Following days of protest over the University of Southern California’s decision to ban Muslim valedictorian Asna Tabassum from the school’s May 10 commencement, the school took the additional step Friday of canceling outside graduation speakers. Their featured speaker was set to be “Wicked” and “Crazy Rich Asians” director Jon M. Chu.
A memo shared on by USC noted, “to keep the focus on our graduates, we are redesigning the commencement program. Given the highly publicized circumstances surrounding our main-stage commencement program, university leadership has decided it is best to release our outside speakers and honorees from attending this year’s ceremony.”