An atmosphere of anticipation quickly turned into chaos as Howard University abruptly canceled a graduation ceremony for the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences just an hour into the event. Footage captured the aftermath, showing a damaged door at the Cramton Auditorium and a crowd gathered outside.

Overcrowding Concerns

According to reports from The Hilltop, Howard University’s student newspaper, crowds began forming two hours before the scheduled 6 p.m. start of the ceremony. With the event being unticketed, university security closed the doors to the building’s foyer once it reached its capacity of approximately 1,500 seats. Despite expectations of around 280 degrees to be awarded, the venue’s capacity was based on accommodating an estimated 3-4 attendees per graduate.

Miscommunication and Intervention

Dean Gina Spivey-Brown of the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences addressed the disappointed crowd, attributing the cancellation to concerns raised by the fire department due to the room’s size and potential disruptions from attendees. However, fire officials later contradicted this claim, stating that they responded to a medical call at the request of campus police but did not intervene to stop the ceremony.

University’s Response and Apology

In a statement issued the following Friday, Howard University expressed regret over the cancellation and pledged to review its crowd control policies to prevent similar incidents in the future. The university acknowledged the inconvenience caused to graduates and their families and affirmed its commitment to enhancing the overall graduation ceremony experience.

Recognition and Apology at Commencement

During the university’s commencement ceremony on Saturday, Howard President Ben Vinson III took a moment to recognize the graduates from the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences. In his address, Vinson extended apologies for the disruptions experienced earlier in the week, emphasizing the university’s admiration for the resilience demonstrated by the affected graduates.

Resumption of the Ceremony

Following the acknowledgment and apology, the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences ceremony was able to resume, allowing graduates the opportunity to properly celebrate their achievements amidst the challenges faced during the initial cancellation.