9:35 a.m. ET, May 6, 2024
Columbia and other universities are rethinking commencement ceremonies. Here’s what you need to know
From CNN staff
As graduation ceremonies begin this weekend at colleges and universities across the United States, amid pro-Palestinian protests on campus, some major universities, such as Columbia, have decided to cancel or reschedule their major commencement ceremonies.
The University of Southern California first canceled its major commencement ceremony in late April, citing “new security measures.” Other universities are following suit as arrests spread across campus campuses last week.
Demands for these pro-Palestinian protests, which have swept university campuses in recent weeks, vary, but most demonstrators call for their schools. Withdrawal from companies and other organizations they claim to support or benefit Israel’s War in Gaza.
Here are the latest developments:
Columbia University: Columbia University on Monday canceled its university-wide commencement ceremony for next week due to security concerns, a university official told CNN. Instead, Columbia said, “We will make our class day and school-wide ceremonies the centerpiece of our commencement activities, where students are honored individually with their peers.”
Emory University: Atlanta’s Emory University announced Monday that it is scaling back and relocating its commencement ceremony, citing safety and security concerns as the main reasons for adjusting plans.
British Universities: Campus protests have spread across the Atlantic, where pro-Palestinian camps have been set up at Oxford and Cambridge universities in England, where students are calling on the leadership to cut ties with Israel. In the statement, the group said it “stands in solidarity” with students around the world, “from CUNY to UCLA, Trinity College to Sciences Po.”
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