Stanford has “no plans” to cancel the commencement ceremonies scheduled for June 16, wrote University spokesperson Dee Mostofi in a Monday confirmation to The Daily.
Columbia University announced May 6 that its main graduation ceremony was cancelled. The University of Southern California (USC) made the same decision April 25. In lieu of the main commencement stage, Columbia will hold school-based ceremonies, while USC will add unique smaller-scale celebrations for individual colleges.
These changes to graduation follow unrest at college campuses nationwide pro-Palestine protests. Last week, Columbia security personnel disassembled tents in the on-campus encampment after the New York Police Department arrested students who were camping inside a University building. Students at the University of California, Los Angeles, University of California, San Diego and USC were arrested during pro-Palestine demonstrations that violated campus conduct codes.
In February, pro-Palestine students in the 120 day-long Sit-in to Stop Genocide at Stanford agreed to dismantle a previous encampment following negotiation sessions with University administrators. The University agreed to deliberate on four out of five demands raised, including calling for a ceasefire and joining the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement. On April 26, a new coalition called Stanford Against Apartheid in Palestine (SAAP) reestablished an encampment in White Plaza with the same demands as Sit-In to Stop Genocide.
According to an April 26 email from president Richard Saller and provost Jenny Martinez, students involved in the overnight encampment may face disciplinary action and possible arrest. They stated that the encampment violates University policies on overnight camping in White Plaza’s free speech zone.
“The submission of student names to the OCS [Office of Community Standards] process has begun,” Saller and Martinez wrote.
Counter-protesters to the pro-Palestine encampment have appeared in White Plaza, including an individual not affiliated with Stanford verbally and physically assaulting students. Last week, a photo of an unidentified individual wearing a similar green headband worn by Hamas combatants was sent to federal authorities.