LOS ANGELES (AP) — The University of Southern California has canceled the commencement address of its Class of 2024 valedictorian, a Muslim student who expressed support for Palestinians, citing “substantial” security risks for the event that draws 65,000 people to campus .
Andrew T. Guzmanprovost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the private university in Los Angeles said in a statement Monday that the debate over the selection of valedictorian has taken on an “alarming tenor.”
“The intensity of feeling, fueled by both social media and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, grew to include many voices outside of USC and escalated to the point of creating substantial security-related risks and disruptions early on,” Guzman wrote. .
Valedictorian Asna Tabassum, who is majoring in biomedical engineering and minoring in genocide resistance, said she was caught off guard by the decision, in a statement provided Tuesday by the Greater Los Angeles area office of the Council of American-Islamic Relations. She said university officials told her on Monday that the school had the resources to take appropriate safety measures but were concerned about her image.
“Anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian voices subjected me to a racist hate campaign because of my uncompromising belief in human rights for all,” she said, however, adding that she was not aware of any specific threats against her or the university.
“I am shocked by this decision and deeply disappointed that the university is succumbing to a campaign of hate designed to silence my voice,” she said. “I am not surprised by those who try to spread hate. I am surprised that my own university – my home for four years – has abandoned me.”
In his statement, Guzman said the decision was solely a matter of safety and USC’s obligation to protect the campus community.
“To be clear: This decision has nothing to do with free speech,” Guzman wrote. “There is no right to freedom of expression to speak at graduation. The question here is how best to maintain the safety and security of the campus, period.”
While Guzman did not specify whether there were threats directed at the commencement address, he said “we cannot ignore the fact that similar risks have led to harassment and even violence on other campuses.”
The decision was condemned by the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
“USC cannot hide its cowardly decision behind a hypocritical concern for ‘safety,’” the organization’s executive director, Hussam Ayloush, said in a statement.
Tabassum’s selection as valedictorian drew criticism from groups on and off campus, including Trojans for Israel, who criticized her for her “anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric.” Los Angeles Times reported.
The organization EndJewHatred issued a press release Monday night praising USC’s decision.
“EM. Tabassum’s valedictorian speech was predicted to be harmful to Jewish students and even potentially agitate anti-Jewish activists,” the organization said.
Tabassum said she loves her school and wanted to use the speech to inspire hope: “I am a proud Trojan who loves my campus, which has allowed me to go from building a walker to sending medical gowns to Ukraine to writing about the genocide of Rwanda, even taking blood pressure measurements for our neighbors on Skid Row,” referring to an area of Los Angeles known for its large homeless encampments.
“By canceling my speech, USC is just pandering to fear and rewarding hate,” she said.
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Watson reported from San Diego.
