Students, faculty and alumni condemned the move, which was compounded days later when USC scrapped the keynote speech by filmmaker Jon M. Chu — a 2003 graduate of the university — and said it would not confer honorary degrees.
This week, the student protests ignited at Columbia University inspired similar protests on the Los Angeles campus, with students calling on the university to divest from companies that do business with Israel or support its ongoing military action in Gaza.
Less than a day later, the university announced it would cancel the May 10 main graduation event — a ceremony that typically draws 65,000 people to the Los Angeles campus.
Critics have drawn crosstown comparisons to the response of officials at University of California, Los Angeles, following protests there this week where no arrests were made.
In Northern California, protesters at Stanford University and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, defied Friday deadlines to leave the campuses or risk arrest.
The school has closed the campus and continued instruction remotely ahead of the May 11 commencement.
The school’s senate of faculty and staff demanded the university’s president resign in a no-confidence vote Thursday, citing the decision to call police to campus.
“Individuals are prohibited from entering or being on campus without permission,” the university said in a statement.
Los Angeles (AP) — The president of the University of Southern California described the recent debates surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict as “incredibly difficult for all of us.”. “.
President Carol Folt denounced this week’s protests, in which ninety protestors were taken into custody by riot police, in her first public address in almost two weeks. She also pleaded with the campus community to come together and show support for one another.
The private university first faced criticism on April 15 when representatives said that the 2024 valedictorian, who has openly backed Palestinians, could not give a commencement speech. The university leadership’s unusual decision was justified by vague security concerns.
Students, teachers, and alumni denounced the action, which was made worse a few days later when USC announced it would not be awarding honorary degrees and canceled the keynote address by filmmaker and 2003 graduate Jon M. Chu.
Students calling on the university to divest from companies that do business with Israel or support its ongoing military action in Gaza, similar protests were sparked this week at Columbia University and spread to the campus in Los Angeles. On Wednesday night, ninety protesters were placed under arrest.
A day or so later, the university declared that it would postpone the main graduation ceremony scheduled for May 10 at the Los Angeles campus, which usually draws in 65,000 attendees.
Tens of thousands of visitors would not be able to be processed by university officials, according to a statement they released “with the new safety measures in place this year.”. “.
Scholars, staff, and former students had sharply criticized Folt’s previous silence, demanding explanations for the university’s choices.
“Alumni Park became unsafe this week,” Folt stated in a statement released late on Friday. Nobody desires for individuals to be arrested on their campus. In the past. Nevertheless, we have to take immediate action to safeguard our community when established safety protocols are blatantly broken, structures are vandalized, (Department of Public Safety) orders are consistently disregarded, people are attacked, and entry to vital academic buildings is prevented. “.
Folt’s statement contained no concrete evidence to back up her claims of assault, vandalism, and other problems, and on Saturday, a university representative refused to offer more details or allow the president to be interviewed.
Crosstown comparisons between the University of California, Los Angeles officials’ response to this week’s protests—at which no arrests were made—have been made by critics.
Calls to boycott and divest from Israel are “impinging on the academic freedom of our students and faculty and the unfettered exchange of ideas on our campuses,” according to a statement released by the University of California system on Friday. “.
According to officials, tuition and fees don’t go toward investments; instead, they support essential operations. Certain UC campuses, such as Berkeley and UCLA, have seen student protests.
Protesters at Stanford University and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, in Northern California disobeyed orders on Friday to vacate the campuses or face possible arrest. The protesters were still there on Saturday morning, according to local media.
Protesters had taken over two buildings at Cal Poly Humboldt, and on Monday, administrators summoned police to remove the students who had barricaded themselves in. Three people were taken into custody at least. Before classes begin on May 11, the school has closed its campus and is offering instruction virtually.
In a vote of no confidence on Thursday, the student body senate demanded that the university’s president step down, citing the decision to send police officers to campus.
On Saturday afternoon, officials announced that there would be a “hard closure” going ahead. The university issued a statement saying, “People are not allowed to enter or remain on campus without permission.”.
