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Two more universities have changed their commencement ceremonies amid ongoing student protests. After the University of Southern California announced last month it would cancel its main graduation ceremony due to security concerns, Columbia University has said it will not hold a full graduation ceremony as planned on May 15.
“Class Days” and ceremonies for individual schools will still go ahead, the university said in a statement on Monday. These ceremonies will not take place on the university’s South Lawn, however, where much of the recent protesting has occurred; most will instead be held at the Baker Athletic Complex, which is over five miles north of Columbia’s main Morningside campus, from May 10 to May 16.
The university’s campus has been closed since April 22, after police were called on April 18 to disband protesters’ encampment. After students took over the school’s Hamilton Hall on April 30, leaders again called in law enforcement to arrest demonstrators. Administrators have asked the police to remain on campus until May 17.
In its announcement to cancel the main commencement ceremony, the university stressed the preference for smaller ceremonies among graduating students and their loved ones.
“Our students emphasized that these smaller-scale, school-based celebrations are most meaningful to them and their families. They are eager to cross the stage to applause and family pride and hear from their school’s invited guest speakers. As a result, we will focus our resources on those school ceremonies and on keeping them safe, respectful, and running smoothly,” the university said.
Many seniors graduating this year were unable to graduate from high school in person due to COVID-19 restrictions in the spring of 2020.
On social media, multiple seniors and other members of the Columbia community have complained that they first heard that the university-wide ceremony was cancelled from news reports rather than directly from the administration.
One X user, whose bio says they are a Master of public administration candidate at Columbia graduating this spring, complained that the university “announced it to the press before telling its own students.”
“Unbelievable and disrespectful,” the user wrote.
Emory University also announced on Monday that it would alter its graduation plans, citing “concerns about safety and security.” All graduation activities will now take place at the Gas South District in Duluth, Georgia, rather than the university Quadrangle where commencement is normally held.
“Please know that this decision was not taken lightly. It was made in close consultation with the Emory Police Department, security advisors, and other agencies—each of which advised against holding Commencement events on our campuses,” university president Gregory L. Fenves wrote in the announcement.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators set up an encampment on Emory’s quad on April 25, but police swiftly cleared the area and arrested protesters, sparking another wave of protests.
Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian student protesters at Pomona College, another institution where demonstrators were arrested last month, are attempting to block their institution from setting up for graduation. On Monday, students mounted a protest on the commencement stage, vowing to block graduation from moving forward unless the institution commits to divestment from companies with ties to Israel, according to local news reports and a press release from the protesters.
(This story has been corrected to reflect that Emory changed but did not cancel its commencement ceremony.)
