Board weighs holding graduations on base after principals ask that every family be allowed on campus

Trustees reopened a months-long discussion Aug. 11 over where to hold high-school graduations after principals told the board they want every graduate's family to be able to attend. The question hinges on whether the U.S. Air Force Academy can adopt an "open base" posture for graduations to allow off-base family members to enter without being turned away.

Superintendent Haber said principals were "adamant about every single family being able to access graduation," and asked base partners for details about possible access arrangements. "If there is something we can work out there, we'd love that because Clune is amazing," Haber said.

Colonel Herndon, the new U.S. Air Force Academy board liaison, described the open-base posture the Academy sometimes uses for public events: a controlled route and cordon that permits attendees to drive on to the base with identification and assigned parking. He gave FanFest as a recent example of an open posture and said the Academy also offers digital access/QR code options for vetted visitors. "It doesn't mean gates are open and everyone's driving in without being stopped," he told trustees. "Essentially, we set a route and cordon to allow individuals access to key facilities that they're attending."

Trustees and staff asked for specific data before deciding. Superintendent Haber said the district requested numbers of families who had previously been unable to access on-base ceremonies; the board received one data point cited in discussion: at one high school, 11 families out of about 300 reported exclusion from last year's ceremony because they could not get on base. Board members asked staff and base security to follow up immediately; Colonel Herndon said he would meet with his team and provide a fuller description of access options.

Board members debated logistical trade-offs. Director Wilburn said District 20 Stadium can seat roughly 3,500 with room for additional seating and said weather, traffic egress and parking present challenges at on-base outdoor sites. "If we do move to the outdoor venue, I think there are logistical concerns that need to be considered," Wilburn said, citing egress, parking and the difficulty of doing three graduations in a single day at an outdoor stadium. Director Payne and others emphasized principals' priority that "every family" have access to their student's milestone.

Superintendent Haber told trustees she and her staff would collect additional data from principals and work with base security; Colonel Herndon said he would confer with his security forces commander and provide details on the open-base posture and QR-code procedures. The board asked staff for those details "by the end of the day tomorrow" so trustees could make an informed decision.

Ending: No final venue decision was made. The superintendent and Colonel Herndon agreed to follow up with specific, written information about open-base procedures, historical access data, and any limitations so the board could decide whether graduations can be held on base without excluding families.