NYU refuses to award degree to student Logan Rozos after condemning Israel in graduation speech, citing US involvement in what was described as a genocide.

NEW YORK — New York University has announced that it will withhold a diploma from a student who utilized his commencement speech to denounce Israel’s actions towards Palestinians and what he characterized as U.S. involvement in what he called a “genocide.”

Logan Rozos’s speech at the NYU Gallatin School’s graduation ceremony has sparked significant backlash from pro-Israel organizations, prompting calls for severe disciplinary measures to be taken by the university.

In a released statement, NYU spokesperson John Beckman expressed regret over the address and accused the student of inappropriately using his platform “to advance his personal and biased political perspectives.”

“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.”