Faculty have the right of meaningful participation in the determination of their obligations to the University. When administrative decisions are made without such participation the administration is obligated to give transparent explanation and meaningful prior notification of changes to their contractual involvement in university organized events, such as graduation and commencement ceremonies.
As such, if substantial logistical changes are made to such events, without sufficient notification for faculty to plan accordingly to attend to their own health, safety, and welfare, it is reasonable for faculty to decide not to participate in such events without fear of retribution or sanction.
Faculty and academic staff are not mere employees of a university, but rather are an essential and central group of decision makers for and about the life of the university. When this role is not respected by a university’s administration (as the case appears to be at LMU), then faculty are within their rights to remind the university of these facts.