Columbia University cancels commencement ceremony after Gaza protests rock campus

Campus Protests Then and Now

Columbia has cancelled its university-wide commencement ceremony this month for “smaller-scale, school-based celebrations,” after weeks of pro-Palestine protests on campus.

“Our students emphasized that these smaller-scale, school-based celebrations are most meaningful to them and their families,” the university said Monday. “

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 came to the decision after discussions with student leaders. Security reasons were noted as the main reason behind the decision, a university official told NBC News.

The graduating class will now be honoured individually alongside their peers, rather that the university-wide ceremony that was scheduled for 15 May.

The majority of ‘Class Days’ and school ceremonies will be hosted at Columbia’s Baker Athletics Complex rather than the South Lawn of the Morningside campus where they were initially scheduled to take place, but the timings will remain the same, the university said.

The officials added that they are looking at the possibility of hosting a “festive event” on 15 May to take the place of the large, formal ceremony.

“These past few weeks have been incredibly difficult for our community,” the university wrote. “We are eager to all come together for our graduates and celebrate our fellow Columbians as they, and we, look ahead to the future. We will share more in the coming days.”

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