Columbia is canceling its main commencement event in the aftermath of protests against Israel’s war in Gaza that roiled the campus and ended in dozens of arrests.
Rather than the university-wide event previously scheduled for May 15, Columbia will instead focus on school-level ceremonies — where students are individually honored — and Class Days, it said.
Ceremonies were previously scheduled for the Ivy League university’s South Lawn where pro-Palestinian demonstrators had set up a camp. Now, a majority of the commencements will be held at the Baker Athletics Complex, Columbia said.
Columbia said it came to the decision based on feedback from students, and the changes would not impact travel plans for families.
“Our students emphasized that these smaller-scale, school-based celebrations are most meaningful to them and their families,” the university said in a statement.
Columbia said it’s focusing resources on keeping the smaller ceremonies “safe, respectful, and running smoothly.”
Still, Columbia is “looking at the possibility of a festive event on May 15 to take the place of the large, formal ceremony.”
The university said it would share more info in the coming days.
The protesters had demanded Columbia divest from Israel and companies tied to the country. But the demonstrations sparked unrest on campus, where Jewish leaders accused protesters of shouting hateful rhetoric at Jewish students.
The outrage sparked calls for the university’s president to resign and led major donor Robert Kraft to pull his support for the school.
The demonstrations lasted roughly two weeks before the NYPD was called in, breaking up the encampment and arresting protesters who had taken over a campus building.
Several schools holding commencement events are taking steps to stop disruptions, the Associated Press reported.
On Monday, Emory University announced it was moving commencement activities off-campus due to safety concerns.
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