<\/a><\/p>\n

Graduating GSAS students are barred from wearing \u201cdecorated caps, sashes, stoles, cords, pins, scarves\u201d at their school-specific convocation ceremonies due to \u201csafety and security\u201d concerns, administrators told students in a Thursday email. The convocation team also said that they will halt the event if any graduate \u201cattempts to disrupt\u201d the procedures, following a wave of <\/span>pro-Palestinian demonstrations at graduation ceremonies<\/span><\/a> last year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before entering their respective ceremonies, master\u2019s and doctoral students at NYU\u2019s Graduate School of Arts & Science will be required to remove any adornments to the standard gowns, hoods, caps and tams, according to the email. The restrictions \u2014 which echo <\/span>controversial regulations<\/span><\/a> at NYU Abu Dhabi\u2019s commencement ceremony last spring \u2014 detail that students who \u201cdisplay any signs or banners\u201d during the ceremony will be \u201cpromptly removed\u201d from the venue and the event will end.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGSAS believes strongly in the dignity and purpose of these ceremonies,\u201d the email stated. \u201cWhile we understand your pride in your nation of origin, your culture or your personal convictions, we are obligated to protect the safety and security of everyone attending.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An NYU spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment regarding potential restrictions at other schools\u2019 graduation ceremonies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A faculty member with connections to the school\u2019s convocation committee, who requested to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation, said that GSAS dean Lynne Kiorpes drafted the new policy on attire and poster restriction in a \u201ctop-down dictatorial directive\u201d without taking a vote from the convocation team at large. The faculty member also said that several members of the committee raised concerns that the new policy would violate students\u2019 freedom of expression.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m shocked at the casual nature of all of this and how so many people in upper administration \u2014 whose job it is to protect the students \u2014 just don\u2019t even bat an eye at this,\u201d the faculty member said in an interview with WSN. \u201cThere is a serious lack of leadership in this when it comes to how to protect the civil rights of our students.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The faculty member said that when Kiorpes introduced this year\u2019s additional restrictions, she referenced that President Linda Mills and other administrators were \u201cpissed off\u201d after convocations last spring saw students wearing keffiyehs, carrying signs and chanting in protest of the war in Gaza. At last year\u2019s <\/span>all-university commencement<\/span><\/a> at Yankee Stadium, dozens of graduating students similarly walked out and protested outside while Mills delivered her address.<\/span><\/p>\n

After NYU Abu Dhabi imposed similar restrictions at its commencement last year, barring graduates from decorating their caps and gowns or displaying \u201cflag-like attire,\u201d Emirati authorities allegedly detained a Ph.D. student who waved a keffiyeh and shouted \u201cfree Palestine\u201d while crossing the stage. A NYU spokesperson had attributed the restrictions to \u201clocal laws\u201d and said the university has \u201cno authority\u201d over the immigration or law enforcement at its global sites.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This spring\u2019s universitywide guidelines for graduation ceremonies stipulate that forms of peaceful protests, such as holding signs or wearing flags, are \u201ctypically permitted\u201d during the event \u2014 with the exception of those that violate NYU\u2019s Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment policy, which controversially cites \u201c<\/span>code words, like \u2018Zionist<\/span><\/a>\u2019\u201d as a form of potentially discriminatory speech. The guidelines also recommend that commencement speakers convey that the \u201cfree exchange of ideas and open inquiry are bedrock principles\u201d of the university.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe 10,000-pound elephant in the room is, \u2018How do we discriminate against these students without discriminating openly,\u2019\u201d the GSAS faculty member said. \u201cThe decision to suspend our civil rights and collectively punish everyone if anyone shows any sort of cultural expression is directly a function of anti-Palestinian racism.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Graduate Student Council senator Isabella Angeles said that the new policy prevents students from celebrating their achievements with loved ones and that she is uncertain about whether she can wear her student council stole at the ceremony. She said these restrictions set a \u201cbad precedent\u201d that limits freedom of speech, especially at a school like NYU with a substantial population of international students.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a blatant disregard for what\u2019s going on, because how can a student wearing a stole or a country flag put someone in danger?\u201d Angeles said in an interview with WSN. \u201cNYU is just trying to put a Band-Aid on something that they know is going to happen instead of addressing why students feel the need to protest.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Contact Amanda Chen at\u00a0achen@nyunews.com.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

This story GSAS bans \u2018decorated\u2019 attire at grad ceremonies<\/a> appeared first on Washington Square News<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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