Columbia University has announced that in addition to its standard graduation ceremonies, it will this year be offering “Multicultural Graduation Celebrations, which provide a more intimate setting for students who self-identify in a variety of ways,” according to the school’s website.
Columbia’s website further states that “These events invite community members to reflect on personal growth and community experiences that have impacted their time as students through to graduation,” adding that “All students are invited to participate in these celebrations.”
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Ceremonies will be held for students who identify as Native, Asian, LGBTQ, Latinx, Black, and FLI (first generation and/or low income community.)
The celebrations are scheduled to take place virtually between mid and late April, and will be posted online afterwards.
The school’s announcement led to immediate criticism from those who feel this will only serve to segregate students.
In response to the criticism, Columbia University clarified on Twitter that these Multicultural Graduation Celebrations will “exist in addition to, not instead of, University-wide commencement and individual school Class Days,” while also stating that most of these ceremonies were initiated by students and alumni.
Reports today and previous tweets misrepresent our multicultural graduation celebrations, which exist in addition to, not instead of, University-wide commencement and individual school Class Days. 1/
— Columbia University (@Columbia) March 16, 2021
In most instances, these celebrations evolved from ceremonies originally created by students and alumni. They are open to every student. They are voluntary. And they have become a highly anticipated and valuable part of the Columbia graduation experience. 3/
— Columbia University (@Columbia) March 16, 2021
Good job Columbia. Creating and teaching division and segregation. We are ONE people, stop this ridiculous nonsense. You are single handily supporting and creating more divisions amongst us.
Wow, absolutely amazingly stupid idea. Lad none of my degrees are from Columbia.
Wow should we go back to separate bathrooms
Velvet apartheid
Wow, what a tremendously stupid headline. I hope you’re having fun inflaming people.
The real story: *all students are invited* to zoom celebrations that will honor students who identify as different minority populations. These zoom events are just the virtual versions of in-person events that have existed for years.
Another important piece? That both the virtual and in-person versions of these celebrations were created by students and alumni—doesn’t that make you all think that maybe there is something about what attending Columbia is like if you’re *not* rich and white that these students think it is worth recognizing and honoring one another for making it through?
Why don’t you do a story about the persistent suicide epidemic there, or all the other unhealthy pieces of their student life culture that are even harder on a minority, particularly without family who share the university experience and can guide them?
—signed, a columbia grad who did not attend any special graduations, but saw they were not racist or exclusionary in one iota
Thanks for clarifying
Race? Income? Seems arbitrary. Don’t people have more relevant things to identify with?