NEWS

University of Alabama holds fall graduation with COVID restrictions

Staff report
The Tuscaloosa News
The University of Alabama celebrated fall graduation Saturday with four socially distanced ceremonies in Coleman Coliseum. Approximately 1,800 received diplomas. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]

Nearly 1,800 University of Alabama students received their degrees Saturday during fall commencement exercises at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa.

As with the combined spring and summer graduation ceremonies, UA took extensive precautions to ensure that physical distancing guidelines and COVID-19 health and safety standards were met.

Masks were required during the four separate ceremonies held Saturday, with a maximum of around 450 graduates participating in each ceremony. Each graduate was limited to inviting up to four guests.

The University of Alabama celebrated fall graduation Saturday with four socially distanced ceremonies in Coleman Coliseum. Approximately 1,800 received diplomas. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]

There were sanitizing stations throughout the coliseum, and the venue was  cleaned between each ceremony.

The UA fall graduating class included 30 student-athletes from eight sports. Eleven Alabama football players including Mac Jones, Najee Harris, Slade Bolden, Phidarian Mathis, Dylan Moses, Christopher Allen, Hunter Brannon, Kendall Randolph, LaBryan Ray, Brian Robinson and Major Tennison were scheduled to participate in the 6 p.m. ceremony after returning from Saturday’s 52-3 win at Arkansas earlier in the day. 

The University of Alabama celebrated fall graduation Saturday with four socially distanced ceremonies in Coleman Coliseum. Approximately 1,800 received diplomas. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]