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RALEIGH — Commencement exercises at the 17 schools in the University of North Carolina System have been postponed because of the ongoing threat of coronavirus, the system’s interim president said Friday.

Interim president Bill Roper made the announcement during a special meeting of the UNC Board of Governor, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported. Roper said he knows the cancellation will disappoint students and their families, but the health and safety of students, staff and faculty are the top priority.
UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz sent a letter to the Carolina community on Friday expressing his regret to have to postpone all commencement ceremonies and his personal disappointment as the parent of a graduating senior. The university will send out a survey to the Class of 2020 to get its opinions about alternative dates and other options.

UNC-Charlotte announced it will also postpone the May commencement ceremony and is considering in-person ceremony options in either August or December.
East Carolina University is working on plans and logistics for its ceremonies. Western Carolina University will reschedule commencement ceremonies and said it will make plans for those events by April 3.