A petition against the cancellation of summer graduation made its way around campus earlier this semester, but did not persuade the administration’s decision.

DeAnna McClintock, a senior public health major, began the petition and collected about 200 signatures within the span of two days, she said.

The administration is currently completing tasks for the May commencements. Offices such as registration and records, the graduate school, the Convocation Center and many others are involved in the process, Vice Provost Earl Seaver said.

According to a previous Northern Star article, McClintock began the petition Feb. 17 after NIU announced it would merge summer and fall commencement ceremonies.

The goal of the petition was to reinstate the summer ceremony, said Nicola Bieber, a senior public health major, who signed the petition.

Like many seniors who were planning for an August ceremony, Bieber will be walking in the May commencement ceremony.

After discussing the petition with Seaver about two months ago, McClintock said she stopped the petition.

“I did all I could and it wasn’t enough,” McClintock said. “There’s nothing else I can do; nothing’s going to change.”

McClintock said this decision may affect further decisions made by university alumni.

“A lot of people may not contribute back to school as alumni,” McClintock said. “This is not a good thing for the university.”