U.S. campuses splintered by protests over israel-palestine conflict(5)

Graduations rethink

At least two schools have altered their graduation ceremonies in light of the ongoing protests.

The University of Vermont announced on Friday that Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, would not deliver a commencement address scheduled for later this month.

The University of Southern California canceled its valedictorian commencement speech and appearances by celebrity speakers and its "main stage" commencement ceremony, citing the possibility of disruptions. On Friday, the university announced a "Trojan Family Graduate Celebration "in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for graduates to attend instead.

To head off possible disruptions of final exams and graduation ceremonies, a number of universities have struck deals with protesters, including Brown in Rhode Island, Northwestern in Illinois and Rutgers in New Jersey, CBS News reported on Saturday.

The deals included commitments by universities to review their investments in Israel, but with no promises about changing such investments.

"I think for some universities, it might be just a delaying tactic to defuse the protests," Ralph Young, a history professor who studies American dissent at Temple University in Philadelphia, told CBS News. "The end of the semester is happening now. And maybe by the time the next semester begins, there is a cease-fire in Gaza."

Columbia University is rethinking its commencement ceremony planned for May 15, according to a source at the university, NBC News reported.

Administrators indicated to student leaders at a meeting that they were unsure about the ceremony being held at the main campus in Manhattan because of security concerns.

A student representative said Columbia's administration was primarily concerned about outside protesters and was seeking an alternative venue.

The student leaders told the university that many students were concerned about school president Shafik speaking at the ceremony. "Her presence would be the cause of a lot of upset," one of them told NBC News.

In her message to the Columbia University community on why she requested police help to end the protests, Shafik said the students had paid a "high price", and missed out on the final days of the year in classrooms and residence halls.

"For those of you who are seniors, you're finishing college the same way you started: online," she said.