ESCANABA – In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Bay College has announced plans to postpone its commencement ceremonies and hold physical ceremonies later in 2020.

Bay’s spring commencement ceremonies will now be held at either the end of the summer II semester in early August or the end of the fall semester in early December. More details will be made available as events develop on the state and national levels.

Previously, the college had announced its intention to hold a “virtual graduation ceremony” on May 9. However, students at the college voiced their opposition to the concept.

“I really appreciated the feedback that I received from students,” Bay College President Laura Coleman said.

As a result of the feedback, Bay’s senior leadership team discussed options for the college’s graduation ceremonies Wednesday.

“We said that would be the right thing to do,” Coleman said of postponing the ceremonies.

Coleman also spoke about how things have been going at Bay since the college closed its physical campuses. She said while online classes come with certain difficulties, the college’s students and faculty have been adapting well.

“Our online students have the same success rate as our brick-and-mortar students,” she said, noting more than 70 percent of Bay students had taken an online class before the coronavirus pandemic hit.

While Bay’s campuses are closed to the public, college services continue to be available online, via email and over the phone.

Coleman said she and others at Bay are looking forward to this year’s graduation ceremonies — whenever they can be held.

“Graduation is one of the hallmarks for all of the people at Bay College,” she said.