Identity of Speakers
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Logan Rozos
Student
OtherStudent at NYU
Resources
Additional Information
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Incident Nature:
University-sponsored lecture/address/panel
Other
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Incident Political Orientation:
Not Clear -
Incident Responses:
Student sanctioned
University administration invoked formal speech code in response
University administration changed university policy as a consequence
State Campus Free Speech Act
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Incident Status:
No litigation
- Was Speech Code incident
Summary
On May 15, 2025, Logan Rozos, a Black transgender undergraduate student at New York University’s Gallatin School, delivered a commencement address that criticized Israel’s military actions in Gaza, described the violence as a “genocide,” and condemned U.S. support for Israel. Rozos used the platform to call attention to Palestinian suffering and argued that universities and governments had a responsibility to respond to the conflict. The speech prompted a divided reaction from the audience, with some attendees applauding while others objected or walked out.
The following day, May 16, 2025, NYU announced that it would withhold Rozos’s diploma pending disciplinary review. University officials stated that Rozos had “misrepresented” the content of his planned remarks and failed to follow procedures requiring student commencement speeches to be reviewed and approved in advance. NYU said that commencement remarks are not intended to serve as a platform for personal political advocacy and that Rozos’s decision to depart from the approved speech violated the agreement governing student speakers. Rozos disputed the university’s characterization, stating that he believed he was exercising his right to speak about issues of moral and political importance during a significant public moment.
In the aftermath, NYU reviewed its commencement speech policies and announced changes to future ceremonies. The university stated that it would discontinue live student commencement speeches and instead require pre-recorded remarks or other formats intended to prevent similar situations. NYU said the changes were designed to ensure that commencement remains focused on celebrating graduates rather than becoming a forum for individual political statements.
