Columbia University announced on Monday (May 6) that due to ongoing pro-Palestinian protest activities, the university will cancel the large-scale graduation ceremony on campus. However, small-scale celebrations by department will be held this week and next week.
According to reports from the Associated Press, the Ivy League school located in Upper Manhattan canceled the campus-wide graduation ceremony scheduled for May 15.
“Based on student feedback, we have decided to focus on class days and departmental graduation ceremonies,” school officials said in a statement. “During these ceremonies, students will receive honors together with their peers.”
The school stated in the announcement that the past few weeks have been “extremely difficult” for the campus community, and the decision was made after discussions with students.
“Our students emphasized that these smaller, department-based celebratory events are most meaningful for them and their families,” university officials said. “They are eager to walk up the stage with family pride amidst applause and listen to speeches from school’s invited guests.”
University officials said that the ceremony originally scheduled to take place on the main campus south lawn (camp was dismantled last week) will mostly be moved to Columbia Athletics Stadium about 5 miles north of the school.
Columbia University had already canceled in-person classes. At the end of last month, over 100 pro-Palestinian protesters who camped on Columbia’s green were arrested, and similar camping activities have spread to universities across the United States in recent weeks. Schools are struggling with how to maintain campus safety and inclusiveness while allowing freedom of speech.
On May 2, US President Biden broke his silence and made a statement on this issue. He stated that Americans have the right to protest but not the right to use violence.
“People have the right to protest, but not the right to cause chaos,” Biden said in a speech at the White House. “Violent protests are not protected.”
“Peaceful protests, however, are protected,” he said. “Damaging property is not a peaceful protest. It is illegal.”
Earlier on Monday, the University of Southern California also canceled its main graduation ceremony due to pro-Palestinian protest activities, but allowed other graduation events to continue. On Sunday (May 5), after being surrounded by police and threatened with arrests, the protesting students abandoned the camp at the University of Southern California.
These protest activities stem from a new round of clashes that began on October 7th last year. At that time, Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, resulting in around 1,200 deaths, most of whom were civilians, and the kidnapping of about 250 hostages. Israel vowed to destroy Hamas, and then launched an offensive in Gaza. According to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, the new round of fighting in Gaza has resulted in approximately 34,500 Palestinian deaths.