The University of Southern California made the decision to cancel its main graduation ceremony due to ongoing pro-Palestinian protests taking place on campus.
USC announced in a recent update that the main commencement ceremony scheduled for May 10 has been canceled. The university cited the implementation of new safety measures regarding the processing of individuals visiting the campus as the reason for this decision.
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USC explained in a statement that due to the implementation of new safety measures this year, the processing time required for the influx of visitors coming to campus will significantly increase. Consequently, the university will be unable to hold the customary main stage ceremony, which typically gathers 65,000 students, families, and friends on campus simultaneously within a narrow timeframe from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
According to USC, the implementation of new safety measures entails the issuance of tickets for all commencement events and restricting access to campus through designated entry points.
School officials have announced that they will be sharing the updated commencement plans on the graduation website by Tuesday.
The group demanded that the post be condemned as an instance of anti-Semitic bigotry.
USC Provost Andrew Guzman expressed concern over the tone of the discussion surrounding Tabassum’s selection as valedictorian.
According to Guzman, the growing intensity of emotions, influenced by social media and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, has expanded to encompass a multitude of voices beyond USC. This escalation has now reached a critical level, posing a significant threat to the security and smooth proceedings of the commencement event.
Tabassum expressed her shock and profound disappointment over the university’s decision to cancel her. She argued that the university failed to provide an explanation regarding the specific security threats she should be concerned about.
She expressed concerns about the lack of additional safety measures provided for her to speak at the commencement. This raises doubts about whether USC’s decision to revoke her invitation is solely based on safety concerns.
USC later made the decision to cancel all outside speakers for the commencement following Tabassum’s dismissal.
Pro-Palestinian protest encampments have emerged on more than 30 college campuses throughout the United States. These include University of Texas Austin, Harvard, Brown, University of Michigan, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.
