(PartiallyPolitics.com) – After weeks of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, Columbia University has decided that its graduation ceremony would be canceled citing “security concerns” as one of the reasons for the decision.
An official from the university noted that there were security concerns but did not elaborate on specifically what issues they found related to the graduation. In a statement where they announced the decision, Columbia pointed out that the school was only canceling its main ceremony and that smaller affairs and school level-graduations would still be allowed to proceed. The school further claimed that the students have also emphasized the importance of these school-based celebrations.
The ceremonies will no longer be taking place at the Morningside Heights campus South Lawn and instead, they will be at the university’s athletic complex. The pro-Palestinian demonstrators’ encampment is currently located at the Morningside Heights campus.
The announcement noted that the past few weeks have been very challenging for their community and that they were focused on ensuring that the graduation experience is truly special for the graduates. It added that they continue to solicit feedback from students about the possibilities of the festive event on May 15, which would act as a replacement for the large formal ceremony.
The school adds that they are all eager to celebrate the graduates as they move forward into the future.
In the past few weeks, there have been hundreds of arrests on university grounds as a result of the pro-Palestinian protests. The demonstrators have taken over a building and set up encampments leading to the university needing to take more extreme measures.
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