Hundreds of Otago Polytechnic students are gutted they will not graduate in person tomorrow after an earlier security threat scuppered plans.
Otago Polytechnic. Photo: Google Street View
Yesterday two University of Otago ceremonies were postponed because of the online threat, disappointing more than 550 students including some who were meant to graduate in May.
Today, the polytech followed suit after advice from police.
The future of the university's Saturday graduation ceremonies remains up in the air with a decision expected by early tomorrow afternoon.
After three years of studying, Katherine Inder was looking forward to putting on her graduation gown at the Otago Polytechnic ceremony tomorrow.
The Bachelor of Design student said she started to feel some doubts yesterday.
"Given the news about the uni yesterday, we were all kind of at the back of our minds thought it might happen. But we're still holding on to a little bit of hope that it would go ahead," Inder said.
"Just a bit gutted, but completely understandable at the same time."
She said everyone who paid online had been issued a refund but she was sad to not be able to go ahead with the ceremony - which more than 600 polytech graduands were expected to attend.
"Everyone's quite gutted. Just given the year it's been, we were all quite excited to graduate and move on hopefully to a better year next year."
It's been a rough few years for Vannessa and her family with the death of a beloved family member, her mum's cancer diagnosis, her son Jamie being severely ill for a year-and-a-half, and then Covid-19.
Her son's upcoming polytech graduation with a Bachelor of IT was a chance for their family to celebrate and get together.
While she believed it was the right decision, Vannessa said she was disgusted with whoever made the threat.
"For most of those kids, it would be gut-wrenching because you've waited so long to get to that point in your life where everything that you've ever worked towards from the day you started school means something, and some a***hole's taken it from you," she said.
"That's the reality for all of them. Their day to shine and it's just gutting for all of them."
Vannessa and her family have been looking forward to travelling down from Alexandra to see him.
"We're still going to go and celebrate and we'll go out and have a meal together and what not. But how many people are travelling from further distances that have got accommodation booked and all the rest of it? I mean this is huge. It's bigger than just us."
More than 700 University of Otago students are scheduled to graduate on Saturday - Brooke Craig is one of them.
The fourth-year physiotherapy student did not know whether that would go ahead anymore - a tough prospect after a challenging year.
"I think that's what makes the whole graduation being up in the air so disappointing is that as it's an achievement in itself just graduating - let alone the people graduating on Saturday are the ones who actually finished their degrees during this really, kind of strange year with Covid," Craig said.
"I think that's what makes it just that wee bit more disappointing."
She was shocked by news of the threat but said the university and police made the right call.
"It's a really proud moment that we've all been able to stick together and get through this year so it would be really nice to have that formal celebration. But, you know, you can't take the fact that our families have all come down here and most of the students had to come back down to Dunedin, and the celebrations will continue regardless of if someone has decided to be angry enough to wreck our graduation."
The University of Otago declined an interview, saying the vice-chancellor was meeting with police late this afternoon to discuss Saturday's graduations with plans to update students afterwards.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne has since confirmed that the university would advise graduands by early tomorrow afternoon about whether Saturday's ceremonies would go ahead.
She remained hopeful would be able to graduate as scheduled on Saturday.
"It was with deep regret that the University announced the postponements of yesterday's graduation ceremonies and associated events due to a security threat," Hayne said.
"We are continuing to work closely with police on this matter, and are hopeful that we may still be able to continue with our planned graduation ceremonies this Saturday."
She acknowledged some graduands and their families needed to make a decision before noon tomorrow and accepted some changes might have to be made.
"If you decide not to attend the ceremony now, please let us know and we will give you the opportunity to participate in a special ceremony in 2021. This is not fully planned yet, but scheduling details will be known and communicated in due course."
Police are investigating the threat and invite anyone with information to contact them.
In a statement, the polytech said they were supporting their students and continuing to work with police.
