USC cancels all commencement speakers after pro-Palestinian valedictorian’s speech is axed

The University of Southern California has pulled all speakers slated for its commencement next month.

First, valedictorian Asna Tabassum was removed from the graduation ceremony program. Even though Tabassum was selected among 200 student applicants who qualified based on an impeccable grade point average, she will not deliver remarks during the ceremony, as the university claimed that “tradition must give way to safety.”

Tabassum is outspoken in her stance in favor of Palestinians in light of Israel’s conflict with Hamas. Subsequent protests have broken out on campus, disputing her removal from the program. The decision to cancel her speech was made due to the rhetoric on social media about the war between Israel and Hamas “creating substantial risks relating to security and disruption at commencement, “USC’s Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Andrew Guzman wrote in a letter.

Now, the other commencement speakers scheduled for the May 10 ceremony were also subsequently canceled. They included filmmaker and USC alumnus Jon M. Chu and tennis legend Billie Jean King, who will receive honorary degrees “at a future commencement or other academic ceremonies” per the university.

“To keep the focus on our graduates, we are redesigning the 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,” USC’s announcement read. “It is important that our full attention be on our remarkable graduates. We will be celebrating their accomplishments in a way that reflects the unity we love so much about our Trojan Family.”

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Every college will host its own ceremony beginning May 8, which will still include respective receptions. University leadership is still anticipated to speak. A grand academic procession, formal conferring of degrees, and hooding ceremonies for Ph.D. graduates will also still take place.

Some 19,000 students will receive degrees at the end of this school year. The subsequent ceremonies will draw a crowd of 65,000 attendees, with more watching via 38 satellite ceremonies.