Columbia cancels commencement ceremony after weeks of turmoil - as traumatized law students say they shouldn't have to sit exams

Columbia University has canceled its university-wide graduation ceremony, after weeks of campus protests over the ongoing war in Gaza. 

Instead, Columbia will replace the large-scale commencement, which was set to happen on May 15, with smaller celebrations based in individual colleges within the university.

'Our students emphasized that these smaller-scale, school-based celebrations are most meaningful to them and their families,' the university said Monday. 'As a result, we will focus our resources on those school ceremonies and on keeping them safe, respectful, and running smoothly.' 

This comes days after the New York Police Department burst onto Columbia with riot gear to break up the tent encampment and re-take Hamilton Hall back from student occupiers.  

Over 100 people were arrested at the New York City university, according to CNN. Police said there were no injuries or people resisting arrest.

The NYPD moved to clear Hamilton Hall on April 30, less than 24 hours after it was occupied by protesters at Columbia University

Pro-Palestinian supporters confront police during demonstrations at The City College Of New York (CUNY) as the NYPD cracks down on protest camps at both Columbia University and CCNY on April 30, 2024 in New York City

An individual is arrested on April 30 during the NYPD's operation to re-take Hamilton Hall

Despite similar police crackdowns on protests at New York University, its administrators plan to proceed with its commencement at Yankee Stadium on May 15, ABC 7 reported. 

USC, like Columbia, also canceled its main commencement ceremony. 

Columbia's decision to scale down its end-of-year festivities came days after the student editors behind the Columbia Law Review urged administrators to cancel final exams and give students passing grades.

'We believe that canceling exams would be a proportionate response to the level of distress our peers have been feeling,' the Law Review editors wrote to administrators on May 2.

'The violence we witnessed last night has irrevocably shaken many of us on the Review,' the students wrote. 'The events of last night left us, and many of our peers, unable to focus and highly emotional during this tumultuous time.'

This has prompted these students to ask the law school for all exams to be canceled and to give the entire student body passing grades for this semester.

Students march and rally on Columbia University campus in support of a protest encampment supporting Palestinians, despite a 2pm deadline issued by university officials to disband or face suspension

Students and other supporters of pro-Palestine students, expressing their disapproval of having police on campus, gather outside Columbia University campus to protest on May 1, 2024

The complete letter from the editors of the Columbia Law Review

In the letter to administrators, the Law Review editors ask for finals to be canceled and for all students in the law school to be given passing grades because of they're 'unable to focus' amid the protests and the police crackdowns

The Columbia Law Review editors said a mandatory pass/fail system is supported by the vast majority of students

The alternative the Law Review editors suggested was a pass/fail regime going forward, which they said 75 percent of law students supported as of April 25.

'A lot has happened these past few days, including a second round of mass arrests on our campus, that would likely make these percentages even higher.

'Despite overwhelming support from the student body, the [Columbia Law School] administration has refused to consider our calls for making all classes this semester mandatory Pass/Fail,' the Law Review editors wrote.

The DailyMail.com has reached out to Columbia Law School to see if administrators have budged on these demands from students.

This all started when college students across the US argued that their universities should divest from Israel's military operations and companies that support Israel in any way.

As of now some universities - including Columbia - have refused to divest, while others have actually negotiated agreements with protesting students. These include Northwestern University in Illinois, the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, Rutgers University in New Jersey and the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, according to the Guardian.