The University of Colorado Boulder is exploring alternatives for spring commencement, including a virtual ceremony or postponing, as campus leaders wrestle with unprecedented challenges caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus in Colorado.

Chancellor Phil DiStefano on Tuesday announced that the May 7 ceremony, along with department and college recognition ceremonies, are canceled because of new restrictions on large gatherings and travel bans.

On Wednesday, DiStefano said he is working with a commencement committee — which includes a senior student — to find alternative ways to celebrate spring 2020 graduates.

A petition started Monday by senior Bella Shelby asks DiStefano to postpone commencement instead of canceling and has gained more than 7,000 signatures. DiStefano said he’s aware of the petition and postponing the ceremony is an option that’s being considered.

“I’d like to see what the commencement committee brings back as far as alternatives and look at ones that might work and see if we can move forward with those,” DiStefano said.

It’s too early to say what a virtual ceremony might look like, DiStefano said, but he knows universities across the country are considering the same thing.

Most people who have contacted him since the announcement said they understand why the university made the decision to cancel, DiStefano said, and it was important to let folks know as soon as possible because of the number of people who travel in from out of the state or country to attend CU Boulder’s commencement.

“This is heartbreaking for all of us and I certainly share in everyone’s disappointment,” DiStefano said. “I felt it was important to allow families to have the opportunity to change their plans.”

DiStefano said he cannot remember another event having such an enormous impact on CU Boulder. The only thing that comes close is the 2013 South Boulder Creek flood, he said, which closed campus for several days.

Senior Leilani Osmundson said she hopes campus leaders go forward with postponing it.

“I’m someone who is an introvert and doesn’t like large crowds, but I was really looking forward to graduation because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she said. “(Postponing) is not only reasonable but it’s pretty doable for most people. I would love to walk at a different time if CU was able to do that.”

Senior Taylor Shank will be the first person in her family to graduate from college.

“This is a very big deal for me, as it is for thousands of others,” she said. “I’ve been waiting to get a college degree since I was 3 and I’ve dreamed about walking across the stage since I was 3, so the fact that they canceled instead of postponing caught me off guard.”

Shank said she also hopes the university will hold commencement at a later date.

“I’d do it pretty much whenever, if they made us walk with the class of 2021 I’d be open to it. I just really want to walk,” she said.

Senior Talia Eaton said she wonders if postponing is plausible because no one knows how long the new coronavirus will impact Colorado.

Most of her family has already bought plane tickets to attend her graduation, Eaton said.

“We understand why they’re doing it, we want people to be safe just as much as they do, but it’s hard to work so hard toward something and be left with nothing,” she said.