New York University (NYU) has refused to award a diploma to a graduating student who used his commencement speech to condemn Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and U.S. support for it, igniting a heated discussion about free speech on campus.
Logan Rozos, selected by peers to speak at NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, called Israel’s offensive a “genocide” and criticized American military and financial backing during Wednesday’s graduation ceremony.
“As I speak to you today… the only fitting words for this moment and this audience are to acknowledge the horrors unfolding in Palestine,” Rozos said, prompting cheers and applause from many attendees—including some faculty on stage.
Rozos, who studied Cultural Criticism and Political Economy, argued that U.S. tax dollars fund the violence in Gaza. However, NYU officials quickly denounced his remarks, accusing him of misleading them about his speech’s content and violating agreed-upon guidelines.
“The student lied about what he planned to say and broke his commitment to follow university rules,” said NYU spokesperson John Beckman, adding that Rozos’ diploma is being withheld pending disciplinary review. Beckman also apologized for the ceremony being “hijacked” by what he called a “political rant.”
Rozos has not responded publicly, but supporters argue his speech aligns with Gallatin’s tradition of student-led, uncensored commencement addresses.
The controversy unfolds amid escalating campus tensions over the Israel-Palestine conflict. NYU has been a focal point, with over 180 conduct cases tied to pro-Palestinian protests in 2024 and multiple arrests during demonstrations.
Reactions have been sharply divided. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) applauded NYU’s disciplinary action, calling Rozos’ remarks “divisive and false.” Meanwhile, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) defended his speech as “anti-genocide” and demanded NYU release his diploma, stating that punishing dissent “betrays American freedoms.”
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As scrutiny grows, NYU’s decision is now seen as a critical test for free speech limits in academia during times of global conflict.