Instead, the Ivy League school said it would hold “smaller-scale, school-based celebrations.
“We have decided to make the centerpiece of our commencement activities our class days and school-level ceremonies, where students are honored individually alongside their peers, rather than the university-wide ceremony that is scheduled for May 15,” the Upper Manhattan school said in an announcement.
Columbia University has canceled its university-wide commencement ceremony May 15. Robert Miller Columbia students in graduation gowns arrive on campus on May 6, 2024. Robert Miller
School spokesman Ben Chang added , “Holding a large commencement ceremony on our campus presented security concerns that unfortunately proved insurmountable.
“Like our students, we are deeply disappointed with this outcome.”
He said Columbia tried to come up with a different venue to still hold the traditional larger commencement but couldn’t find one large enough. More than 50,000 people typically attend the event.
None of the school’s smaller ceremonies will even be held on its iconic South Lawn, where such events are usually staged — and where hundreds of protesters were recently arrested for refusing to leave a massive tent encampment.
“It’s just more cowardice from an administration that’s been spineless throughout this s–t show,” a Jewish undergraduate student at Columbia griped to The Post.
“The last few weeks have been horrible for me, but deep down I still love this place,” he said. “It’s a beautiful campus, and I was really looking forward to graduating in the heart of it. I guess the pro-Hamas crowd got the final, ‘F–k you.’ ”
Ari Rosen, a 26-year-old student graduating from Columbia Dental School, added, “I lost my [undergraduate] graduation four years ago because of COVID, but then I told myself at least I’ll be able to graduate from dental school at Columbia.
Columbia Dental School graduate Ari Rosen is disappointed by the university’s decision to cancel the ceremony. Robert Miller
“This was always on the back of my mind, and now to wake up to this news is really unexpected,” Rosen said of the cancellation. “This wasn’t just four years of hard work. This was eight years, undergraduate and dental school. I worked really hard for this.
“I thought it would be a nice celebration at the undergrad campus. My parents were going to come for it. To see it shut down for these protests is upsetting.”
The decision to nix the ceremony was made after consulting with graduating students, the university said.
Columbia student Dongzi Peng on campus to take graduation photos. Robert Miller Peng getting photographed by a friend. Robert Miller
“It’s disappointing, more for my parents than for me,” a young woman graduating with a masters in science told The Post.
She said the move is a double whammy for her family — since her brother is also graduating from Columbia.
“When you attend commencements, they’re not the most thrilling three hours. But there was a lot of excitement on my family’s part because my brother’s graduating with a master’s, too,” the student said. “My parents took time off work to fly in for this, so they are disappointed, I’m sure.”
The school’s decision was announced the day after New York City Mayor Eric Adams urged local colleges not to cave to disruptive provocateurs, saying, “I don’t think we should allow anything to get in the way of our normal way of life.”
Students march and rally on Columbia University’s campus. REUTERS
City spokesman Fabien Levy said in a statement Monday, “The actions of the few — especially those not even affiliated with schools — who continue to disrupt and hijack events should not unfairly impact students who have earned the right to walk across the stage and receive their diploma.
“It was beyond control that these students had their high school graduations taken away due to COVID, but it is infuriating that protestors are the ones now stealing this once-in-a-lifetime moment from students and their families,” City Hall said.
“While each university will make their own decision, we strongly encourage every school in our city to move forward with their ceremonies as planned.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre separately told DC reporters of Columbia’s decision, “It is unfortunate that a small group of people went too far and cost their classmates this important event.
A graduation gown with a message from the protesters is left outside the encampment at Columbia University. Getty Images
“When it comes to commencement day and when it comes to speaking at commencement events, this is something the president has done for some time now, and he understands this is a moment of joy, a moment of celebration.
“And we feel for them. We feel for each of the graduates,” she said. “These are graduates who are going to miss out on the incredibly important day of commencement.”
The move comes less than a week after NYPD cops stormed onto the Morningside Heights campus to oust a pro-terror mob that illegally took over the university’s iconic Hamilton Hall building in a drastic escalation of protests that had already plagued the campus since last month.
It was the second time in as many weeks that the NYPD had been brought in to clear out disruptive demonstrators.
NYPD apprehended anti-Israel protesters who occupied a Columbia academic building. Getty Images The anti-Israel encampment at Columbia University’s campus on April 29, 2024. Michael Nigro/Pacific Press via ZUMA Press Wire
In the wake of the growing encampment, Columbia had already canceled in-person classes and requested an NYPD presence on campus until at least May 17 — two days after the nixed commencement.
“Our graduating students, their families, and their loved ones are very focused on our upcoming commencement celebrations,” Columbia added in its announcement Monday about the canceled event. “We are as well.
“We are determined to give our students the celebration they deserve, and that they want.
“Our students emphasized that these smaller-scale, school-based celebrations are most meaningful to them and their families,” the school said.
“As a result, we will focus our resources on those school ceremonies and on keeping them safe, respectful, and running smoothly.”
-Additional reporting by Craig McCarthy and Post wires
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