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:
University investigation issuing in sanctions
Student sanctioned
University administration invoked formal speech code in response
University administration changed university policy as a consequence
Title IX or other federal statute
Other
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Incident Status:
No litigation
- Was Speech Code incident
Summary
In May 2025, New York University (NYU) withheld the diploma of Logan Rozos, a student speaker at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study’s commencement ceremony, after he delivered remarks criticizing Israel’s conduct in Gaza. Rozos had been selected through a student speaker process and submitted a draft of his remarks to the university before the ceremony. NYU stated that the speech he delivered differed from the approved version and violated its commencement speaker guidelines, which require student speakers to focus on “the graduating class and the student experience” rather than political advocacy. The university withheld his diploma while reviewing the matter, then later released it after completing its review.
The controversy prompted NYU to reconsider its approach to commencement programming. On February 25, 2026, the university announced that it would discontinue affinity-based graduation ceremonies, which had allowed groups of students organized around shared identities or experiences to hold separate celebrations in addition to university commencement events. NYU said the decision was part of an effort to create a unified commencement experience for graduates. Students raised concerns about the change at a February 27 Student Government Assembly meeting, arguing that affinity ceremonies provided additional opportunities for recognition and community.
On March 5, 2026, NYU announced that it would end live student commencement speeches at school-level graduation ceremonies and replace them with prerecorded remarks reviewed in advance by the university. The revised policy stated that student speakers would continue to have opportunities to share their experiences, but their remarks would be recorded before the ceremony rather than delivered live. NYU said the change was intended to ensure that commencement ceremonies proceeded without disruptions and remained focused on recognizing graduates. The university stated that “free exchange of ideas and open inquiry are bedrock principles” but that ceremonies should allow NYU to “honor and highlight” graduates’ accomplishments.
During the 2026 commencement season, NYU implemented the new speech policy across its graduation ceremonies. Student remarks selected for inclusion were prerecorded rather than delivered live from the stage, while other portions of commencement programs, including remarks from university officials and designated speakers, continued according to the university’s ceremony plans.
