To students who are to graduate in March 2020, their families, and current students,

As the spread of the coronavirus infection shows no sign of ending, Aoyama Gakuin University, as previously announced, has decided to cancel the 2019 commencement ceremony which was to be held on March 25, 2020.

The commencement ceremony is a momentous event to mark a significant turning point in one’s life, and we fully understand how much all the graduates, as well as their families, have been looking forward to it.
For our part, our faculty members and administration staff are very disappointed by the decision to cancel, since we had greatly enjoyed preparing for this special day that celebrates academic accomplishment and a new beginning in life.

Currently, there are no cases of infection amongst students, faculty and administrative members of the university. However, the university has decided to take the painful decision to cancel the ceremony because we feel that the health and safety of all the participants in the ceremony is our utmost priority and that the university should fulfill its social responsibility to prevent the spread of infection.
We are very sorry for what the cancellation could mean for all of the graduates and family members, but we sincerely ask for your understanding.

For graduates, please check the Student Portal for the presentation of certificates, as details on how and when they are given will be announced there on March 13, 2020.
With regret, we must request that only the graduates visit the university on the day of presentation, in order to reduce the risk of infection.

The university will cancel all university-sponsored events which involve lodging, eating, and drinking as well as any events in which participants have close contact.
Many of you might be planning a graduation party or a farewell party, but we request that you cancel or postpone these events as they are considered to have a high risk of infection spread.
We request that both our graduates and current students fully understand the intent behind our cancellation of the ceremony, and to act as socially responsible citizens when following our requests.

Although there will be no ceremony, all the faculty members and administrative staff give our blessings to new graduates starting this new chapter in their life.
On March 25, 2020, when the ceremony is scheduled to be held, we will upload a congratulatory message to the graduates onto the university website.

I sincerely hope that in April all graduates will begin a new life full of hope and joy and continue to serve as "the salt of the earth, the light of the world".

March 13, 2020
Professor SAKAMOTO Hiroshi
President
Aoyama Gakuin University