Protests Are Upending Cherished Rituals at $100,000 Elite Colleges
- Graduation ceremonies at risk as antiwar protests escalate
- Universities in tough spot balancing free speech with safety
Columbia University students participate in a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus in New York City on April 26.
Photographer: Stephanie Keith/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Pomp and circumstance are giving way to rage and riot shields.
From the Ivy League to the University of California, administrators are reevaluating plans for spring commencements in the wake of unyielding protests over the Israel-Hamas war. Months of turmoil have already toppled campus presidents, bitterly divided students, upset powerful alumni, prompted investigations by Congress and stoked accusations of antisemitism and concern about suppression of free speech for pro-Palestinian voices.