Vice President for Alumni Affairs and Development Fred Van Sickle sent the following message Sept. 10:

Homecoming is a time-honored tradition for all universities and provides a moment in time for our campus, alumni and local communities to come together and celebrate. Many of us had been looking forward to in-person Homecoming activities this year, but given the continued course of the pandemic, the university has made the difficult decision to cancel or modify most in-person events.

This decision was made out of an abundance of caution, weighing the risks of overcrowding and the potential for inviting larger numbers of individuals to campus who may not be fully vaccinated or are traveling from regions with high transmission rates.

I am, however, pleased to share that the Homecoming football game and the Class of 2020 Commencement ceremony will continue as planned. These events have public health measures in place, including limited attendance and mandatory masking.

The traditional Homecoming Fan Festival, fireworks and laser show are canceled, as are all other in-person events except for some advisory council meetings. Please review the Homecoming schedule for links to virtual events.

While it is disappointing that we are not able to have our full slate of in-person Homecoming events, we will look to even greater celebrations to share in the future.