The University of Southern California has canceled commencement speeches by director Jon M. Chu, known for "Crazy Rich Asians," and other honorees amid outrage over the schoool's ban of pro-Palestinian valedictorian Asna Tabassum's graduation speech.
Chu, a USC alumnus, was scheduled to deliver the school's commencement speech at the main ceremony on May 10 in front of approximately 65,000 attendees, according to The Independent.
Chu directed the film "Crazy Rich Asians" and a wide range of other movies, notably "In the Heights" and the much-awaited movie adaptation of the musical "Wicked."
Also scheduled to attend and receive honorary degrees were tennis legend Billie Jean King, National Endowment for the Arts Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, and National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt.
The cancellation of the speeches was announced in a letter from the provost posted on the university's website last week.
"As always, and particularly when tensions are running so high across the world, we must prioritize the safety of our community," the letter stated..
"Given the highly publicized circumstances surrounding our main-stage commencement program," it was decided to "release our outside speakers and honorees from attending this year's ceremony," it added.
The recent decision to cancel Tabassum's speech follows increasing controversy over the war in Gaza. The discourse involved "many voices outside of USC" and had "escalated to the point of creating substantial risks related to security and disruption," the university note.
"To be clear," USC insisted in the letter that its decision to bar Tabassum from presenting the valecdictorian speech had nothing to do with "freedom of speech." It added: "There is no free-speech entitlement to speak at a commencement. The issue here is how best to maintain campus security and safety, period."
Advocacy groups, including CAIR Greater Los Angeles, have strongly condemned USC's decision, stating that it "empowers voices of hate," and violates the university's obligation to protect its students.
