Universities Stand Firm Against Commencement Speaker Cancellation Attempts
Several universities have resisted student-led efforts to cancel or remove commencement speakers in 2024, with NYU and University of Arizona backing their chosen speakers despite protests. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression has documented 350 cancellation attempts since 1998, with speakers targeted over positions on DEI, Israel-Gaza, and other contentious issues. The trend reflects ongoing tensions between student activism and institutional decisions about academic speech and speaker selection.
Universities including NYU and University of Arizona have defended their commencement speaker selections against student-led cancellation campaigns. NYU President Linda Mills introduced social psychologist Jonathan Haidt despite student government opposition citing his positions on DEI and campus viewpoint diversity; Haidt delivered his address despite some students booing and walking out. Similarly, University of Arizona backed former Google CEO Eric Schmidt against a petition from the Women and Gender Student Council over allegations involving his former business partner. However, other institutions capitulated: South Carolina State University canceled Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette's address, Drexel and Georgetown withdrew speakers over Israel-related statements, and Rutgers canceled biotech CEO Rami Elghandour following complaints about his Gaza-related posts. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression reports 350 documented cancellation attempts since 1998, indicating a broader pattern of speaker disinvitations on campuses.
What's missing
The article does not provide the specific allegations or statements that prompted cancellation attempts for several speakers (e.g., the exact nature of Haidt's "anti-LGBTQ" comments cited by critics, or details of the sexual harassment allegations against Schmidt beyond a reference to his "former girlfriend and business partner"). Additionally, no perspective from student organizers explaining their rationale is included, and the article does not discuss institutional policies or principles universities use to select commencement speakers.
What different sources said
- Daily WireRight
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