In “Commencement speakers launch boycott of USC satellite graduation ceremonies,” the Los Angeles Times reports that “two high-profile speakers scheduled to address graduates of the [University of Southern California] Rossier School of Education said they were dropping out in dismay at the university’s actions” in canceling a pro-Palestinian student’s valedictory address and in calling the police to arrest student demonstrators.
The university previously canceled its “main stage” graduation, but vowed to continue with 38 “satellite ceremonies,” including the one for the School of Education.
In a withdrawal letter, the two previously scheduled speakers — Booker Prize-nominated novelist C Pam Zhang and UCLA Professor and MacArthur Fellow Safiya U. Noble — “call on all commencement speakers still scheduled to appear at satellite ceremonies to join us by signing this letter; withdrawing from USC events; and supporting USC students, as well as thousands of students nationwide who deserve respect, not arrest and punishment by their own universities, for courageously speaking truth to power.”
Justice Goodwin Liu, who is scheduled as the commencement speaker at the satellite ceremony for USC’s law school (see here), is not joining the boycott. Court spokesperson Merrill Balassone says “Justice Liu is speaking as planned, and has no comment on other speakers.”