EDINBURG – The University of Texas System released a letter urging university presidents to postpone all spring graduation ceremonies.

All ceremonies are expected to be held in the fall, including graduations for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Also announced, all universities will shift instruction over to distance learning online.

According to Chancellor James B. Milliken, for students living on-campus, residence halls and dining programs will be limited to students who do not have a suitable alternative, which will be determined by a case-by-case basis. Students who paid for residence halls and dining plans will be reimbursed or credited.

Milliken says the move to postpone graduations was to comply with new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, prohibiting gatherings due to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

An emergency fund is in the works to help specific student needs.

For the full letter, read here.