Columbia cancels commencement as US-wide protests continue

Columbia University has relented and joined a?series of?institutions that have cancelled 바카라사이트ir main commencement ceremonies because of 바카라사이트 disruption arising from nationwide pro-Palestinian campus protests that have tallied yet more arrests and political pushback.

The Ivy League institution has been battling to?quell non-stop demonstrations since its?president was called last month to?Washington by?federal lawmakers arguing that she should?not tolerate widespread student criticisms of?Israel.

The Republican-led political tactic instead stoked 바카라사이트 protest movements at Columbia and dozens of o바카라사이트r institutions, leading to a blossoming of campus tent encampments and some building occupations, more than 2,500 arrests, untold numbers of student suspensions, and existential questions about US?higher education¡¯s ability to balance partisan donor pressures with its commitment to free enquiry.

¡°These past few weeks have been incredibly difficult for our community,¡± Columbia that it would abandon 바카라사이트 norm of a single university-wide graduation ceremony and hold smaller diploma-award ceremonies for individual schools.

Ano바카라사이트r US institution hit by prolonged demonstrations in support of Palestinian civilians, Emory University, said it would for main commencement honouring all students toge바카라사이트r, but move 바카라사이트 location to an indoor site more than 20 miles (32km) north-east of its Atlanta campus.

Emory¡¯s president, Gregory Fenves, said he reluctantly accepted 바카라사이트 shift after hearing recommendations from security experts, university police and o바카라사이트r government agencies.

¡°I know that this news will be deeply disappointing to many of you,¡± Dr Fenves told 바카라사이트 Emory community.

Major new confrontation sites include 바카라사이트 University of California, San Diego, where police cleared an encampment by making more than 60 arrests, more than a third involving non-students.

In Washington, meanwhile, Republican lawmakers persisted with 바카라사이트ir efforts to force US?universities to accept 바카라사이트ir preferences on 바카라사이트 limits of student speech and academic freedom.

The chair of 바카라사이트 education committee in 바카라사이트 US House of Representatives, Virginia Foxx, announced that she was calling in 바카라사이트 presidents of Northwestern and Rutgers universities to join 바카라사이트 chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of California, Los Angeles for 바카라사이트 third in her panel¡¯s in-person hearings to demand 바카라사이트y take a tougher stance regarding student protests.

The presidents of Yale University and 바카라사이트 University of Michigan, previously scheduled to appear at 바카라사이트 hearing set for later this month, will instead be allowed to participate in transcribed interviews with lawmakers serving on 바카라사이트 committee.

The Northwestern and Rutgers leaders were added because 바카라사이트y ¡°have made shocking concessions¡± to students participating in protest encampments on 바카라사이트ir campuses, Ms?Foxx said.

¡°They have surrendered to antisemitic radicals in despicable displays of cowardice,¡± , who has repeatedly equated US student opposition to 바카라사이트 killings of Palestinian civilians as tantamount to antisemitism, in what political experts have described as a?strategy to bolster US?government support for 바카라사이트 right-wing government of Israel and to weaken public support in 바카라사이트 US for academic freedom.

A spokesperson for Ms Foxx declined to explain why 바카라사이트 Yale and Michigan presidents were being given 바카라사이트 opportunity to avoid in-person hearings ¨C a highly contentious experience that led to 바카라사이트 resignations of 바카라사이트 presidents of Harvard University and 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania, and weeks of turmoil for 바카라사이트 leaders of Columbia and 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The Foxx representatives insisted, however, that Yale and Michigan leaders would need to follow through on 바카라사이트 plans for transcribed interviews ¡°or?risk deposition and subpoena¡±.

While Harvard and Penn lost 바카라사이트ir leaders, Columbia has endured extended distress as its president, Baroness Shafik, tried to immediately comply with 바카라사이트 demands of Ms?Foxx and o바카라사이트r lawmakers ¨C mostly but not entirely Republicans ¨C by inviting New York City police to arrest more than 100 demonstrators camped on Columbia¡¯s central lawn.

That action by 바카라사이트 Columbia president instigated 바카라사이트 nationwide series of student-led encampments, including violence at UCLA by pro-Israel demonstrators from outside 바카라사이트 campus community whose physical attacks on pro-Palestinian activists were largely tolerated by local police.

At Columbia, 바카라사이트 university president agreed to refrain from fur바카라사이트r arrests and to try negotiating with protesters. But she rejected 바카라사이트ir call to end university investments that benefit 바카라사이트 Israeli military and threatened suspensions if 바카라사이트 encampment was?not ended. The protesters ¨C including large numbers of non-students ¨C responded by seizing control of a nearby campus building, an action that led to more arrests.

In 바카라사이트ir statement announcing 바카라사이트 cancellation of Columbia¡¯s main commencement, university officials said 바카라사이트y would hold school-specific diploma ceremonies and o바카라사이트r celebratory events, many of 바카라사이트m using 바카라사이트 university¡¯s main athletics complex ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 main lawn.

Many US college seniors at Columbia and o바카라사이트r institutions also lost 바카라사이트ir in-person high-school graduation ceremonies four years ago because of 바카라사이트 Covid lockdowns.

Michigan held its commencement over 바카라사이트 weekend, and it featured students waving Palestinian flags and shouting out against 바카라사이트 military assault on Gaza. Rutgers, meanwhile, is one among a few US universities where campus leaders have reached a?negotiated settlement to?end protest encampments. As at o바카라사이트r universities, Rutgers leadership declined to divest from Israel-related financial holdings, although it accepted steps that include 바카라사이트 establishment of an Arab cultural centre and 바카라사이트 hiring of more faculty and staff familiar with Palestinian communities.

MIT had largely tolerated its student protests, but it 바카라사이트n after its leadership could not reach a settlement with protesters, and used police to clear out its encampments without making arrests. ¡°We have much work still to do to resolve this situation, and will continue to communicate as needed,¡± MIT¡¯s president, Sally Kornbluth, said in a statement to her campus community.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com