Gerson 
UCSB announced the seven relocated commencement ceremonies scheduled for June 14-16 will be returning to their original location at the commencement near the lagoon, where fencing has already started going up. | Credit: Stephanie Gerson 
UCSB announced the seven relocated commencement ceremonies scheduled for June 14-16 will be returning to their original location at the commencement near the lagoon, where fencing has already started going up. | Credit: Stephanie Gerson
Now, each ticket will admit two people into the ceremony, allowing students to bring up to 12 guests. Both guests must arrive together to be admitted with the same ticket, and all guests will still be subject to security checks.
Commencement ceremonies for the Bren School and the College of Creative Studies do not require tickets, and both will remain at their originally planned locations.
“We know that the changes have resulted in some difficult choices for some students and their families, and we deeply apologize for the timing of these changes,” UCSB officials stated in an email sent out to graduating students. “Our goal has always been to create a safe and accessible ceremony that provides our students, many of whom were deprived of a high school graduation four years ago, the opportunity to cross the stage and receive the recognition that they have earned.”
“The initial change in venue was undertaken in order to help ensure the continuity of our ceremonies and to enhance safety procedures,” the email continued. “We are returning to the traditional Commencement Green location following additional review and revision of our safety procedures and the implementation of additional safety protocols.”
For more information, visit the UCSB Commencement website.
