Safety Protocols for Commencement
Clarksville, TN – On May 4th-7th, 2021, Austin Peay State University (APSU) will host seven commencement ceremonies to honor the University’s Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 graduates.
The COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic caused Austin Peay State University officials to re-examine how the University can follow national and local health standards while also recognizing the accomplishments of its students.
The answer was to host more events with fewer people.
Information on the ceremonies is available at www.apsu.edu/commencement
While we’re excited to resume this important tradition, it’s vital that all participants and visitors follow the COVID-19 safety protocols we’ve developed for these ceremonies.
Those guidelines include:
- Limiting participation to no more than 170 graduates per ceremony so they can be socially distanced on the Dunn Center floor.
- Requiring all graduates, guests (3 years and older), and University personnel to wear a face mask while they are inside the Dunn Center. Masks must be worn properly, covering the nose and the mouth. A face shield may be worn in addition to a face mask, but not as a replacement for a face mask.
- Limiting the number of guests to ensure social distancing. Each graduate will be provided with four reserved seating tickets for guests. University faculty and staff who wish to attend one or more of the ceremonies may sign up to serve as event staff for the ceremonies they wish to attend.
- Requiring a ticket for every guest entering the Dunn Center, regardless of age.
- Shortening the ceremonies to limit the time indoors. All graduates, however, will be recognized by name as they walk across the stage.
Get Vaccinated
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently recommended pausing the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The CDC is using this pause to review data, after a small number of blood clots were reported among people who received that vaccine. These blood clots appear to be extremely rare, fewer than 1 in a million.
The decision to pause does not affect the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, which are both effective in preventing COVID-19 Coronavirus. To sign up for a vaccine at APSU, visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4daea628a5f4c43-first.
