Columbia cancels universitywide commencement ceremony after weeks of protests on campus

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: NBC News

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Columbia cancels universitywide commencement ceremony after weeks of protests on campus

Pro-Palestinian protests sprouted on campus April 17 when students pitched about 50 tents while demanding a cease-fire in Gaza and insisting the university divest from companies that they say could be profiting from the war.

May 6, 2024, 8:42 AM EDT / Updated May 6, 2024, 8:59 AM EDT
By Antonia Hylton, Mirna Alsharif and Marlene Lenthang

Columbia will replace its universitywide commencement ceremony on May 15 with "smaller-scale, school-based celebrations," university officials announced Monday, after weeks of pro-Palestinian and counterprotests on campus. ... The Ivy League school said the decision was made after discussions with student leaders. Security concerns were a main reason behind the decision, a university official told NBC News.

"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."

As a result, students will be "honored individually alongside their peers" in the smaller ceremonies. "Class Days" and school ceremonies scheduled at the south lawn of the Morningside campus have also been relocated to Columbia's Baker Athletics Complex.

"These past few weeks have been incredibly difficult for our community. Just as we are focused on making our graduation experience truly special, we continue to solicit student feedback and are looking at the possibility of a festive event on May 15 to take the place of the large, formal ceremony," university officials said.



Tents of student protesters on the south lawn of Columbia University on April 30.Mary Altaffer / AP

{snip}

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/columbia-university-cancels-commencement-rcna150778

[jimfields33]

1. Absolutely devestating for the majority who weren't involved.

This graduation year also missed out on their high school graduation as well. (Maybe some schools had some sort of zoom ceremony). But overall, this class never saw or will see their own graduation. Very sad.

[Scrivener7]

3. No. Not devastating at all. Most Columbia students walk in the ceremony of their individual schools, not in the

University graduation that is being cancelled. And the article clearly states that the individual school graduations will not be affected.

When I got my graduate degree from Columbia, no one in my class walked in the general ceremony. That was typical.

[Demsrule86]

13. Graduation was a big deal for me...seriously wrong.

[TBF]

4. Some of them may have missed out - here in Texas we had outdoor ceremonies that year

for our big public suburban high schools we normally rent stadiums in Houston (these are classes with 600+ kids graduating) - but in spring of 2020 it was outdoors & limited family members invited - that was the biggest complaint I heard.

[Demsrule86]

11. I agree. I think these protestors are doing no good...and it is very unfair to others...hope

they get expelled and/or fired.

[2naSalit]

2. What I heard on NPR...

Is that the individual schools will hold ceremonies rather than the larger general assembly where it would be all the schools. Sounds almost reasonable.

[Demsrule86]

12. I think it is awful.

[2naSalit]

14. Other large universities do that...

[JustAnotherGen]

5. Not fair

Because folks can't behave themselves for just ONE day - they just pissed on a four years of hard work. I'm thinking about people who have family who are coming from out of town to see them graduate. If they break it down into smaller graduations - it's going to fuck the schedule up.

[getagrip_already]

6. The only people affected are parents with twins/trips in multiple schools

And that will be very rare.

It would be the same issue if they went to different colleges.

As a parent of twins, I'm well acquainted with having to split special events with my wife.

But otherwise, they still get to walk and get their diploma with their class. And parents don't have to sit for four hours.

Win/win!!!!!

[Scrivener7]

7. The smaller graduations have been scheduled for a long time. They are where

most people walk when graduating from Columbia.

As I said above, no one in my graduate program at Columbia walked in the University graduation ceremony. We all walked in the ceremony of the individual school. That is typical.

[bottomofthehill]

8. Another norm busted by a pack of self entitles assholes.

I hope it rains on them for months. Covid was a public health risk, this is the minority inflicting pain on the majority because they can. This does not help one child, it just ruins the graduation experience for those who were not able to enjoy due to Covid.

[Scrivener7]

9. None of that is actually true. See my other posts in this thread.

[bottomofthehill]

10. I will give you that I did not go to Columbia, and congratulations to you for graduating.

But from the looks of the pictures on the 23 graduating web site it sure looks like a lot of people sure did attend. Maybe you did not want to, but apparently many others do and have in the past.



https://commencement.columbia.edu/