USC Blasted for Canceling Commencement Ceremony: 'Failure of Leadership'

The University of Southern California (USC) is facing heavy backlash on social media after announcing on Thursday that its main graduation ceremony will not be held this year.

The school's decision comes amid ongoing pro-Palestinian protests on campus and follows the cancelation of the valedictory address of Asna Tabassum. The school cited safety concerns for canceling Tabassum's speech, but she has said she believes her speech was scrapped over her support of Palestinians.

USC is one of an increasing number of colleges experiencing protests against the Israel-Hamas war. Police have been called by some universities to intervene, which has resulted in arrests. On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that 93 people had been arrested during the day's protests at USC.

The decision to cancel USC's commencement was met with anger by many users of X (formerly Twitter), including journalist Erika D. Smith.

"What a complete failure of leadership," Smith wrote.

Newsweek reached out to USC on Thursday via email for comment.

In a statement about the cancellation, USC said, "With the new safety measures in place this year, the time needed to process the large number of guests coming to campus will increase substantially."

The statement continued: "As a result, we will not be able to host the main stage ceremony that traditionally brings 65,000 students, families, and friends to our campus all at the same time and during a short window from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

"We understand that this is disappointing; however, we are adding many new activities and celebrations to make this commencement academically meaningful, memorable, and uniquely USC, including places to gather with family, friends, faculty, and staff, the celebratory releasing of the doves, and performances by the Trojan Marching Band."

Those denouncing the school's decision included people who feel the college has given power to the demonstrators.

"Pro-Hamas 'protesters' have wreaked havoc on one of America's great universities," Representative Mark Alford, a Missouri Republican, wrote on X. "As a result, USC is canceling its main commencement, a long-standing tradition celebrating all their hard-working students. This is beyond unacceptable."

Jeremy Redfern, press secretary for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, wrote on X, "Due to pro-Hamas activities on their campus, USC can't guarantee the safety of their students."

"Maybe it wasn't in everyone's best interest when certain universities created an environment where young adults are constantly coddled. The inmates are running the asylum," Redfern said.

Other X users lambasted USC for not allowing Tabassum to speak while bemoaning the commencement cancellation.

"The 'update' is that there will be no ceremony anymore, thanks to @uscprovost's idiotic decision to cancel the Muslim valedictorian. Bravo," Dan Froomkin, editor of Press Watch, posted.

"USC has gone from banning the student commencement speaker to canceling its entire graduation ceremony in a couple of weeks," Tom Heardon, a hedge Fund trader and manager, wrote. "Thanks for the $340k—we'll mail u the diploma (maybe) I'd be pissed if I was a parent/grad."

Bill Melugin, a correspondent for Fox News, noted that the graduating class of 2024 "likely didn't get a high school graduation during COVID in 2020, and now won't get a traditional college graduation."

However, some people did not condemn the school but rather expressed their remorse about the situation.

"Yesterday I was at USC when the LAPD showed up in riot gear to remove peaceful protestors from campus, and I saw these two students trying to take graduation photos amidst the police helicopters, the crowds that gathered, the students who were running or being arrested..." Shannon Watts, a gun violence prevention activist and the founder of Moms Demand Action, said on X.

Watts added: "I'm so sad for this class that started college remotely during a pandemic and will now be cheated out of a graduation ceremony."