Penn State will host a virtual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 9, the university announced in an email to graduating seniors Monday. All undergraduate and Graduate School graduates will be honored at the ceremony, and individual colleges and campuses will plan complementary events to honor students on a more personal basis.

The announcement did little more than expand on what we already knew, as commencement had already been postponed once the remainder of the semester was moved online due to the coronavirus pandemic on March 18. At a town hall last month, President Eric Barron introduced the idea of a two-phase commencement that included a virtual ceremony first and a potential in-person one at a later date.

“The sense of community among Penn Staters is one of the hallmarks of this university,” Barron wrote in the email to graduates. “While we cannot be together in person to mark your accomplishments, I hope that you, along with your friends and families will join us online to celebrate your academic achievements. This change to a virtual ceremony should not detract from the pride that you and your families should take in your accomplishments to earn your Penn State degree.”

This latest announcement didn’t seem as committal to the in-person ceremony as Barron let on at the town hall where it seemed like it’d be a priority down the road. The second phase, as he called it at the town hall, was only briefly mentioned in the second-to-the-last paragraph of the latest email.

“We share your desire to come together in person, and are exploring options to invite graduates back to campus to be recognized for your accomplishments,” it said.