Universities across Florida are gearing up for their weekend commencement celebrations, set to begin on Friday, following a commendation from the State University System of Florida's chancellor for the handling of a challenging academic year to ensure the safety of Jewish students and faculty.
In a letter addressed to State University System Presidents, Chancellor Ray Rodrigues praised the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis for maintaining law and order in Florida amidst the chaos seen in other parts of the country.
As the academic year draws to a close, the focus is on protecting the integrity of commencement ceremonies and ensuring the safety of all participants. Rodrigues emphasized that no ceremony should be canceled or significantly altered due to disruptive behavior from demonstrators.
Florida State University has scheduled six ceremonies over two days, while the University of Florida will hold its commencement on Friday night.
Rodrigues granted authorization for necessary measures to be taken to guarantee the safety of all attendees during the ceremonies. He also stressed the importance of promptly informing faculty, staff, students, and guests that protests, discrimination, or harassment will not be tolerated at the commencement events.
