The Stanford Alumni Association and Stanford Law School jointly announced today that they have made the difficult decision to postpone 2020 reunions until 2021 due to health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reunions for undergraduate and law alumni have been postponed until 2021. (Image credit: Stanford News Service)

As a result, reunions originally scheduled for mid-October for undergraduate and law alumni who graduated in the years ending in “0” and “5” will be postponed until Fall 2021.

The Stanford Alumni Association (SAA) hosts the annual Reunion Homecoming, a four-day celebration for undergraduate alumni that includes class parties, panels and mini-reunions, the signature Evening on the Quad and the always popular Classes Without Quizzes.

Last year, the event attracted some 10,000 alumni and guests from across the country and around the world.

The SAA said it considered holding a virtual reunion, but decided that even the most inspired virtual programming could not replace the energy and excitement of alumni gathering on campus with classmates. Instead, the SAA will provide opportunities for classmates to connect with each other online in the coming year.

“While we will certainly miss seeing our undergraduate alumni at Reunion Homecoming this fall, our paramount concern must be the safety and health of all involved,” said Howard Wolf, ’80, president of the SAA and vice president of alumni affairs.

“The tradition of Reunion Homecoming has always been important to our alumni community, so we know how disappointed many will be by this news. We will look forward to inviting our alumni back to campus in Fall 2021 with pleasure.”

The Stanford Law School Alumni Weekend, which is held concurrently, includes class parties, interactive panels, one-on-one career counseling and the Golden Gavel Society Luncheon, which recognizes alumni marking five decades or more since their graduation.

“Alumni Weekend at Stanford Law School is an extraordinary opportunity for alumni to connect with one another, the school and current students,” said Jenny S. Martinez, the Richard E. Lang Professor of Law and dean of Stanford Law School.

“While it is prudent to postpone Alumni Weekend 2020, I am of course tremendously disappointed. I know that our Stanford Law School Family – especially those wonderful alumni celebrating reunion in 2020 – will be back together again. And I look forward to that celebration.”

As new plans unfold, SAA and Stanford Law School will share updates with their respective alumni, volunteers, staff and faculty.