A Michigan college is reportedly being criticized for internet hosting a handful of smaller commencement ceremonies — alongside its bigger graduation celebration — for college students of various races, sexualities and gender identities.
Grand Valley State College in Allendale is having separate ceremonies subsequent month for black, Asian, Hispanic, Native American and LGBTQIA+ college students, Fox Information mentioned.
That is along with the bigger ceremony at which levels are conferred.
However some individuals have taken exception.
“Ridiculous,” tweeted conservative commentator Matt Walsh. “Grand Valley State College (@GVSU) is holding 5 segregated commencement celebrations, singling out Asian, black, LGBT, Hispanic, and Native American graduates.
“There can be no particular celebrations for straight white individuals, in fact.”
The college defended its resolution, telling Fox Information Digital that it’s holding a unified commencement ceremony for all of its college students and that the majority who take part within the smaller celebrations will participate within the bigger one as effectively.
“GVSU is just not ‘segregating commencement ceremonies by race,’ as some individuals and shops have mentioned,” the college mentioned.
“Grand Valley additionally welcomes scholar organizations and school leaders to carry smaller-scale celebrations designed to honor graduates,” the college added.
“These extra intimate celebrations are a complement to GVSU’s Graduation and are open to all college students and their supporters.”
A number of different universities have held comparable ceremonies lately, together with Columbia College in New York Metropolis, which hosts celebrations for a number of affinity teams on campus, Fox mentioned.
Harvard College has additionally held commencement celebrations for black, Asian, Latino and LGBTQ college students.
GVSU first made headlines again in 2020, when soccer coach Morris Berger known as Adolf Hitler a “nice chief” throughout an interview with its scholar newspaper.
Berger was suspended and then resigned three days later.
