Rep. Anthony D'Esposito, R-N.Y., told Newsmax on Friday that students from Columbia University who reside in his 4th Congressional District will be getting a graduation ceremony, with or without the help of Columbia President Minouche Shafik.
In the aftermath of anti-Israel protests that have roiled the university in recent weeks, Columbia canceled its graduation ceremony over concerns for student safety.
During an appearance on "Wake Up America," D'Esposito said he reached out to Shafik on Thursday to help identify the students that live in his Long Island district but hasn't heard back.
"We haven't had a response yet from the president, but the response from the community has been overwhelmingly in support," D'Esposito said. "Years back, we saw probably these same students who suffered the same fate, where many of them couldn't have their high school graduations because of COVID-19, and now they're being stripped of their ability to walk in their commencement because of failed leadership at universities like Columbia."
"I mean, the idea that you do not have the ability or are not confident in being able to keep students safe that you had to cancel a commencement is absolutely ridiculous," he continued. "It's bad enough that they sent the kids home to study and learn virtually, but the fact that they're going to cancel graduation is absolutely ridiculous."
The New York Republican said that Columbia has indicated that the "larger commencement has been canceled, but they're going to do their best to have smaller graduations."
"That's not what these students want and, quite frankly, why would students want to go back to the same university, same campus, that their administration has told them already that they can't keep them safe at?" he said.
D'Esposito said he plans to work with "local stakeholders and elected officials" to find a safe location and venue to hold a commencement ceremony for his district's Columbia students.
"I'm hoping that the president sends those names over so that we can contact them," he said. "If not, I guess we will try another route and perhaps just announce a location and go forward from there. But right now, we're hoping that the president will send the names over and we can contact these families and invite them to a graduation that they could feel safe, they could feel proud and we're looking for a commencement address [speaker]. So, if you know anybody in mind, keep us posted."
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