In an email titled “Barnard College Commencement Update,” the Barnard College Commencement Planning Team announced to graduating seniors that the official Barnard College Commencement has been moved to Robertson Field at Satow Stadium.
This update follows the highly controversial decision in February to move Columbia University Commencement to the Robert K. Kraft Field at Baker Athletics Complex. University Commencement, which is held for all four undergraduate schools, has historically been celebrated on Columbia University’s Morningside Campus. The backlash was immediate and unexpected, as students at Columbia are historically known to roll over and take any sort of unwanted treatment by University administrators. A few weeks later, Columbia sent out another location update, officially moving Commencement back to Morningside campus in an email titled “Ok Damn Didn’t Know You Guys Cared That Much.”
Following the University’s initial choice to break from tradition, Barnard College’s recent announcement backtracks on previous statements that assured the school’s commencement would be held at Radio City Music Hall in midtown Manhattan.
An excerpt from the email is as follows:
Dear Barnard Community –
Please disregard all of our previous communications. This year, we are excited to welcome family and friends of the Barnard College 2026 graduating class to the Robertson Field at Satow Stadium for the 134th Barnard College Commencement Ceremony on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 4 p.m.
Robertson Field is located to the right of the Robert K. Kraft Field, which was the location of University-wide Commencement until about a month ago. Given the Columbia football team’s record, we weren’t expecting any of you to know where the Robert K. Kraft Field was located, so really, we expected that moving Barnard Commencement would be doing you all a favor to familiarize yourselves with the area. Now we’ve heard that the University has moved Commencement back to Morningside campus due to all of your complaining. Unfortunately, we’re now locked into contractual agreements, and, frankly, Barnard College cannot afford paying legal bills.
Also, we’re not going to be monitoring this email at all for the next month for unrelated reasons, but please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns or whatever.
Sincerely,
Barnard College Commencement Planning Team
commencement@barnard.edu
