Indian-American student Megha Vemuri was prohibited from participating in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) commencement ceremony after delivering a speech advocating for Palestine, which officials deemed inappropriate for the event.
Scheduled to serve as the marshal for the commencement held on Friday, Vemuri received a directive from MIT Chancellor Melissa Nobles on the morning of the ceremony. The email informed her that she could not attend the event, and additionally, both she and her family were barred from the campus during most of the day.
In the communication, Chancellor Nobles emphasized that participation in commencement activities is considered a privilege. She stated that Vemuri had deliberately and repeatedly misled the event organizers. Although the university acknowledged Vemuri's right to free expression, her act of leading a protest from the stage was characterized as a breach of MIT’s policies regarding the appropriate time, place, and manner for campus expression.
Responding to the university, Vemuri described her speech as a form of protest and criticized the campus ban as an overreach of authority.
An official spokesperson for MIT reaffirmed the institution’s stance, underscoring that the speech delivered was not the one approved and submitted in advance, thereby justifying their decision to bar her from the event and campus.
Student Protest at the Ceremony
During Chancellor Nobles' speech, student protests erupted in objection to Vemuri’s ban. The chants prompted Nobles to pause and request respect for the graduates and their families, reminding attendees that the ceremony was dedicated to their celebration.
Vemuri’s speech had criticized MIT’s alleged involvement with Israel, asserting that the institute is complicit in what she described as the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people. She praised fellow students for overcoming fear to stand up for what she framed as a just cause, expressing that MIT supports a free Palestine to enthusiastic applause.
