The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff said Thursday that the status of its Spring 2020 commencement remains "undetermined."
In the same announcement, the university said a number of events tied in with commencement time will be canceled, including Founders Celebration events, such as Honors and Awards Convocation, originally slated for April 25-30. The university has been holding Founders Celebration events since 1943. Also canceled: the annual Alumni Breakfast.
The university also said Thursday it is canceling Lion Fever Day, originally planned for April 3. Lion Fever Day is a recruiting event that attracts high school seniors and juniors who can tour the campus, speak with campus advisors, and experience some aspects of campus life with performances by the university's marching band and select Greek organizations. It is one of the largest on-campus recruiting events UAPB holds each year.
The Mary E. Benjamin Educational Access Conference, which had been planned for April 22, has also been canceled, the university said Thursday. The annual conference — this year's would have been the 27th — aims to address ways to access education, ranging from developing strategies to help students and staff affected by traumatic events in their communities, enhancing distance learning through online courses and creating nurturing environments that help students finish their education.