Four graduations are affected, two on Wednesday and two on Saturday. More than 1300 students were set to graduate at the ceremonies.
Meanwhile, police are yet to make an arrest after a bombing and shooting threat which by the end of this week will have affected more than 3000 university and Otago Polytechnic graduands.
Police inquiries were continuing, a spokeswoman said today.
Vice-chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne said the university was continuing to work closely with police as they carried out an investigation and a decision was made this afternoon to postpone the four graduation ceremonies planned for Wednesday and Saturday.
She said she shared in the disappointment everyone was feeling.
"I know this is a further disappointment at the end of a year that has been more difficult than most.” Professor Hayne says.
“In the wake of Covid-19, our students have overcome huge obstacles to stay on track and complete their degrees this year.
Moreover, many of our students and their whānau have made significant sacrifices to travel to Dunedin so they could be a part of these very special celebrations.
She was confident graduands would find alternative ways to celebrate
All associated graduation events planned to take place on campus were able to continue. Graduands would still be able to pick up their certificates and details about this would be sent directly to graduands.
Professor Hayne said despite last week’s graduation postponements, graduates had continued to celebrate their achievements with large numbers on campus last week and on Saturday.
"I have seen many, many examples of the true Otago spirit as people took the opportunity to celebrate, marking their achievements in their own very personal ways.
"They have demonstrated these characteristics throughout this year and their response to the graduation postponements is just another example of how truly remarkable they are.”
For graduands who chose not to come to Dunedin this week, or who wished to take part in a full ceremony at a later time, the university was planning opportunities for this in 2021.
Prof Hayne paid tribute to the police who continued to investigate the security threat.
"Police continue to take this threat very seriously and we are grateful for their support and expert guidance."
The specific and detailed threat against University of Otago graduation ceremonies first forced an eleventh-hour abandonment of last Wednesday’s official proceedings for students.
Since then, hundreds of students have made do with informal celebrations only as graduation ceremonies have been successively called off.
An Otago Polytechnic graduation was cancelled on Friday and another university graduation was cancelled on Saturday.
The Otago Daily Times understands the threat included a warning of a bombing and shooting.
