At this year’s graduation ceremony, a student speaker at NYU gave a brief, peaceful mention of Gaza in his commencement speech.

Logan Rozos told members of his graduating class that “as I search my heart today in addressing you all … the only thing that is appropriate to say in this time and to a group this large is a recognition of the atrocities currently happening in Palestine.”

Now, NYU is withholding his diploma.

According to CNN, the university claims it is “reviewing” whether the student violated guidelines — but no threats were made, no hate speech was used, and the student’s brief remarks simply referenced a pressing humanitarian issue in the world.

This is not a disciplinary moment!

Universities should be the place where speech is protected, not punished. Silencing a student for expressing concern for civilian lives — especially at a graduation ceremony — is shameful and chilling.

We call on NYU administration and President Linda Mills to immediately release the student’s diploma and stop any disciplinary actions against Logan Rozos.

No student should be penalized for speaking about human rights — especially on a day meant to celebrate academic freedom and public service.