To the editor: USC President Carol Folt so far appears to have taken exactly the right steps. (“13 Days That Rocked USC: How a Derailed Start Brought a 'Total Disaster,'” April 27)
He called on people to “share views, listen and seek common ground.” But it's clear that some people aren't willing to do that and will continue to demand that she completely side with them.
Meanwhile, while USC will not have a large campus-wide graduation, all students who enroll, with some guests, will have the opportunity to attend a smaller-scale graduation.
A “complete disaster”? No. There would have been a total disaster if fighting broke out and people were injured or even killed.
At the cost of some bad publicity, USC's prudent actions have averted potential calamities.
Norman H. Green, Los Angeles
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To the editor: As I read several stories about the cancellation of USC valedictorian Asna Tabassum's commencement speech, I kept hoping to learn more about this young woman.
But the articles said the same thing: Her GPA was 3.98 or higher, she was chosen from over 100 students, her major was biomedical engineering, and her major was genocide resistance… and, oh yeah, she’s “pro -Palestine”. .”
After serving for 28 years on the USC Commencement Steering Committee, I know that the students chosen as valedictorian are not only academics but also contributors to the community in multiple ways. It took a little research, but thanks to USC Annenberg Media, I now know that Tabassum follows that tradition.
She was one of the first leaders of the USC chapter of Blueprints for Panagaea, which reallocates medical supplies to areas in need. She is also a student ambassador for the Viterbi School of Engineering and a volunteer for the USC Mobile Clinic, which serves shelters on Los Angeles' Skid Row.
I attended USC graduation every year I worked there. Listening to multiple speeches from top students, I often thought about how proud their parents must be. I am very saddened that Tabassum's family will not be able to share their pride with the rest of the class of 2024 because their daughter has been silenced and USC's main ceremony has been canceled.
Sue Vogl, Manhattan Beach
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To the editor: USC can often be quieter than some schools when it comes to student activism. However, that was not the case in May 1970, in my third year (of 30) of teaching at USC. For me, the present days brought back memories of that past month.
Then, when news of the May 4 shootings at Kent State University in Ohio reached the Trojan campus, the usual business was over. There were passionate student meetings that lasted all night, and during the day activists walked through the hallways and opened classroom doors shouting, “On strike! Turn it off!”
President Norman Topping called a large meeting of students and faculty. He agreed to the strike and announced a policy whereby students who wanted to spend the rest of the semester opposing the Vietnam War could do so and earn the grade they had to date. Others who wanted to continue classes could do so.
I can't help but wonder what it would have been like if a similar policy had been adopted now: if, instead of calling the police, students on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict had been allowed to take their current degree and work for their cause, while others could finish the semester normally, leading to a great start representing everyone.
Robert Ellwood, Claremont
The writer is professor emeritus of religion at USC.
