Georgetown University – Law School Commencement 2026

Summary

On April 27, 2026, Georgetown Law announced that Morton Schapiro, former president of Northwestern University, would deliver the Class of 2026 commencement address and receive an honorary J.D. degree. After the announcement, Georgetown Law students launched a petition asking the university to remove Schapiro as commencement speaker. The petition stated that Schapiro “is not a lawyer, has no connection to Georgetown and holds controversial, Zionist and harmful opinions.” Students cited Schapiro’s public writings and comments about Israel and Palestine following October 7, 2023, including his criticism of university responses to antisemitism and his views on discussions involving Israel.

Previously in March 2026, Georgetown Law students had objected to changes to the Class of 2026 commencement ceremony, including moving the ceremony from the Law Center campus to Georgetown’s main campus, eliminating smaller section ceremonies, canceling the Graduation Gala, and replacing the live reading of graduates’ names with an automated system. Students raised concerns about accessibility, guest seating, and the loss of longstanding graduation traditions. A petition opposing the changes collected more than 1,100 signatures from students, alumni, and others.

The petition seeking Schapiro’s removal called on Georgetown Law to select a different speaker and stated that inviting Schapiro “undermines the values of justice, inclusion, and respect that Georgetown Law claims to uphold.” Students also raised concerns about Schapiro’s handling of campus protests while serving as Northwestern’s president.

On May 6, 2026, Georgetown Law announced that Schapiro had withdrawn from the commencement address. Interim Dean Joshua C. Teitelbaum wrote that students had raised concerns “due primarily to opinion essays he published on Israel and Palestine in the aftermath of October 7, 2023,” but stated that withdrawing the invitation would have been “inconsistent with Georgetown’s commitment to free and open inquiry.” Schapiro said commencement was “about celebrating the graduates and their supporters” and that he did not want his participation “to distract from the day’s festivities.” Professor David Cole was selected to deliver the commencement address instead.