Following weeks of pro-Palestinian protests that rocked Columbia University and other campuses across the country, the university cancelled its grand commencement ceremony on Monday. However, students will still be able to celebrate at a number of smaller, school-based ceremonies this week and next.

The choice is made at a time when colleges all around the nation are fighting over how to conduct commencements. Emory University, another institution rocked by protesters, declared on Monday that it will relocate its commencement from its Atlanta campus quadrangle to a suburban arena. However, several universities have managed ceremonies with little interruptions, such as Northeastern, Indiana University, and the University of Michigan.

Columbia’s president, Nemat Shafik, will not have to give a graduation speech in the same area of the campus where police broke up a protest camp last week thanks to the university’s decision to postpone its major festivities, which were originally slated for May 15.

In its announcement, the Ivy League institution in upper Manhattan noted that the last few weeks had been “incredibly difficult” for the community and added that it reached the decision after talking with students.

“Our students made it clear that these school-based, smaller-scale celebrations hold the greatest significance for them and their families,” authorities stated. “They are excited to walk across the stage to cheers and family pride and hear from the special guests their school has invited to speak.”

The majority of the ceremonies will now take place in Columbia’s sports facility, which is located about 5 miles (8 kilometres) north of the main campus, where encampments were removed last week.

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames, former CNN anchor Poppy Harlow, political scientist Ian Bremmer, and Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, head of the National Institutes of Health, are among the speakers at several of Columbia’s still-scheduled graduation ceremonies. Additionally, Michael J. Fox, the actor, will be awarded a medal for meritorious service by Columbia’s Teachers College.

Columbia cancelled its in-person classes already. In recent weeks, over 200 pro-Palestinian protestors who had set up camp on Columbia’s green or taken over an academic building were taken into custody. As colleges and universities nationwide grappled with the delicate balance between permitting unrestricted speech and upholding a secure and welcoming environment, similar camps began to appear.

Prior to this, the University of Southern California decided to postpone its major commencement celebration but not its other ceremonies. Following an arrest threat and being besieged by police, students at USC left their camp early on Sunday.

More security has been in place for graduation celebrations at other colleges. Chants broke up the University of Michigan’s ceremony on Saturday, while at Northeastern University’s commencement in Fenway Park on Sunday, several students waved miniature Israeli or Palestinian flags.

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