NYU Denies Diploma to Student Who Criticized Israel in Commencement Speech

New York University has sparked controversy by denying a diploma to a student who used his graduation speech to condemn Israel’s attacks on Palestinians and what he described as U.S. "complicity in this genocide." The decision has been met with widespread criticism from faculty and free speech advocates, who argue that the university is caving to pressure from pro-Israel groups and the Trump administration.

Background on the Incident

The incident began when Logan Rozos, a graduating student at NYU’s Gallatin School, delivered a speech that sparked waves of condemnation from pro-Israel groups. Rozos, an actor and member of the Gallatin Theater Troupe, was selected by fellow students to give the liberal art program’s address. He said he felt a moral and political obligation to speak to the audience about what he called the atrocities in Palestine.

Reaction to the Speech

The speech drew loud cheers from the crowd, along with a standing ovation from some graduating students. However, as video of the speech spread online, it was roundly denounced by pro-Israel groups, who accused NYU of creating an unsafe environment for Jewish students. The Anti-Defamation League said in a statement, "No student — especially Jewish students — should have to sit through politicized rhetoric that promotes harmful lies about Israel during such a personal milestone."

University Response

In response to the backlash, NYU spokesperson John Beckman apologized for the speech and accused Rozos of misusing his platform "to express his personal and one-sided political views." Beckman added, "He lied about the speech he was going to deliver and violated the commitment he made to comply with our rules. The University is withholding his diploma while we pursue disciplinary actions."

Implications of the University’s Decision

The decision to deny Rozos his diploma has been met with criticism from faculty and free speech advocates, who argue that the university is compromising its values of academic freedom and free speech. Andrew Ross, a professor of social and cultural analysis at NYU, said, "They are bending over backward to crack down on speech that runs counter to what the current administration in Washington espouses. Myself and many of my colleagues are frankly appalled at the decision that’s being made to deny a student speaker his diploma."

National Context

The incident is part of a larger trend of universities facing pressure to crack down on pro-Palestinian speech or risk funding cuts from the Trump administration. With billions of dollars of funding at risk, the stakes for universities are high. As pro-Palestinian rallies roiled campuses across the country last spring, the 2024 commencement season was marked by tensions and cancellations, and strict limits on what students could say.

Impact on Students and Faculty

The decision to deny Rozos his diploma has sent a chilling message to students and faculty at NYU and beyond. It suggests that universities are willing to compromise their values of academic freedom and free speech in order to appease powerful interest groups and avoid controversy.

By JAKE OFFENHARTZ

NEW YORK (AP) — New York University said it would deny a diploma to a student who used a graduation speech to condemn Israel’s attacks on Palestinians and what he described as U.S. “complicity in this genocide.”

Logan Rozos’s speech Wednesday for graduating students of NYU’s Gallatin School sparked waves of condemnation from pro-Israel groups, who demanded the university take aggressive disciplinary action against him.

In a statement, NYU spokesperson John Beckman apologized for the speech and accused the student of misusing his platform “to express his personal and one-sided political views.”

“He lied about the speech he was going to deliver and violated the commitment he made to comply with our rules,” Beckman added. “The University is withholding his diploma while we pursue disciplinary actions.”

Universities across the country have faced tremendous pressure to crack down on pro-Palestinian speech or risk funding cuts from President Donald Trump’s administration, which has equated criticism of Israel with antisemitism.

But NYU, which is attended by Trump’s son, Barron, has largely avoided the president’s ire so far.

Rozos, an actor and member of the Gallatin Theater Troupe, was selected by fellow students to give the liberal art program’s address. He said he felt a moral and political obligation to speak to the audience about what he called the atrocities in Palestine.

“The genocide currently occurring is supported politically and militarily by the United States, is paid for by our tax dollars and has been livestreamed to our phones for the past 18 months,” he said.

The speech drew loud cheers from the crowd, along with a standing ovation from some graduating students.

But as video of the speech spread online, it was roundly denounced by pro-Israel groups, who accused NYU of creating an unsafe environment for Jewish students.

“No student — especially Jewish students — should have to sit through politicized rhetoric that promotes harmful lies about Israel during such a personal milestone,” the Anti-Defamation League said in a statement.

The group #EndJewHatred suggested the speech — which did not mention Jewish people — would meet the university’s newly-expanded definition of antisemitism, which includes certain criticism of Israel.

An emailed inquiry to Rozos was not returned.

As pro-Palestinian rallies roiled campuses across the country last spring, the 2024 commencement season was was marked by tensions and cancellations, and strict limits on what students could say.

With billions of dollars of funding at risk from the Trump administration, the stakes for universities are even higher this year, some faculty said.

“They are bending over backward to crack down on speech that runs counter to what the current administration in Washington espouses,” said Andrew Ross, a professor of social and cultural analysis at NYU.

“Myself and many of my colleagues are frankly appalled at the decision that’s being made to deny a student speaker his diploma,” Ross added. “This is a very good example of an administration falling down on the job.”

Conclusion

The decision by NYU to deny a diploma to Logan Rozos is a troubling development that has implications for academic freedom and free speech on college campuses. As universities face pressure from powerful interest groups and the Trump administration, it is essential that they prioritize their values of intellectual inquiry and open debate.

FAQs

Q: What happened to Logan Rozos?
A: Logan Rozos, a graduating student at NYU’s Gallatin School, was denied his diploma after delivering a speech that condemned Israel’s attacks on Palestinians and what he described as U.S. "complicity in this genocide."
Q: Why did NYU deny Rozos his diploma?
A: NYU accused Rozos of misusing his platform "to express his personal and one-sided political views" and violating the commitment he made to comply with the university’s rules.
Q: What has been the reaction to NYU’s decision?
A: The decision has been met with criticism from faculty and free speech advocates, who argue that the university is compromising its values of academic freedom and free speech.
Q: What are the implications of NYU’s decision?
A: The decision has implications for academic freedom and free speech on college campuses, and suggests that universities are willing to compromise their values in order to appease powerful interest groups and avoid controversy.

Originally Published: May 15, 2025 at 5:50 PM EDT