NYU Shanghai’s decision to move its graduation ceremony from a 2,500-seat theater to its campus courtyard has sparked criticism from dozens of students, many of whom are concerned that the new spot won’t be able to accommodate all of the attendees.
After it was announced in a campuswide email on Feb. 3, students said the change was unexpected and negligent of community members’ opinions. The school’s commencement ceremony, set for May 25, has previously been held at Bank of Communications New Bund 31 Performing Arts Center — a grand theater about 20 minutes away from NYU Shanghai — and will now take place at the campus’ quad.
David Pe, the dean of students at NYU Shanghai, said in a statement to WSN that the school’s previous locations for commencement were either unavailable on the specific dates requested, could not accommodate enough people or were outside of Pudong, the Shanghai district where NYU’s campus is located.
“This site has proven to be the most suitable and sustainable long-term solution,” Pe said. “Our on-campus commencement design not only preserves all traditional rituals but also reflects NYU Shanghai’s tight-knit community, while enhancing the experience for families by creating a more intimate and meaningful moment as they witness their graduates cross the stage.”
Pe said that the courtyard will be able to accommodate all nearly-500 graduating students and up to three additional guests per person. He said that the new venue boasts about 1,400 seats in the central quad and an additional 420 seats on an adjacent pavilion.
One student at NYU Shanghai, who requested to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, told WSN that the change in venue sparked widespread backlash because of fear that the quad’s limited space can not safely accommodate all of the prospective attendees. Another student said that around 100 students attended a Feb. 7 town hall about the matter.
“At the root of this problem is something far bigger: a toothless student government and a complete lack of power for student communities,” the NYU Shanghai student said in a statement to WSN. “NYU Shanghai has systematically designed a top-down decision-making structure where no one outside of the administration is consulted. This isn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last.”
Deziree Harmon, a senior at NYU Shanghai and chair of a student committee advising the commencement planning process, told WSN that a team of administrators dedicated to organizing the ceremony held two meetings for the entire senior class on Feb. 7 to address their concerns. Harmon said that administrators told them the decision was not subject to change, but invited students to offer suggestions on organizing graduation events and opened a survey where students can continue to express concerns.
Pe said that administrators had received concerns from students who were worried about harsh temperatures outdoors and clarified that water, fans and shaded areas will be available during the ceremony for relief from the heat. He also said the planning team reviewed other outdoor commencement ceremonies, including at NYU’s New York campuses — which were held in Washington Square Park until 2011, when they moved to Yankee Stadium.
Last year, hundreds of graduates at NYU’s New York commencement were left waiting outside Yankee Stadium as the ceremony began. Students and parents had spent hours waiting in line before the venue amended its security checks to let the group in, sparking bouts of chants and outcry online.
“There’s a deeper frustration about how the commencement itself is being handled,” the anonymous NYU Shanghai student said. “The decision to hold the ceremony on a cramped lawn feels not only underwhelming but also like a stark statement about the university’s disregard for its students.”
Contact Kaleo Zhu at [email protected].
