The University of Southern California further shook up its commencement plans Friday, announcing the cancelation of a keynote speech by filmmaker Jon M. Chu just days after making the controversial choice to disallow the student valedictorian from speaking. The private university in Los Angeles on Monday said it was canceling valedictorian Asna Tabassum’s speech at the May 10 ceremony because of safety concerns. Tabassum, who is Muslim, has expressed support for Palestinians in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, and university officials said the response to her selection as valedictorian had “taken on an alarming tenor.” They did not cite any specific threats.
Quick Read
- Cancellation of Keynote and Valedictorian Speech: USC canceled the commencement speech by filmmaker Jon M. Chu and also barred the valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, from speaking due to safety concerns related to her support for Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war.
- Background on Controversy: The decision to cancel Tabassum’s speech was praised by pro-Israel groups but criticized by free speech advocates and the Council on American-Islamic Relations. This led to a silent protest by students and faculty on campus.
- Commencement Redesign: USC is redesigning the entire commencement program, opting to release all external speakers and honorees from attending this year’s ceremony. They plan to confer honorary degrees at future events.
- Impact on Tabassum: Tabassum expressed that the response to her selection as valedictorian involved a campaign of racist hatred due to her beliefs in human rights for all.
- Broader Campus Tensions: The incident at USC reflects wider tensions on college campuses regarding the Israel-Hamas war, with similar issues arising at Columbia University, where over 100 demonstrators were arrested and students were suspended following a pro-Palestinian protest.
The Associated Press has the story:
USC cancels graduation keynote by filmmaker amid controversy over dropping student’s speech
Newslooks- LOS ANGELES (AP) —
The University of Southern California further shook up its commencement plans Friday, announcing the cancelation of a keynote speech by filmmaker Jon M. Chu just days after making the controversial choice to disallow the student valedictorian from speaking.
The private university in Los Angeles on Monday said it was canceling valedictorian Asna Tabassum’s speech at the May 10 ceremony because of safety concerns. Tabassum, who is Muslim, has expressed support for Palestinians in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, and university officials said the response to her selection as valedictorian had “taken on an alarming tenor.” They did not cite any specific threats.
The university’s decision was met with praise from pro-Israel organizations but condemnation from free speech groups and the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Students and faculty marched across campus Thursday in silent protest of the university’s decision.
Now, university officials say they are “redesigning” the entire commencement program.
“Given the highly publicized circumstances surrounding our main-stage commencement program, university leadership has decided it is best to release our outside speakers and honorees from attending this year’s ceremony,” the university said in an unsigned statement posted Friday. “We’ve been talking to this exceptional group and hope to confer these honorary degrees at a future commencement or other academic ceremonies.”
Chu was slated to deliver the keynote address at the May 10 ceremony. He is a 2003 graduate of the university who has since directed films like “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Wicked,” an adaptation for the Broadway musical set for release last this year.
More than 65,000 people are expected to gather on campus for commencement, including 19,000 graduates.
“Although this should have been a time of celebration for my family, friends, professors, and classmates, anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian voices have subjected me to a campaign of racist hatred because of my uncompromising belief in human rights for all,” Tabassum said in a statement earlier this week.
The Israel-Hamas war has presented a challenge for colleges under pressure to preserve free speech and open debate, and campuses are expected to be further tested as commencement speeches get underway in the coming weeks.
At Columbia University on Thursday, New York police removed a pro-Palestinian protest encampment and arrested more than 100 demonstrators. Most of them were charged with trespassing at the Ivy League-institution.
Several students involved in the protest said they also were suspended from Columbia and nearby Barnard College. The school said it was still identifying students involved in the protest and added more suspensions would be forthcoming.
“Students have a right to free speech but do not have a right to violate university policies and disrupt learning on campus,” said New York Mayor Eric Adams, who said the city was asked by university officials to remove the encampment.
