On Saturday, the University of 
Michigan held online commence-
ment activities in place of the can-
celled Spring Commencement due 
to COVID-19. 
The online activities included 
a recorded message posted on the 
commencement page from Uni-
versity President Mark Schlissel, 
Interim Provost Susan M. Collins 
and the deans.
“Yes, these are turbulent times,” 
Collins said. “But smooth seas do 
not make the most skillful sailors. 
You are ready to put your many tal-
ents to work in a world that truly 
needs your energy and your ideas.”
Former Vice President Al Gore 
and American playwright Domi-
nique Morrisseau, the previously 
planned commencement speakers, 
gave speeches, and alumni and 
coaches created congratulatory 
videos.
“I do believe these are the times 
that show us who we are and what 
we’re really made of,” Morrisseau 
said. “I look forward to seeing 
how this is going to impact you all, 
the future, a generation of future 
global citizens and how this will 
inspire you to make amazing glob-
al impact and change — positive 
change — that this world is going 
to need.”
There 
were 
also 
recorded 
performances by the Michigan 
Marching Band and the Men’s and 
Women’s Glee Clubs. 
In an effort to bring the celebra-
tion to social media, a “virtual 
maize out” invited people to post 
pictures wearing maize and blue 
with the hashtag “#MGoGrad.” 
Themed Facebook frames, Snap-
chat lenses, Giphy stickers and 
Zoom backgrounds were created 
as graduation-themed methods for 
the campus community to interact 
through social media platforms. 
Schools, colleges and other 
groups across campus also shared 
links to their graduation celebra-
tions on the commencement page. 
LSA had a recorded message from 

LSA Dean Anne Curzan, as well 
as links to departmental celebra-
tions.
“When I think of you, the grad-
uates of 2020, the words that come 
to mind are resilience, care for 
each other and for this remark-
able place that we call LSA and 
commitment to your education,” 
Curzan said. “You all have grit and 
you get to know that as you move 
forward.” 
The School of Music, Theatre & 
Dance had a message from Music, 
Theatre & Dance Dean Dave Gier, 
along with an interactive digital 
program showcasing work from 
graduating students. There were 
faculty and alumni congratula-
tions, as well as a performance of 
“The Victors” by graduating musi-
cal theatre students.
The Ross School of Business 
was one of the few groups to hold 
a livestream event in celebration, 
which was recorded and posted for 
those who could not attend live. 
The event was held via Zoom and 
included speakers such as Michi-
gan alum Brad Keywell, founder of 
Groupon.
“We are here as one family, con-
nected, and that’s what really mat-
ters,” Keywell said. “Even though 
we can’t be together in person, 
what we’re doing is reflective of 
the Michigan way. We are taking 
lemons and we are making deli-
cious lemonade.”
Despite all the online content 
and certain departments holding 
live events, there was no holistic 
live component to the commence-
ment celebrations put on by the 
University, which some students 
found disappointing. LSA senior 
Lizzy Irvin viewed some of the 
videos Saturday morning, includ-
ing the video posted by Curzan, 
and planned to watch more of the 
videos with her parents in the eve-
ning.
“I think they did a good job with 
what they covered,” Irvin said. 
“But, I wish there would have been 

3

Thursday, May 7, 2020
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com NEWS

Remote learning has given all 
University of Michigan students 
the opportunity to take classes 
this spring and summer without 
residing in Ann Arbor. However, 
for Public Health junior Maddie 
Malvitz, that meant 50 students 
in front of her on the waitlist for 
Chem 230. 
Malvitz, on a pre-med track, 
had been planning to take Chem 
230 this spring before COVID-19, 
but since the class has filled for 
both the upcoming spring and fall 
semesters, she had difficulties 
with the rest of her course plan-
ning.
“I emailed Angie Cox (the 
undergraduate program coordi-
nator in chemistry), and she said, 
‘Even if you get on the waitlist 
(for Pchem), you probably won’t 
get into the class because there’s 
50 people ahead of you,’” Malvitz 
said. “I just got into the School of 
Public Health, and I have required 
classes to take (in the winter 
semester) only offered at one time, 
and it’s stressful to fit Pchem in 
with that.”

Malvitz worries that if she can-
not fit Chem 230 into her schedule 
next year, she may have to post-
pone taking the Medical College 
Admission Test and applying to 
medical school.
“There is a lot of planning for 
when people take (the MCAT),” 
Malvitz said. “It just sucks that 
there’s so few options (to take 
Chem 230) and the University 
isn’t able to accommodate your 
classes.”
LSA junior Sesilia Kammo was 
also originally on the Chem 230 
waitlist for the spring, but decided 
to replace the course with Phys-
ics 135 because 34 students were 
ahead of her.
“I definitely think it was a lot 
more stressful because I’ve taken 
STEM classes before and the wait-
lists have never looked like this 
for them,” Kammo said. “I was 
number 35 on the waitlist and it 
wasn’t a very realistic place to be 
in and I’d rather take a class I’m 
more likely to get off the waitlist 
for.”
Students from a variety of 
majors spoke to The Daily about 
facing limited class capacities and 
long waitlists. According to the 
LSA Course Guide for spring and 
summer, EECS 203 has 52 stu-
dents on the waitlist; MATH 214 
has 16 students on the waitlist and 
PHYSICS 235 has 30 students on 
the waitlist, among others. 
LSA junior Ainesh Shintre is 

double majoring in economics and 
film, television and media, and 
planned on taking spring cours-
es for the additional credits he 
needs to graduate on time. Shin-
tre said he was originally wait-
listed for FTVM 352. He said the 
Department of Film, Television 
and Media decided to open a new 
section to accommodate the long 
waitlist.
“The classes just filled up fast-
er than usual,” Shintre said. “… I 
really wanted to take this class 
during this term, so I’m glad they 
opened a new section for us.”
Since classes are conducted 
online, Kammo said it can be dif-
ficult for students to understand 
why courses cannot accommodate 
more students.
“I also don’t know how the 
number of students affects the 
professor and all that,” Kammo 
said. “From the student’s perspec-
tive, it can be hard to understand 
because there is no physical seat 
constraint.”
LSA senior Jonah Eisenberg 
said many students confuse the 
capacity of the class with the 
physical capacity of a lecture hall 
holding a set number of students. 
He said the capacity actually is 
in place for the instructors and 
Graduate Student Instructors to 
have enough time to interact with 

Long online course waitlists 
frustrates community

SAINI KETHIREDDY
Daily Staff Reporter

Design by Christine Jegarl

‘U’ honors class 
of 2020 online

IULIA DOBRIN
Daily Staff Reporter

Read more at michigandaily.com
Read more at michigandaily.com

Videos from speakers and performances shared 
virtually to celebrate new graduates

Students express 
concerns about 
graduating on time