The University of Southern California made the decision to cancel its main graduation ceremony on Thursday due to ongoing pro-Palestinian protests taking place on campus.
According to a recent update from USC, the cancellation of the main commencement ceremony scheduled for May 10 has been announced. The university cited the implementation of new safety measures for processing individuals who visit the campus as the reason for this decision.
According to a statement from USC, the implementation of new safety measures this year will significantly increase the time required to process the large influx of guests arriving on campus. As a result, the university will be unable to hold the main stage ceremony, which traditionally attracts 65,000 students, families, and friends, all arriving within a narrow window from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
According to USC, they have implemented new safety measures for commencement events. These measures involve issuing tickets for all events and restricting access to campus through specific entry points.
School officials have announced that they will be sharing the latest details regarding the commencement plans on the official graduation website by Tuesday.
USC announced that they will continue with doctoral hooding ceremonies, special celebrations, and departmental activities and receptions.
The main stage ceremony has been canceled in light of recent controversies surrounding USC. The campus was forced to shut down temporarily due to clashes between pro-Palestine protesters and the police during a demonstration, involving both students and non-students.
The university made the decision to cancel Asna Tabassum’s graduation speech, citing safety concerns.
Tabassum, a self-identified first-generation South Asian Muslim student, faced criticism from the campus group Trojans for Israel for sharing a link on her Instagram account advocating for “one Palestinian state” and the “liberation of Palestinians and the complete abolishment of the state of Israel.”
The group demanded that the post be condemned as a form of anti-Semitic bigotry.
According to USC Provost Andrew Guzman, the conversation surrounding Tabassum’s appointment as valedictorian has become increasingly concerning.
According to Guzman, the emotions surrounding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and amplified by social media have reached a level where they now involve various individuals beyond the USC community. This has led to a significant concern regarding the potential for security risks and disruptions during the commencement event.
Tabassum expressed her shock and profound disappointment at the university’s decision to cancel her. She argued that the university had failed to provide any explanation regarding the specific security threats she should be concerned about.
In expressing her concerns, she stated that she had serious doubts about USC’s decision to revoke her invitation to speak at commencement. She pointed out that the lack of increased safety measures made her question whether the decision was solely based on safety concerns.
USC then made the decision to cancel all outside speakers for the commencement following Tabassum’s dismissal.
Pro-Palestine protests have emerged on over 30 college campuses in the United States. These include well-known institutions such as the University of Texas Austin, Harvard, Brown, the University of Michigan, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.
