Commencement is generally a time of happiness, but for some African-American graduates at the University of Florida in Gainesville, their celebration during the ceremony led to being manhandled by a school official.
The students said they were “strolling,” a tradition common among Black fraternities, when they received their degrees Saturday before a graduation marshal forced them off the stage, TIME reports.
Videos showing the students being yanked off the stage went viral online, with many people calling out the school.
https://twitter.com/yeliah_/status/993137763246632960
UF Twitter 🗣🗣
Somebody please find out this employee’s name!! Every time a Black student took more than TWO seconds, he aggressively pushed them. Watch it for yourself. #ItsGreatUF pic.twitter.com/zMee1nMbUZ
— Chris (@ChicoFreedom) May 5, 2018
Kent Fuchs, president of the University of Florida, apologized for the incident on Twitter and said he would contact each student involved.
“During one of this weekend’s commencement ceremonies, we were inappropriately aggressive in rushing students across the stage,” he wrote. “I personally apologize, and am reaching out to the students involved.”
During one of this weekend’s commencement ceremonies, we were inappropriately aggressive in rushing students across the stage. I personally apologize, and am reaching out to the students involved. (1/2)
— W. Kent Fuchs (@PresidentFuchs) May 6, 2018
Oliver Telusma, 21, told the Gainesville Sun that he was embarrassed when the usher grabbed him under his arm.
“I had just started … and he picked me up and turned me around, which I thought was kind of embarrassing and degrading to be handled in that manner,” Telusma said. “It was just really uncalled for, especially for anyone not martially trained to do that.”
On Sunday, Fuchs said that students don’t have to be worried about it happening during future ceremonies as the “practice has been halted.”
The practice has been halted for all future ceremonies, and we will work to make sure all graduating students know we are proud of their achievements and celebrate with them their graduation. (2/2)
— W. Kent Fuchs (@PresidentFuchs) May 6, 2018