The University of Southern California announced there will be no outside speakers and honorees at this year’s main commencement ceremony after canceling its valedictorian speech from a Muslim student who said she was silenced by anti-Palestinian hatred, Reuters reports.

“Given the highly publicized circumstances surrounding our main-stage commencement program, university leadership has decided it is best to release our outside speakers and honorees from attending this year’s ceremony,” the university said in a statement on Friday.

USC Provost Andrew Guzman said on Monday the speech of the Muslim valedictorian, biomedical engineering major Asna Tabassum, was canceled. Guzman said the decision to scrub the traditional address at next month’s graduation was aimed at protecting campus security.

In an earlier statement, Tabassum said USC was “caving to fear and rewarding hatred,” which she alleged was directed by “anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian voices.” The Israel-Gaza war has led to tensions on U.S. college campuses.

Trojans for Israel, a USC-based group, and We Are Tov (Hebrew for “good “), a group advocating support for Israel and Jews in collegiate life, called for Tabassum’s removal, saying she has previously espoused antisemitic views.

Opinion

Editorial

Petrol shock
08 Mar, 2026

Petrol shock

PAKISTANIS have felt the first direct economic tremor of the escalating confrontation between the US-Israel combine...
Women’s Day
08 Mar, 2026

Women’s Day

IT is a simple truth: societies progress when women are able to shape them. Yet the struggle for equality has never...
Rescuing hockey
08 Mar, 2026

Rescuing hockey

PAKISTAN hockey is back to where it should be. Years of misses came to an end on Friday with a long-awaited...
Limiting the damage
Updated 07 Mar, 2026

Limiting the damage

Govt plan to revive a range of Covid-era steps reflect a recognition that early restraint can limit disruptive interventions.
Diplomatic option
07 Mar, 2026

Diplomatic option

WITH Operation Ghazab lil Haq underway for over a week now, Pakistan has demonstrated that it can take firm action...
Polio, again
07 Mar, 2026

Polio, again

ANOTHER child has fallen victim to polio, this time in Sindh. The National Institute of Health this week confirmed...