Universities prepare for upcoming weekend of graduations amid recent protests and removal of encampments

Universities across the country are preparing for another weekend of commencement ceremonies amidst pro-Palestinian protests that have resulted in nearly 3,000 arrests. At Virginia Commonwealth University, students walked out during Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s commencement address as a protest against his policies and recent arrests of pro-Palestinian student protesters. The University of Southern California also faced disruptions during their weeklong commencement events, including the removal of a Muslim student’s valedictorian speech. The University of California, Berkeley and the University of Pennsylvania also experienced disruptions during their ceremonies due to student protests. Several universities, including the University of Texas at Austin and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, have implemented additional safety measures to prevent disruptions and ensure that commencement ceremonies proceed smoothly. President Jay Hartzell of UT Austin warned of a “no tolerance” policy towards disruptions, and other schools have reminded students of free speech laws and disciplinary actions for disrupting ceremonies. Overall, universities are taking steps to ensure that graduation ceremonies are not impacted by protests and disruptions.

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