Health Sciences graduate Sharon Casey, right, laughs with Stephanie Calefati, left, as she passes a bottle of hand sanitizer to other graduates at the start of Northeastern University’s commencement ceremony Friday in Boston.

Boston ? Miranda Smith is an only child and an honor student. So it was with great anticipation that her mom, aunt and grandparents planned to drive for hours to her graduation ceremony at Cisco Junior College in central Texas.

Only now there will be no ceremony. Administrators canceled it and instead will mail diplomas because of fears over swine flu.

Cases are increasing just as college graduation season begins, and schools are doing what they can to keep travelers from around the country and beyond from spreading or catching the disease.

Some are making contingency plans and digging up preparation protocols, while others are warning sick people to stay home and eliminating touchy traditions. A few have canceled or postponed their most important spring event or even segregated graduates who might have swine flu.

“It’s a big deal, and now it’s not going to happen,” said Smith, who finished in Cisco’s pre-pharmacy program. “I know a lot of people are really, really frustrated. It’s definitely heartbreaking when everybody finds out.”

Boston, home to dozens of colleges and universities, began its commencement season Friday with Northeastern University, which decided to forgo the traditional congratulatory handshake between deans and students.

Staff also put small bottles of green hand sanitizer beneath faculty chairs and hid larger bottles behind greenery on the stage. Graduates of the school’s health sciences program swabbed their hands with the disinfectant after taking their seats.

Northeastern spokeswoman Renata Nyul noted that avoiding a handshake is a simple way to avoid one of the most common methods of contracting the flu. The school didn’t consider canceling commencement, which drew 16,000 people.

Northeastern also asked those with flu-like symptoms to stay away — a suggestion also made by Dr. Barbara Ferrer, executive director of the city’s Public Health Commission. Ferrer also said schools should suggest that people with compromised immune systems also consider not attending commencement ceremonies in the coming weeks.

Other schools have taken much bolder action.

Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania will hold a separate graduation Saturday for 22 students who officials fear might have been exposed to the swine flu during a school trip to Mexico.

The 22 students, all education majors, aren’t sick but have been told to limit contact with others.