Taylor Swift's NYU Commencement Absence Sparks Outrage Among Grads

WEST VILLAGE, NY — NYU grads are outraged Taylor Swift will only speak at one of two commencement ceremonies next month and have decided they cannot shake it off.

Hundreds of former students — whose commencements were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic — have signed an online petition demanding the pop star appear at their commencement, arguing Swift's absence leaves a blank space in the roster.

"Long story short, you called up the Class of 2020 and 2021 just to break us like a promise," reads a petition created by student Tori Bianco. "We would never walk West 4th Street again if NYU fails (once again) to address the voice of the students."

NYU did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment.

Controversy began about a month ago when NYU announced two ceremonies would be held at Yankee Stadium on May 18, but Swift would only appear at the one for this year's graduating class.

Swift will speak and receive an honorary doctorate at the 2022 class commencement at 11 a.m. — the 2020 and 2021 classes will be honored in a separate ceremony at 6 p.m — according to the school.

Disability rights activist Judith Heumann will be the speaker, which Bianco wrote in her petition — "Taylor Swift for NYU 2020/2021 Commencement" — was unfair to the students and the activist.

"It is 'casually cruel' to put Judith and Taylor in this situation," reads the petition. "This has nothing to do with Judith Heumann. Judith is a renowned activist and inspiration to us all."

It adds, "No speaker could compete with Taylor Swift."

For those who might not know as much about Heumann as the pop star, the Washington Post called her the "mother of disability rights" and she served in both the Clinton and Obama administrations.

Heumann's story was recently brought to added light in the documentary "Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution," a 2020 award-winning film that was produced by the Obama Higher Ground Production.

However, Heumann did not release four albums during the students' tenure at NYU.

"She is the voice of our generation," Bianco argues. "We think all the graduates would benefit from hearing from both Judith and Taylor. While it might not be ideal for the speakers, this would be the easiest and most effective form of compromise."

The petition explains that unlike the Class of 2022, most of the 2020 and 2021 graduating classes will be traveling "across the country and across the globe" to attend their delayed ceremonies.

"We are going to great lengths to experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so we expect NYU to do the same," reads the petition, which had been signed by 518 people as of Thursday.

Commenters on the petition echoed the sentiments outlined by Bianco's argument for a double booking, noting how much of the college experience was denied them graduating when the pandemic was at its peak.

"It is wrong to do that to us when we’ve been waiting so long for our own commencement," wrote one petitioner, among those whose ceremony was delayed by the pandemic.

"We feel like an afterthought."