Brooklyn College students rally over school's decision to not walk at commencement ceremony
Brooklyn College released a statement on Thursday that the decision was “due to a required end time at Barclays [Center],” where they’re holding the graduation ceremony on May 28.
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Dozens of Brooklyn College students rallied outside of the Midwood campus on Thursday after the CUNY school announced last week that its 4,000 graduates will not walk across the stage or receive diplomas during the upcoming commencement ceremony.
“I’m hurt, I'm disappointed, I'm outraged because we deserve to take our victory lap,” said Kayla John, a member of the Brooklyn College Class of 2026.
“It would be a celebration of all of the hard work that I put in, and that my family put in, to put me where I am,” said Miguel Figueroa, a classmate.
“For them to just say that I’m not going to cross the stage is absolutely disgusting at this point,” said Bianca Vaval, another classmate.
Brooklyn College released a statement on Thursday that the decision was “due to a required end time at Barclays [Center],” where they’re holding the graduation ceremony on May 28.
A spokesperson for Barclays Center told News 12 that the Brooklyn College commencement is expected to begin at 9 a.m. and end around 12:30 p.m. The CUNY School of Professional Studies is expected to open the doors for its commencement ceremony at 3 p.m. for its ceremony starting a 4:30 p.m.
But several students said they believed it was less about a "scheduling conflict" and more about the conflict of war, because some graduates appeared to protest during last year’s commencement.
“People were out showing solidarity with Palestine at last year’s commencement,” said Figueroa. “So, [the school doesn’t] want people to be walking on stage with Palestinian flags.”
A school spokesperson said the decision was “based on logistical considerations, not past events,” and that Brooklyn College “respects students’ right to express their views.”
The spokesperson added that graduates walked across the stage during three recent commencement ceremonies - but it was not part of graduation before 2022.
