Ariel Zilber, Daily Mail, March 16, 2021
Columbia University has been slammed for ‘bringing back segregation’ after announcing additional commencement ceremonies for students based on their ethnicity, income level, and sexual orientation.
The six virtual ceremonies, which will be staged in addition to the general campus-wide commencement event, were announced by Columbia’s Multicultural Affairs department.
Special events are being held for black, LGBTQ, Native, ‘Latinx’, low-income, and Asian graduates.
But the university insisted these ceremonies are ‘voluntary’ and ‘open to every student who wants to participate’ – even those that do not identify as one of the designated minorities – in a statement to DailyMail.com.
The ceremonies will provide a more intimate setting for students and guests to gather, incorporate meaningful cultural traditions, a spokesperson for the Ivy League school said.