NYU withheld student's diploma for criticizing 'Israel' in grad speech
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New York University is facing backlash for withholding the diploma of Logan Rozos, a student who condemned "Israel's" war on Gaza in his graduation speech, sparking debate over academic freedom.
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Pedestrians walk near an NYU building in New York, December 16, 2021. (AP/Seth Wenig)
New York University has withheld the diploma of Logan Rozos, a graduate student who condemned the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza during his graduation speech, citing violations of university rules, intensifying ongoing debates over academic freedom and campus speech related to Palestine.
Speaking at NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, Rozos opened his remarks with an unequivocal statement, “The only thing that is appropriate to say in this time and to a group this large is a recognition of the atrocities currently happening in Palestine.”
Rozos further stated, “As I search my heart today in addressing you all, it is my moral and political commitments [that] guide me” to speak out against "Israel's" war on Gaza.” Citing at least 53,000 Palestinians killed over the past 18 months, he said the genocide is “supported politically and militarily by the United States, is paid for by our tax dollars, and has been livestreamed to our phones.”
He emphasized that his intent was “not to speak only to [his] own politics,” but for “all people of conscience” who feel the “moral injury of this atrocity.”
The remarks drew loud applause and cheers from the audience, though some individuals responded with boos.
NYU accuses student of violating conduct terms
Following the speech, NYU issued a statement denouncing Rozos’s remarks and announcing the withholding of his diploma.
“The university strongly denounces the choice by a student at the Gallatin School’s graduation today to misuse his role as student speaker to express his personal and one-sided political views,” NYU stated.
“I condemn this genocide and complicity in this genocide.”
— BreakThrough News (@BTnewsroom) May 15, 2025
NYU student Logan Rozos denounced Israel’s genocide in Gaza during his graduation speech to roaring applause. In retaliation, NYU has withheld his diploma and is threatening further disciplinary action. pic.twitter.com/VzjRoOAq2k
“He lied about the speech he was going to deliver and violated the commitment he made to comply with our rules. The university is withholding his diploma while we pursue disciplinary actions,” it added.
NYU further apologized to the audience, claiming the moment had been “stolen by someone who abused a privilege that was conferred upon him.”
By Thursday morning, Rozos’s profile on NYU Gallatin’s website had been removed, showing a 404 error message.
Background: NYU’s crackdown on pro-Palestine speech
This is not the first time NYU has taken punitive action against voices critical of "Israel". In August, the university updated its conduct guidelines to classify “code words, like ‘Zionist,’” as discriminatory speech. “For many Jewish people, Zionism is a part of their Jewish identity,” the policy reads. Speech targeting Zionists may now fall under NYU’s nondiscrimination and anti-harassment policy.
The updated rules followed a wave of student-led demonstrations on campus in solidarity with Palestine, in response to which NYU's administration called police to campus, resulting in widespread arrests of students and faculty.
Also, last December, two tenured professors, Andrew Ross and Sonya Posmentier, were declared “personae non gratae” by the university after joining a sit-in demanding NYU divest from companies profiting from "Israel’s" war in Gaza. They were barred from entering certain campus buildings.
NYU also canceled a talk by Dr. Joanne Liu, former president of Médecins Sans Frontières, due to 'concerns' over her slide content, which included mentions of USAID cuts and the Palestinian death toll in Gaza. Liu recounted that NYU’s education department vice-chair told her such slides “could be perceived as antisemitic.”
