By KAREN MATTHEWS (Associated Press)
NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University has decided to cancel its large university-wide commencement ceremony on Monday after weeks of pro-Palestinian protests that have upset its campus and others across the U.S., but stated that students will still be able to celebrate at a series of smaller, school-based ceremonies this week and next.
Many universities are grappling with how to handle commencements. Emory University, which was also affected by protests, announced on Monday that it would relocate its commencement from its campus quadrangle in Atlanta to a suburban arena. However, other universities such as the University of Michigan, Indiana University, and Northeastern, have managed to hold ceremonies with few disruptions.
Columbia’s decision to cancel its main ceremonies scheduled for May 15 prevents its president, Nemat Shafik, from having to deliver a commencement address in the same area of the campus where police disbanded a protest encampment last week.
Acknowledging that the past few weeks have been “extremely challenging” for the community, the Ivy League school in upper Manhattan stated in its announcement that it made the decision after discussions with students.
“Our students emphasized that these smaller, school-based celebrations are most meaningful to them and their families,” officials said. “They are eager to cross the stage to applause and family pride and hear from their school’s invited guest speakers.”
Most of the ceremonies that had been planned for the south lawn of the main campus, where encampments were taken down last week, will take place about 5 miles (8 kilometers) north at Columbia’s sports complex, officials said.
Speakers at some of Columbia’s still-scheduled graduation ceremonies include Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames, former CNN anchor Poppy Harlow, political scientist Ian Bremmer and Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, director of the National Institutes of Health. Also, actor Michael J. Fox is scheduled to receive a medal for distinguished service from Columbia’s Teachers College.
Columbia had already canceled in-person classes. More than 200 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had camped out on Columbia’s green or occupied an academic building were arrested in recent weeks, and similar encampments sprouted up at universities around the country as schools struggled with where to draw the line between allowing free expression while maintaining safe and inclusive campuses.
The University of Southern California earlier canceled its main graduation ceremony while allowing other commencement activities to continue. Students abandoned their camp at USC early Sunday after being surrounded by police and threatened with arrest.
Other universities have held their graduation ceremonies with beefed-up security. The University of Michigan’s ceremony was interrupted by chanting a few times Saturday, while in Boston on Sunday, some students waved small Palestinian or Israeli flags as Northeastern University held its commencement in Fenway Park.
The protests come from the conflict that began on Oct. 7 when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, resulting in the death of around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the capture of approximately 250 hostages. The student protesters are urging their schools to stop investing in companies that work with Israel or support the war in any way. divest from companies that do business with Israel or otherwise contribute to the war effort.
Promising to annihilate Hamas, Israel initiated a campaign in Gaza that has led to the deaths of over 34,500 Palestinians, with about two-thirds being women and children, as reported by the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory. Israeli attacks have devastated the area and forced most of its residents to flee.
Emory’s 16,000-student university is one of many that has experienced repeated protests over the war.
Ceremonies set for May 13 will be moved to the GasSouth Arena and Convocation Center in Duluth, approximately 20 miles (30 kilometers) northeast of the university’s Atlanta campus, as announced by President Gregory Fenves in an open letter.
“This decision was not taken lightly,” Fenves wrote. “It was made in close consultation with the Emory Police Department, security advisors and other agencies — all of which advised against holding commencement events on our campuses.”
The university brought in outside police agencies to apprehend 28 individuals after a camp was established on the quad on April 25. Initially claiming the protesters were from outside the university, it was later revealed that 20 were Emory students and three were faculty members. Some of the individuals who were arrested were subdued by police using pepper balls and electric stun guns. Fenves apologized later.
Protests have persisted on the campus since then, leading to some additional arrests.
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