Youngstown State University will no longer hold Summer Commencement and is making changes in other graduation ceremonies.

The university announced on Monday that it is adjusting the commencement schedule beginning this Spring in effort to create what officials say will be a more meaningful experience for graduates and their guests.

Under the new schedule, YSU will conduct two commencements in May and December. The May commencement will continue to include a morning and an afternoon ceremony, but will be separated by colleges.

During past commencements, Bachelor and Associate Degrees were awarded in a morning ceremony, while Master and Doctoral degrees were conferred in the afternoon.

University Public Information Officer Ron Cole says that as a result, the morning ceremony was very crowded, while fewer people were in attendance for the afternoon session.

The Spring Commencement Ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 16 in the Beeghly Physical Education Center under the following schedule:

• 10:00 a.m.Undergraduate and Graduate levels for Williamson College of Business Administration, the Beeghly College of Education, and the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

• 2:30 p.m.Undergraduate and Graduate levels for the College of Creative Arts and Communication, the Bitonte College of Health and Human Services, and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

There will no longer be a ceremony in August. Cole says that attendance at Summer Commencements has been very small in number. Students who would otherwise participate in the August ceremony will have the opportunity to attend commencement in either May or December.

Summer graduates who wish to attend the May Commencement ceremony must register between February 17 and April 13.

The YSU Academic Senate recently approved the changes.