Michigan University professor praises anti-Israel student activists in commencement speech

"Sing for the 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," outgoing UMich Faculty Senate chair Prof. Derek Peterson said during his graduation remarks, to the cheers and applause of the audience.

Peterson shared the address on X/Twitter on Sunday, noting that his speech about the history of student activism which had  "moved the university toward justice" had caused "a furore on social media and in UM administration."

Moments before his remarks about anti-Israel activists, Peterson lauded the first Jewish professor at UMich for opening the institution to Jewish students as a safe haven from antisemitism at other universities.

UMich President Domenico Grasso apologized on behalf of the university for Peterson's remarks about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying in a Saturday statement that they were "hurtful and insensitive to many members of our community."

Peterson allegedly deviated from his remarks, and according to Grasso did not represent the institutional position of neutrality.

"Everyone in our community is entitled to their own views; but this was neither the time nor the place. Commencement is a time of celebration, recognition and unity," said Grasso. "The Chair’s remarks were expected to be congratulatory, not a platform for personal or political expression. Introducing such commentary in this setting was inappropriate and did not align with the purpose of the occasion."

UMich Regent Sarah Hubbard criticized Peterson's conduct, writing on X on Sunday that it was "unbecoming for a leader of the greatest university of the world."

It would be difficult to implement consequences on tenured faculty, Hubbard noted, but the Board of Regents could set the tone and expectations for conduct, and she hoped to have discussions with her colleagues and the administration on how to achieve this.

Republican regency candidate Michael Schostak said that Grasso's remarks were insufficient, calling for accountability such as leave without pay, strip him of administrative support or research assistants, and cut his expense budget.

In a joint press statement with fellow Republican regency candidate Lena Epstein, Schostak said that the decision to feature Peterson as a commencement speaker was troubling given his "divisive track record."

"Commencement ceremonies exist to unite the university community around academic achievement, personal growth, and promise of what comes next. It should not become a stage for political activism that leaves students feeling excluded or uncomfortable during one of the most important milestones of their lives," Schostak and Epstein wrote on Sunday. "We support free speech and the open exchange of ideas. But with that freedom comes responsibility, and University leaders must be especially thoughtful about the voices they elevate."

SAFE said that the demands of anti Israel activists were demonstratibly popular, not just light of the speech, but also with the loss of UMich regent Jordan Acker's loss to "pro divestment" Democrat regency candidate Amir Makled.

Democrat leaders backed Makled over the pro Israel Jewish regent, who according to JTA raised controversy in April due to resurfaced social media posts about Hassan Nasrallah as a martyr, memes with antisemitic connotations, and retweets of conspiracy theorist Candace Owens.

UMich Hillel also said on Instagram Sunday that it was "deeply troubled" by commencement speech, and the "political statements that alienate the Jewish community."

ADL Michigan said Sunday that Peterson's comments were inappropriate and divisive, after Jewish students were "exposed to years of harassment, social ostracism, and discriminatory rhetoric."

The homes of regents were repeatedly attacked by activists demanding that the university divest from companies with relations with Israel.

In 2024 Acker said that his home had been attacked three times. In December 2024 an object was thrown through the window of Acker's family home, and their vehicle graffitied with pro-Palestinian slogans and the red inverted triangle symbol used in Hamas propaganda to denote the targeting of enemies.

In May of that year, activists masked in keffiyehs came to the door of Acker’s residence before dawn, demanding the defunding of police. The same morning, around thirty protesters came to Hubbard’s home, erected tents, and placed fake corpses wrapped in bloodied sheets on her lawn. The activists used bullhorns and drums to create noise and taped a list of demands to her front door.

JTA reported that in June 2024 Acker's law office was tagged with the slogans "Free Palestine" and "Divest now." Former President Sana Ono and University chief investment officer Erik Lundberg's homes were vandalized in October, and UMich Provost Laurie McCauley's home was graffitied with the phrase "free Palestine." Acker, Hubbard, and Regent Mark Bernstein had continued to get email threats as of June, leading the university to assign 24-hour security to its regents and executive officers.

Like many US campuses, UMich was host to an encampment, established at the university to demand the institution divest from any companies doing business with Israel and that it boycott Israeli academic institutions. Students previously told The Jerusalem Post that the encampment was set up in the middle of the campus grounds and made traversal of the university difficult.

SAFE was suspended for two years last February for their involvement in the spate of harassment and vandalism. While charges were leveled against protesters by the Attorney General's office, NPR reported that they were dropped in May.