As Alumni Hall ages, Western University may shift graduations to downtown venue

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Western University will be moving its graduation ceremonies off-campus starting in June 2025, eyeing Budweiser Gardens a possible location for the next five years as it works to bring convocation back on-site eventually.  

Western has made the decision to shift its twice-annual graduation ceremonies from Alumni Hall, a focal point of Western’s campus and the site of convocation since 1967, due to capacity and accessibility pressures at the aging venue. 

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“As we navigate these changes, our priority is ensuring an exceptional convocation experience for our graduates,” Western’s provost and academic vice-president Florentine Strzelczyk said in an emailed statement.  

“We’re working to secure a suitable venue. Over the long term, we will explore options to build or retrofit a multi-purpose facility on campus that could host future convocations.” 

Western convened a task force – including students and faculty – earlier this year to examine options for the future of convocation at the university. A final report from the committee was presented last week to Western’s senate, the body that governs academic policy at the university. 

The 15-page report identified Budweiser Gardens as the preferred off-site location for Western’s convocations, at least in the short-term. The downtown sports and entertainment venue, which may soon be renamed Canada Life Place, has been the location of Fanshawe College’s June graduation ceremonies since 2022.  

The report identified a potential opportunity to work with Fanshawe to share the cost of set-up and take-down of the stage and seating. 

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Shuttles for students, their families, university staff and volunteers between campus and the downtown venue will be necessary, the report said. 

The report ruled out RBC Place, the convention centre, as an off-site convocation option, citing a capacity of just 300 more than Alumni Hall and no stadium seating. It also ruled out the possibility of a tented, outdoor graduation ceremony on campus at Alumni Stadium due to additional cost and weather considerations.  

Thompson Arena, the campus recreation centre at the corner of Sarnia and Western roads, is an unsuitable convocation venue in the short-term due to unusable bleacher seating and a lack of air conditioning, the report said.  

However, the arena could potentially be “refurbished to meet the needs of convocation,” the report said. 

The task force collected feedback from 288 online survey responses, in-person consultations with 136 people and three focus groups. Respondents expressed a strong preference that graduation ceremonies should remain on campus. 

“Convocation should ultimately return as an on-campus event,” the report said.  

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“This recommendation carries with it an acknowledgment of the need to commence a capital planning process to explore costing, planning and eventual construction/renovation of a multi-purpose facility with capacity to host convocation ceremonies.” 

Western is expecting to boost enrolment over the coming years, a move that will increase the number of graduates and the ceremonies necessary to accommodate them. Alumni Hall has limited capacity and lacks accessibility features. 

Western holds 27 convocation ceremonies at Alumni Hall over two weeks in June and three days in October each year. The ceremonies attract about 8,000 graduates and their families.  

jbieman@postmedia.com 

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