The University of Michigan has issued a formal apology after a history professor praised pro-Palestinian student protesters during a commencement speech on Saturday. The remarks by Derek R. Peterson, a professor of East African history and outgoing chair of the faculty senate, have sparked widespread criticism and calls to defund the university.
In his speech, Peterson credited “pro-Palestinian student activists who have over these past two years opened our hearts to the injustice and inhumanity of Israel’s war in Gaza.” The comments drew immediate condemnation from Jewish groups, who allege that campus protests against Israel created a hostile environment for some students.
University President Domenico Grasso apologised the same day, stating that the comments were “inappropriate and do not represent our institutional position.” He added that Peterson's speech “deviated from the remarks he had shared before the ceremony.” Despite the apology, Republican officials, including Florida Senator Rick Scott, called for the school to lose federal funding. A Republican member of the Board of Regents hinted at possible discipline for the professor, while Israeli-American investor Adam Milstein urged Jewish people to halt donations.
Peterson defended his remarks, calling it “ridiculous” to expect graduations to be apolitical. “Michigan is not a finishing school for polite young men and women,” he said. He also accused the administration of scrubbing the speech from the internet, though a university spokesperson said it was temporarily removed by YouTube over a music copyright issue and has since been restored.
A coalition of academic labour groups, including the American Association of University Professors and the American Federation of Teachers, condemned the university's apology in a joint letter, stating that “institutional leaders have an obligation not only to tolerate faculty speech, but to defend it — especially in the face of external political pressure.”
The incident comes two years after pro-Palestinian protests erupted across US campuses, including at Michigan, where students formed a campground and walked out of classes. Several students at other universities have faced discipline for highlighting pro-Palestinian issues at graduation ceremonies.
