More universities are disinviting commencement speakers who might challenge students’ ideas, unraveling an apolitical tradition

College commencement ceremonies celebrate students' achievements, but also have become occasionally fraught with politics. photosbyjim/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Delivering a university commencement address used to simply be a unique kind of honor. Speakers stand before a podium, wearing a traditional graduation cap and robe, and offer graduates life lessons and inspirational words as they enter the next phase of life.

But today, speaking at a university commencement ceremony carries considerable risk, as Morton Schapiro, former president of Northwestern University, recently found out. Schapiro was scheduled to speak at Georgetown University Law Center’s graduation on May 17, 2026, but announced on May 6 that he would no longer appear at the event.