UC Davis did not complete the start of open-air graduation on Friday after a number of local agencies, including the fire department, called on the university to suspend the ceremony. About 12,500 students and families are baking in the heat without easy access to shade, officials said.
Students on Twitter reported that people with heat-related illnesses were taken by ambulance to Health Stadium, and the university said 34 calls for medical services were made and five people were transported to district hospitals at the start. (UC Davis Fire Department did not immediately respond to a request to confirm how many of these calls were related to heat.)
“To see how @ucdavis copes with today’s completion is bulls —,” wrote @tanyacasas_. “You watch people take them out of the ambulance left and right while others leave because they are on the verge of fainting from heat stroke. This is a joke.”
For alumni / families on the field RIGHT NOW – it is extremely hot. If you have crossed the stage, you should NOT stay until the end. Feel free to leave and head to Hutchison Field, where there is COLD water and air conditioning at UCenter. We are working on announcing the stadium
– UC Davis (@ucdavis) June 10, 2022
The event, the first of three student ceremonies, began at 8 a.m. to take advantage of the lower morning temperatures. After three hours, many students still had to go across the stage and receive their diplomas. The university announced shortly after 11 a.m. that it was suspending the ceremony due to health and public safety concerns due to the heat.
Ashley Hicks, a student attending the ceremony, said she was confused about university planning. “It was scheduled between 8 and 10 in the morning and the procession of students entering their seats did not end until 9:30 in the morning. An hour and a half was occupied by the procession.
She added: “I know the campus has tried to make up for it over the last few years, so I’m a little confused that it was decided the way it was, because I know they said it was a priority.”
⚠️Hazardous heat is forecast on Friday for much of the valley and foothills. Hot daytime temperatures with warm low temperatures at night will create a high risk of heat-related effects for the general population. Visit for heat preparedness tips. 🌡️ #CAwx pic.twitter.com/iBLtolKclb
– NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) June 8, 2022
The heat came as no surprise, as earlier this week the National Weather Service began warning of dangerously high temperatures on Friday. “We expect temperatures in the Davis area to be 105 by today, potentially 106,” Sierra Littlefield, a meteorologist with the Sacramento Meteorological Office, told SFGATE at noon on Friday. “There is a warning of excessive heat covering the Davis area.”
Littlefield explained that the warning of excessive heat means that anyone can be affected by the heat by staying outdoors for an extended period of time. “Whenever there is such heat, we advise people to avoid staying outdoors for long periods of time during the hottest periods of the day.
By noon on Friday, some meters on the UC Davis campus were reading temperatures up to 94 degrees, with mercury rising, Littlefield said.
Based on health and public safety concerns due to the heat, we had to end today’s opening ceremony early. We deeply regret that some students did not get a chance to cross the stage. We know this is disappointing and we will have more information later today: pic.twitter.com/c5rgQphpPt
– UC Davis (@ucdavis) June 10, 2022
Many parents and family members have expressed concern on social media. “As a concerned parent, I tweeted a few weeks ago about a bad choice to have an outdoor event in the heat of California,” @ 4katluvrs tweeted. “It was supposed to be an indoor event like last year. Divide it into morning and evening events.”
“Graduating from @ucdavis today was an experience,” said @ cchavisd12. “I flew through the country to see my sister, who graduated in law and she does not walk. I’m not sure who decided that open-air graduation in June was a good idea here… “
“UC Davis canceled our graduation !! We were not allowed to walk on stage and we were told to go home !!” @JoonKookStyless wrote. “Over 2,000 students could not come on stage. This was poor planning by the school and we demand a proper explanation from the school board !!”
This year was the first time UC Davis has consolidated what used to be seven student ceremonies at the University Credit Union Center into three and moved them to the larger Health Stadium. “The plan was announced in 2019, before the pandemic changed plans for completion in 2020 and 2021,” the university said in a press release.
The students SFGATE spoke to said there was no shadow. They said water was running at the university and students and their families were not allowed to import their own drinks.
The university said in an email to SFGATE that it provides fans and gentlemen, refrigeration stations and refrigerated buses. Participants were also offered the opportunity to watch the ceremony live at the University Credit Union.
“We deeply regret that some students did not have a chance to cross the stage,” the university said in a statement. “Chancellor Gary C. May and Vice-Chancellor Mary Crown are inviting each of those students who failed to walk to return with their families for a separate ceremony this Sunday. We appreciate your understanding and know that this is disappointing. “
This is an evolving story and details will be added when they become available.
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