USC graduation speakers cancelled as tensions flare
By Lipika Pelham
The University of Southern California (USC) has cancelled outside speakers for this year’s graduation ceremony.
It follows controversy surrounding the cancellation of the university’s valedictorian speech, due to be given by Muslim student Asna Tabassum.
Last week, USC said her speech should not go ahead due to security concerns, after complaints that her social media presence was antisemitic.
The latest announcement will see the cancellation of all keynote speakers.
In a statement, the university says its leadership had decided “it is best to release outside speakers and honourees from attending this year’s ceremony”.
It said that it was “redesigning” the programme to keep the focus on USC graduates, adding that the decision had been taken after considering the “highly publicised circumstances” surrounding the main-stage commencement programme.
Those “circumstances” allude to the university’s decision on Monday to announce that Ms Tabassum would no longer be permitted to deliver a speech as valedictorian, due to unspecified security threats.
The valedictorian speech is given by a student picked out for high academic scores and involvement in campus life.
