N.Y.U. Graduation Speaker Jonathan Haidt Sparks Outcry

N.Y.U. students object to Jonathan Haidt as graduation speaker at Yankee Stadium, citing concerns about his views on education and DEI.

A major commencement tradition is becoming a flashpoint over what campuses owe students, and N.Y.U.’s choice of graduation speaker is now at the center of a free-speech fight.

Jonathan Haidt. a social psychologist and author who has long been involved in campus debates about free expression. is drawing objections from student government leaders at New York University after he was selected to speak at the university’s commencement at Yankee Stadium on Thursday.. In a letter seeking reconsideration before the ceremony. students called the selection “deeply unsettling. ” signaling that the dispute is less about the event itself and more about the message the university is sending at a moment of celebration.

N.Y.U.. said it plans to move ahead with Haidt. according to a spokesman. Wiley Norvell. who described him as “one of the most consequential scholars of the 21st century.” While protests over graduation speakers are not unusual. supporters and critics alike say the symbolism in this case is hard to miss.. Haidt has spent years warning that American education has failed to prepare young people for disagreement. distress. and ideas they may find uncomfortable.

For Haidt’s critics at N.Y.U., that background is precisely the problem.. As students reviewed his writings and remarks after the announcement two weeks ago, a small group went public with concerns.. They pointed not only to parts of his broader public commentary, but also to a class lecture from 2014.. In their view. selecting him as a leading voice for graduates risks dismissing what they see as the values of N.Y.U.’s community.

Those who oppose Haidt also say the choice comes with a long memory on campus.. The backlash is closely tied to Haidt’s arguments about a culture of fragility and what he portrays as an education system that overprotects students rather than challenging them.. In his breakout book. “The Coddling of the American Mind. ” Haidt and co-author Greg Lukianoff argued that schools have cultivated a mentality in which personal safety becomes paramount while problem-solving skills are de-emphasized.. The authors’ core warning was that students are insulated from situations and ideas that are uncomfortable. leaving them less prepared for difficulty as adults.

Student government leaders and other concerned students at N.Y.U.. also pointed to Haidt’s criticism of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.. Haidt has previously said. in 2022. that he would resign from a professional society because the organization asked presenters at its annual conference to disclose how their work advances equity and antiracism goals.

In the letter. students expressed shock that the university could not find a commencement speaker whose scholarship and global contributions they believe more accurately reflect the values and diversity of N.Y.U.. graduates.. They contrasted Haidt with past speakers that included Taylor Swift, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and the lawyer David Boies.. The letter also described the emotional impact on students, saying many reported disappointment, disgust, unenthusiasm, defeat, and embarrassment.. The students said their graduation moment—meant to be a celebration—had instead “become another instance of being misunderstood.”

Some students who support the speaker reject the idea that raising concerns about his selection is the same as trying to silence him.. Grayson Stevenson. the outgoing sophomore class president at N.Y.U.. said in an interview that the dispute reflects students arguing that the speaker does not represent their values. rather than students being unable to hear opposing viewpoints.. Stevenson and the student leaders highlighted what they see as the difference between challenging an invitation and blocking someone from speaking.

Haidt has not publicly addressed the controversy directly. Through a spokeswoman, however, he said he was “deeply humbled” by the invitation to speak.

Supporters of Haidt. including those familiar with his work on “coddling. ” argue that he has made a deliberate effort to portray arguments fairly.. Pamela Paresky, a psychologist who helped research “Coddling,” said Haidt went to considerable lengths to be fair in his critiques.. In describing the book’s development. she said the authors used sensitivity readers at their own initiative. in part because they expected pushback.. Yet, she said, the pushback never really came.. Paresky also said Haidt is “always been very good about reflecting both sides and steel-manning the argument. ” a reference to presenting critiques at their strongest.

On campus, some graduating seniors have framed the dispute as a missed opportunity to engage with uncomfortable ideas.. Hannah Swartz. a psychology major graduating this year. said Haidt helped her launch a group for students interested in bridging divides.. In her view. Haidt is not blaming the generation for the way it was raised; instead. she said he aims to equip students with skills to navigate the real world.

The commencement fight comes after a prolonged period of high-stakes free-speech battles at N.Y.U., particularly around pro-Palestinian protests.. The university has been especially assertive in confronting activism it says violates student conduct standards.. For some students. Haidt’s selection feels like an additional layer of friction at the end of their time at the school.

Mehr Kotval, a senior and an editor for the student newspaper, said the choice felt like a final indignity.. She wrote that it was “a last parting gift of disrespect.” Kotval also pointed to graduation speech policies this year: N.Y.U.. required that student graduation speeches be recorded ahead of time after complaints last year about a student speaker who criticized Israel.. In Kotval’s view, the same constraints did not apply to commencement speakers like Haidt.

Kotval noted that Haidt inspired a campus initiative encouraging students to put down their devices and engage in person.. Because of that. she said it feels “a little hypocritical” for the university to argue it is taking away live. in-person speeches for students while presenting Haidt through a screen.

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