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Visit USC Architecture

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As an academic cultural institution in the heart of South Los Angeles, certain lectures, exhibitions and other special events are open to the public. Please visit our calendar page for a list of upcoming events.

RELATED RESOURCES: Virtual Campus Map , Visit USC ,  Events Calendar

Prospective undergraduate first-year or transfer applicants and their families are invited to attend an  in-person  or  virtual  USC Architecture information session.

A USC Architecture admission representative will provide an overview of the school as well as details about the application process. During the summer, our in-person sessions are offered most Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at the mid-day and our virtual sessions most Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons. 

Reservations are required for the  in-person  or  virtual  sessions.

Prospective graduate applicants are invited to an in-person or virtual USC Architecture information session.

A USC Architecture admission representative will provide an overview of the school as well as details about the application process. 

Reservations are required for the in-person or virtual sessions. Please fill out request form for an  appointment .

USC is easily accessible via major freeways and public transportation. The School of Architecture is located near the corners of Watt Way and Bloom Walk on the southwest corner of the University Park Campus. 

Watt Hall, 850 Bloom Walk, Suite 204

Los Angeles, California 90089-0291

Public Transit

USC Architecture is conveniently located near the Metro Expo Line and multiple public bus routes. 

USCTransportation has compiled a list of MTA bus routes that currently service the University Park Campus and its vicinity. We also have a list of Metrolink rail routes that service USC. Also, you may find the MTA System Map useful.

The School of Architecture is just a short walk from the Expo Park/USC station on the Metro Expo Line. After exiting the train, head north on Trousdale Parkway and take a left on Bloom Walk. The School will be on your lefthand side.

FROM los angeles international airport

Head east on I-105 and then north on I-110. Take exit 20B for Exposition Boulevard toward 37th Street. Continue onto S. Hope Street (signs for Exposition Boulevard) and make a left onto W. Exposition Boulevard. Take a right onto Watt Way and enter campus through the Watt Way Entrance (Gate 1). 

Parking is available at several parking structures and meters throughout the University Park Campus.

On-Campus Parking

The Downey Way Parking Structure is the closest parking lot to the School of Architecture. Guests may access the structure through the Downey Way Entrance or the Watt Way Entrance. Parking on campus is currently $20 per day, though rates and availability may vary for special events. Parking meters are also available throughout campus. For more information, visit USC's Public Parking page .

Off-Campus Parking

Four- and two-hour metered parking is available on Vermont Avenue, Figueroa Street and just north of campus on Jefferson Boulevard.

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Upcoming Events

Thu, May 02, 2024 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Join USC Viterbi for our upcoming Limited Status: How to Get Started Virtual Information Session via WebEx to learn about the Limited Status enrollment option. The Limited Status enrollment option allows individuals with an undergraduate...

Thu, May 16, 2024 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Join USC Viterbi representatives for a step-by-step guide and tips for how to apply for formal admission into a Master's degree or Graduate Certificate program. The session is intended for individuals who wish to pursue a graduate degree...

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Published on February 24th, 2017

Last updated on April 15th, 2024

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We are pleased to welcome prospective applicants on campus for in person tours. There is no better way to experience the wonderful Trojan community than by taking a law school tour. Our tours are led by our admissions staff members or admissions ambassadors, and run approximately 50 minutes.

Please know that we do not use demonstrated interest in our application reviews. Whether or not you have been able to visit campus will not impact any future or current applications to USC.

Tours are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If there are no tour dates available in the drop-down menu, it means tours are at capacity. Please check back for cancellations. Thank you.

Virtual Tour Options

Self-guided interactive virtual tour.

Take an interactive 360-degree virtual tour  of the USC Gould School of Law, including classrooms, the Law Library, study spaces, the Clinics Office, and more. Explore our campus!

Student Ambassador-Guided Tour

We invite you to watch a guided walkthrough of the law school with our student ambassador, Mirelle. Learn about USC Gould student life and meet some of our administrators. 

Upcoming Tour Schedule

Tours will not be offered on the following upcoming dates:.

 Thank you for your interest in USC Gould! We look forward to meeting you soon.

Sincerely, USC Gould Admissions Office [email protected]

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USC Gould School of Law 699 Exposition Boulevard Los Angeles, California 90089-0071 213-740-7331

USC Gould School of Law

699 Exposition Boulevard

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Leverage our location in Los Angeles and our state-of-the-art facilities to propel your ambitions and ideas forward.

Encompassing more than 120,000 square feet, our two school buildings provide critical spaces to learn, collaborate and innovate. This includes our media center , which is home to the school’s student-run digital, television, radio and public relations operations, as well as our Digital Lounge , a creative makerspace where you can build your technology and content creation skills.

Our position in the dynamic, complex, culturally diverse city of Los Angeles offers a fertile ground for our research and the perfect epicenter for critical conversations among scholars, industry leaders, cultural icons and the general public.

Connect with USC and USC Annenberg to learn more about what our vibrant intellectual community can offer you.

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Meet us at a regional event

Graduate regional events.

October 7 , Mexico City, Mexico – Mexico City Fair October 10 , San Diego, CA, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. – San Diego State University Graduate & Professional School Fair October 10 , Austin, TX, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. – UT Austin Graduate School Fair October 10 , Pomona, CA, 10:30 a.m.–2 p.m. – Cal Poly Pomona Graduate & Professional School Fair October 10 , San Marcos, CA, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. – Cal State San Marcos Graduate and Professional School Fair October 11 , Online – Foreign Affairs – Open House Virtual Event October 12 , Whittier, CA, 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m. – Whittier College Graduate and Professional Schools Summit October 12 , Berkeley, CA, noon – 4 p.m. – UC Berkeley Virtual Graduate and Law School Fair October 12 , San Diego, CA, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – UC San Diego Graduate and Professional School Fair October 14–15 , Nashville, TN – 2023 ICON Convention (PRSSA) October 14 , San Francisco, CA, noon – 2 p.m. – Fall 2023 California Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education at University of San Francisco October 24 , Online, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Bucknell University Virtual Graduate & Professional School Fair October 24 , Online – COLFUTERO Colombia webinar October 25 , Los Angles, CA, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – USC 2023 Graduate Schools Fair October 26 , Los Angeles, CA, noon – 3 p.m. – UCLA Graduate & Professional School Fair November 2 , Bakersfield, CA, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. – CSU Bakersfield Graduate and Professional School Fair November 8 , Northridge, CA – CSU Northridge Graduate Fair November 8 , Online, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Virtual North Carolina Graduate, Law and Professional School Fair November 9 , Santa Cruz, CA, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. – UC Santa Cruz Graduate & Professional School Fair November 10–11 , Los Angeles, CA – USC Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) Graduate Conference November 14–15 , Baltimore, MD – HBCU Career Development Marketplace November 16 , Online – APSIA Virtual Open House – Diplomacy and International Cooperation

Undergraduate regional events

To learn more about our majors and the student experience, plan to attend an in-person or virtual Meet USC Annenberg information session. View the calendar and make your reservation here .

Graduate Information Sessions

USC Annenberg Admissions hosts information sessions via Zoom. Sessions include an academic overview by the faculty program director, a review of the admission process by a USC Annenberg admissions officer, and Q&A. RSVP here.

Communication Management (MCG)

Wednesday, February 21, 3 p.m. Domestic applicants only.

Take a virtual tour

Explore USC Annenberg with 360-degree views of spaces throughout our two buildings. The Annenberg School for Communication building houses our student services suite, including academic advisement , career development and international programs and is also a hub for a number of our research centers, including the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative . Wallis Annenberg Hall is home to our state-of-the-art media center and Digital Lounge , and offers a ground-level public forum designed as a space for the entire USC community to convene. Learn more about how to navigate our virtual tour here . Take an immersive tour of the larger USC University Park Campus  here .

USC Annenberg Virtual Tour

in-person events, virtual events,  

Info-sessions, campus tours, live chats,  .

We Can’t Wait To Meet You!

There are a number of events for you to learn more, year-round.  Please note there are distinct programs for high school students (First-Year Admission), and transfer students.  If you are able to visit campus, we would love to see you at one of our info-sessions or tours.  If not, please sign up for a virtual event or one of our admission receptions across the country.

Visit Viterbi Experience & Campus Tours

Our on-campus Visit Viterbi Experience sessions are the best way to get to know more about our programs.  This 90-minute session includes an overview of our academic programs and admission process led by a USC Viterbi admission counselor.  Based on availability, each session includes a brief facility or lab tour. Current students are also part of the session to ask questions and learn more about student life (when classes are in session).  Transfer Students: you are welcome to join our Visit Viterbi Experience!  The portion of the presentation regarding admission is geared toward first-year students, as transfer admission is often complex, nuanced, and requires its own session.  However, we have found that many transfer students benefit from visiting campus and learning about our academic programs.  If you would like to join us for an in-depth, virtual transfer advisement session, please see availability below .

Note: the calendar allows you to register for just a USC Viterbi Info Session. If you are interested in a campus tour to accompany this program, please refer to the campus tour portal page .

Reserve Your Visit Viterbi Experience

Please select a date below to check availability.

Can’t make it to campus?  Join us for a Virtual Session!

Virtual info session for first-year admission.

We understand that making it to campus for one of our in-person sessions is not possible for everyone.  On select weekdays and  Saturdays, we provide the same information via a personal, interactive Zoom meeting.

Similar to our in-person events, the meeting is led by one of our Viterbi Admission counselors to cover our academic programs, the admission process and more on student life.  When classes are in session, each meeting is accompanied by two of our current students to share their experiences and answer your questions.

This is not your typical webinar – this is our chance to get to know you!

Virtual Tour of Campus

In the event you are unable to make it campus, we have a virtual tour of campus available. Get to know the campus from the comfort of your home!

Register for an upcoming virtual info session below.

Transfer admission: info sessions & advisement.

Navigating the transfer process can be challenging without support.  Our Info Sessions & Advisement virtual webinars are designed to get your questions answered.  What classes should I take to be eligible for admission?  How can I be a competitive transfer applicant?  How do I navigate the articulation agreements?

We do not want you to “just take GE’s” before you transfer.  We want you to be ready for your engineering or computer science curriculum at USC and be making progress toward you USC degree.  Honestly, it’s more straightforward than you think.

PRO TIP: Review the transfer course plans and understand the articulation history with your current college/university before you attend this session.

Register for an upcoming virtual transfer advisement & info-session below.

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Attend an Admissions Event

Let's get together.

Learn why the USC School of Cinematic Arts may be the perfect fit for you by joining us for an upcoming admissions event or information session. 

Register for an In-Person Information Session

• Visit the School of Cinematic Arts In-person Information Session page at https://applyto.usc.edu/portal/sca
• Use the displayed calendar to register for your preferred date
• You will receive a confirmation email with the meeting location the morning of the session
• Prospective undergraduate students are invited to reserve a student-led or self-guided tour at https://admission.usc.edu/meet-us/on-campus-tours/
• In addition, we encourage you to explore the menu of virtual programming offered by the Office of Undergraduate Admission that includes USC information sessions, virtual campus tours, and student panels
• Coming Soon
• You may view available dates and register for a session by clicking "In-Person SCA Graduate Information Session" below
• The USC Office of Graduate Admission invites prospective applicants to gain key insights into navigating the application process through our virtual Spotlight: USC program via this link

Register for a Fall Admissions Event

The School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) is excited to host programming events this fall so that you may learn more about SCA. Please view the available events according to your student level and register for an event according to the instructions below. Events are open to all prospective students and families interested in the School of Cinematic Arts.

Prospective Undergraduate Applicants (First-Year Freshmen and Transfer Students)

       prospective first-year freshmen.

Discover USC Open House (for first-year/freshman applicants only)

Join us for our full-day Discover USC Open House on Sunday, October 29th from 9am-4pm! The School of Cinematic Arts will host an information session, current student panel, and breakout session highlighting our Interactive Media & Games division.

• Register here

Undergraduate Off-Campus Admission Events

Discover USC - Santa Clara Sunday, September 10, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Discover USC - Washington D.C. Tuesday, September 19, 2023 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Discover USC - Dallas Saturday, October 7, 2023 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Discover USC - Houston Sunday, October 8, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Discover USC - Miami Saturday, October 14, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

• Discover USC - Atlanta Sunday, October 15, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Discover USC - Chicago Sunday, October 15, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

       Prospective Transfer Applicants

Discover USC - New York Sunday, September 17, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Prospective Graduate Applicants

On-Campus Graduate Admission Events: Open to graduate program applicants only. Join us in Los Angeles, at the USC School of Cinematic Arts for a Graduate Information Session! These Graduate Information Sessions are available for students interested in pursuing graduate studies in one of our M.S., M.A. or M.F.A. programs at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Information regarding the Ph.D. programs will not be covered during these presentations.

In-Person Graduate Information Session Thursday, October 19, 2023: 7:00 PM (Pacific Time)

Virtual SCA Graduate Financial Aid Session Wednesday, November 1, 2023: 5:00 PM (Pacific Time)

Virtual SCA Graduate Open House The Virtual Open House will be the most comprehensive virtual event for prospective graduate applicants. The Virtual Open House will include an admissions presentation and divisional breakout sessions. You will be able to ask questions you may have about the School of Cinematic Arts and the application process. Wednesday, November 8, 2023: 4:00 PM (Pacific Time)

USC Minority Serving Institutions Graduate Information Fair USC is hosting an in-person Graduate Information Session Fair that aims to introduce graduate degree opportunities to a broad and diverse student population from minority serving institutions. SCA will be hosting a breakout session where prospective students will have the opportunity to learn more about SCA and hear from SCA's Assistant Dean of Student Services.

All prospective student participants (from institutions classified by the US Department of Education as minority serving institutions) will receive application fee waivers for up to three USC graduate programs for the 2023 admission cycle.

Off-Campus Graduate Admission Events: Open to graduate program applicants only.

Admission representatives from the USC School of Cinematic Arts will be visiting a number of cities hosting information sessions for students interested in pursuing graduate studies in one of our M.A. or M.F.A. programs. Information regarding Ph.D. programs will not be covered during this presentation. Topics covered include programs offered, facilities and resources, and the application process.

• Santa Clara, CA (Register  here ) Monday, September 11th at 6:30PM until 8:30PM Element Santa Clara 1950 Wyatt Dr Santa Clara, CA 95054
• New York, NY (Register  here ) Monday, September 18th at 6:30PM until 8:30PM Springhill Suites by Marriott 25 West 37th Street New York, NY 10018
• Houston, TX (Register here ) Monday, October 9th at 6:30PM until 8:30PM Aloft Houston by the Galleria 5415 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX 77056
• Chicago, IL (Register  here ) Monday, October 16th at 6:30PM until 8:30PM Hyatt Regency Chicago 151 East Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60601
• Atlanta, GA (Register  here ) Monday, October 16th at 6:30PM until 8:30PM Element Atlanta Buckhead 3491 Piedmont Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30305

Register for a Virtual Information Session

SCA Undergraduate Divisional Information Session (Virtual) Make Reservations >>

SCA Graduate Divisional Information Session (Virtual) Make Reservations >>

Prospective First-Year Freshmen: Please register for a School of Cinematic Arts virtual information session following the steps below.

• Visit the School of Cinematic Arts Virtual Information Session page at https://applyto.usc.edu/portal/sca_virtual
• You will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link for the session the morning of the session

Prospective Transfer Applicants: Please register for a School of Cinematic Arts virtual information session following the steps below.

• For non-USC students, we encourage you to explore the menu of virtual programming offered by the Office of Undergraduate Admission that includes USC information sessions, virtual campus tours, and student panels

Prospective Graduate Applicants:

• You may view available dates and register for a session by clicking "Register for a Virtual Information Session" below

News | Pasadena’s Tournament House opening for…

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News | Pasadena’s Tournament House opening for tours. Here’s how to get a spot

On Jan. 1 each year, the Tournament House in Pasadena is a busy place. There are the floats, the princesses, the out-of-town guests, the media. It’s all quite a scene ahead of the Rose Parade.

But now’s your chance to check out the historic spot long before the New Year’s hustle and bustle.

Starting on Thursday, May 2, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association will offer guided tours of the Tournament House, which was once owned by William Wrigley Jr. and wife, Ada. Wrigley’s fortune was made as a chewing gum industrialist back in the late 1800s. When his widow, Ada, died in 1958, their Orange Grove Boulevard mansion was given to Pasadena, on the condition that it become the home of the Tournament of Roses.

The guided tours will be offered free, though reservations are required in advance through the Tournament of Roses website . Eighty slots are available for each tour, which will last for about and hour and a half to two hours, led by volunteer docents at 2 p.m. every Thursday through Aug. 29.

Organizers tout the scenery — roses, of course. They also are inviting tour-goers to have a picnic on the mansion grounds. But they also tout what you can learn on the tour, from the hub’s history to how it plays into the tradition of the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl.

Guests are asked to arrive about 10 minutes before the beginning of a tour.

For more information, check out: https://tournamentofroses.com/house-tours/ .

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The crowning of Asna Tabassum as USC valedictorian was supposed to be a time of pride for a university that has tried to shed its old image as a playground for the privileged by bolstering academics and diversity.

In selecting Tabassum from close to 100 applicants with near-perfect GPAs and impressive extracurriculars, USC put the spotlight on a hijab-wearing Muslim daughter of Indian immigrants for its highest undergraduate honor.

A biomedical engineering major with a passion for social justice who minored in “resistance to genocide,” she was just the kind of student USC has aimed to attract and has celebrated in ads for the university, where the annual tab for those without scholarships or financial aid this fall will eclipse $95,000.

USC cancels ‘main stage’ commencement ceremony

After tensions led USC to drop its valedictorian and keynote speaker from its main commencement ceremony, the school canceled its largest graduation event.

April 25, 2024

Instead, the decision by President Carol Folt to rescind Tabassum’s graduation speaking slot after undisclosed threats has catapulted USC into almost two weeks of protest and controversy . The campus gates are closed to the public, police have made 93 arrests , many classes were moved online, and the marquee 65,000-attendee “main stage” commencement ceremony has been called off.

Even at a time when swelling demonstrations have engulfed campuses across the nation, USC stands out. No other university has pulled its main commencement, and few have seen as many arrests as quickly as USC.

“It’s a complete disaster,” said Viet Thanh Nguyen, a bestselling novelist and university professor of English, American studies and ethnicity and comparative literature who has taught at USC for 27 years. “In every option, our administration has chosen the worst option. Every step along the way, our administration has been absent.”

Gabriel Kahn, a USC journalism professor, had a similar view.

“What I have wanted to see from the beginning of this is for the university to exhibit some leadership and convene an uncomfortable conversation where differing points of view confront one another in the spirit of dialogue and learning,” he said. “Instead, we’ve seen an effort to flee from anything remotely controversial, which I think is intellectual cowardice.”

On Friday, Folt — who until then had not commented publicly on the recent events — released a letter to students, faculty and staff, saying that “the past few weeks have been incredibly difficult for all of us” and that “the current pressures and polarization have taken a toll in ways that break my heart.” Folt called on the USC community to “share points of view, listen, search for common ground — and find ways to support each other.”

In an email, Lauren Bartlett, associate vice president for strategic and crisis communications, declined a Times request to interview Folt. The USC board chair, Suzanne Nora Johnson, also declined an interview request. Tabassum, who previously spoke to The Times, did not reply to a subsequent interview request.

The seeds of the USC crisis were sown in March when Provost Andrew T. Guzman notified Tabassum that she was valedictorian. Her reward: joining the “main stage” commencement on May 10 to give a 3-to-5-minute address.

On April 2, Folt and Guzman took part in an Academic Honors Convocation in a campus ballroom with Tabassum and others.

“I’m looking at a roomful of multi-hyphenates,” Folt said, according to USC Today , which featured a group picture of the smiling president with Tabassum behind her in a light green hijab. Folt said students inspired her because they were “expanding that personal search for meaning to include something very important: benefiting humanity.”

Pro-Israel groups quickly seized on Tabassum’s selection, accusing the university of caving to antisemitism.

“What will she say at the podium?” said an April 9 Instagram post by groups including We Are Tov and Israel War Room that went viral.

The complaints centered on a pro-Palestinian link on Tabassum’s Instagram profile. The link to a “Free Palestine” site said, “Zionism is a racist settler-colonialist ideology.” It added that “one Palestinian state would mean Palestinian liberation and the complete abolishment of the state of Israel” so that “both Arabs and Jews can live together.”

Six days later, on April 15, USC announced that Tabassum would no longer appear on the commencement stage, citing security concerns. The university has not provided more details about the nature of the threats, and the LAPD said it had not received reports of threats to Tabassum or the commencement.

In an interview at the time, Guzman, the provost, said Folt was not behind the decision to cancel the speech. A day later, Joel Curran, USC’s senior vice president of communications, contradicted Guzman, saying the final decision was indeed the president’s.

Some faculty, administrators and parents of students questioned why the selection process did not include vetting of social media. Although the provost cited “the expectations of federal regulators” in explaining why Tabassum’s speech was canceled, many faculty saw a clear desire to prevent the type of congressional hearings on antisemitism that wrought havoc for the presidents of Harvard, Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania.

“It’s part of larger crises in academia,” said Nguyen. “Universities are under a right-wing attack.”

By April 18, hundreds were marching on campus in support of Tabassum’s stated belief that she was being “silenced” for her race, religion and political views. Tabassum said in an interview that she had no plans to directly address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at graduation but wanted to talk about “hope.” She said she is not antisemitic and had never publicly been an activist for the pro-Palestinian cause.

On April 19, the “main stage” commencement was diminished further when the university canceled an address by director Jon M. Chu of “Crazy Rich Asians.” It also nixed the awarding of honorary degrees at the ceremony to recipients including tennis star Billie Jean King.

Curran said the university didn’t want to put outside guests in an “awkward situation” where they would feel pressured to speak out about Tabassum or take sides in the Israel-Hamas war.

A spokeswoman for the USC School of Cinematic Arts, which helped recruit Chu, cited “security concerns.”

Tensions were mounting. The ACLU and the Council on American-Islamic Relations had gotten involved, offering assistance to Tabassum. The USC Chabad Jewish center called out the university for blaming security while accusing it of failing to address questions of antisemitism head-on in a time of rising anti-Jewish hatred.

The events also tore at precarious bridges built between Muslims and the administration after student complaints in recent years of anti-Muslim bias on campus.

Members of the Advisory Committee on Muslim Life at USC — made up of students, faculty and staff — wrote to Folt, asking her to reconsider the Tabassum decision by April 19. When they said they did not hear back, more than half the members resigned.

“It is a bewildering time,” said Aisha Patel, a graduate student in communication studies who was among those who resigned. “I hope this is the tipping point of true change and that the administration starts listening and having deep conversations.”

The next night, Folt appeared at a $550-per-person alumni gala at a Fairmont Century Plaza ballroom. In a brief address, she recognized attorney, investor and philanthropist Charles Griffin Cale, who was awarded USC’s highest alumni achievement prize.

The president did not discuss the speech cancellation.

Across the country, pro-Palestinian activists at colleges and universities were mounting encampments , modeled after one at Columbia University. More than 50 tents went up at UC Berkeley, while Cal Poly Humboldt closed its campus after pro-Palestinian activists barricaded themselves in university buildings.

USC activists, newly energized and angered over Tabassum, raised tents before sunrise on Wednesday. By morning, they hung “Free Palestine” and “Liberated Zone” banners and posters across Alumni Park, the traditional site of the “main stage” graduation ceremony.

Campus security told the growing crowd that tents and signs on trees were not allowed and that microphones were banned. Some scuffles ensued as USC security officers attempted to dismantle the encampment before relenting under pressure from crowds chanting “shame.”

LAPD helicopters circled above. USC shut off public access to campus. Guzman, the provost, told academic deans that professors could move classes online.

LAPD officers in riot gear staged outside the gates. Shortly after 5 p.m., dozens of officers marched onto campus, and an hours-long standoff with protesters began. By the evening, police had arrested 93 people, many of them students, and moved the remaining crowd off campus.

Nguyen, the professor, was among the protesters. “These were students with direct demands. They want the divestment from ties to a genocide,” he said — a reference to investments in weapons companies with ties to the war in Gaza.

USC has not said whether it has those kinds of investments. Experts on endowments say that universities typically have such financial ties through endowment portfolios. In a statement last year on academic boycotts of Israel, another demand of protesters, USC said it rejected them “on the grounds that a robust intellectual environment requires the free and civil exchange of ideas.”

Many Jewish groups have called the divestment movement antisemitic, saying it aims to isolate and de-legitimatize the Jewish homeland.

By Thursday morning, the USC campus was calm. Staff cleared remaining tents from Alumni Park and installed white fencing for an annual graduate brunch.

In another area, Jewish students set up long tables for a Passover Seder that featured photos of hostages who are believed to still remain in Gaza after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and took roughly 240 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory war has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, and the United Nations says roughly 2 million Gazans are living in near-famine conditions.

Folt tried privately to cool the tensions.

Following an earlier call with a member of the Advisory Committee on Muslim Life, she wrote back to the resigned members, saying she hoped they’d reconsider but respected their decision, the members said this week at a news conference. The same day, she called the campus Chabad Rabbi, Dov Wagner, offering her support for the Jewish community, the rabbi said in an interview.

Midday Thursday, a message went up on the USC website. The “main stage” commencement was canceled entirely, because new security measures would not allow for the processing of a large number of guests, the message said. More than two dozen satellite commencements for individual colleges and schools would continue. But there would be new security checks — X-rays and metal detectors — and an eight-ticket maximum per graduating student.

A graduating senior went viral on TikTok with her displeasure. Parents called, worried that they wouldn’t be able to bring large families to celebrate.

“What they did was rob these students, many who did not have a traditional graduation in 2020 because of COVID, of yet another graduation,” said Devin Griffiths, an associate professor of English and comparative literature. “We have brought up students to believe they should be forthright, engaged citizens who talk openly about their beliefs and disagreements. Instead, we close commencement and send them to jail.”

Student activists were not deterred. They staged a die-in at Founders Park.

“Disclose! Divest! We will not stop! We will not rest,” students shouted.

The Founders Park protest continued through Friday afternoon, when Folt released her campus letter to students, faculty, staff and alumni.

“This week, Alumni Park became unsafe. No one wants to have people arrested on their campus. Ever,” she wrote. “But, when long-standing safety policies are flagrantly violated, buildings vandalized, [Department of Public Safety] directives repeatedly ignored, threatening language shouted, people assaulted, and access to critical academic buildings blocked, we must act immediately to protect our community.”

A university-wide email then went out, announcing that unregistered guests would remain blocked from entering the typically open campus through May 8.

It also said that “no social events” were allowed during the period that included the end-of-year “study days” and final exams. The rule is written in the student handbook but rarely enforced. The email suggested that additional protesting would not be tolerated, saying that no “disruptive activities may take place.”

On Friday evening, the LAPD and campus security were present at the protest. And the tents, cleared out earlier, had returned.

Times staff writer Jenna Peterson contributed to this report.

More to Read

Opinion: USC’s ‘security risk’ rationale to thwart peaceful protest is not justified

Pro-Palestinian protests grow at California campuses as opposing demonstrators clash at UCLA

LAPD arrests 93 people at USC amid Israel-Hamas war protests

April 24, 2024

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Jaweed Kaleem is a national correspondent at the Los Angeles Times. Based in L.A. with a focus on issues outside of California, he has traveled to dozens of states to cover news and deeply reported features on the complexity of the American experience. His articles frequently explore race, religion, politics, social debates and polarized society. Kaleem was previously based in London, where he was a lead news writer on Russia’s war on Ukraine and spearheaded European coverage for the Times, including the Global California initiative. Before joining The Times in 2016, he reported on religion for HuffPost and the Miami Herald, where he was a member of a Pulitzer Prize finalist team recognized for coverage of Haiti. His reporting has also received awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Society for Features Journalism, the Asian American Journalists Assn., the South Asian Journalists Assn. and the National Headliner Awards.

Angie Orellana Hernandez is a 2023-24 reporting fellow at the Los Angeles Times. She previously worked at The Times as an arts and entertainment intern. She graduated from USC, where she studied journalism and Spanish. Prior to joining The Times, she covered entertainment, as well as human interest, legal and crime stories at E! News. Her writing can also be found in USA Today, the Boston Globe, CNN and KCRA3.

Matt Hamilton is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. He won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting with colleagues Harriet Ryan and Paul Pringle and was part of the team of reporters that won a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the San Bernardino terrorist attack. A graduate of Boston College and the University of Southern California, he joined The Times in 2013.

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USC cancels main commencement ceremony as campus is roiled by protests

The University of Southern California has canceled its main commencement ceremony, citing new safety measures put in place in the days since the Los Angeles school has been rocked by student-led protests against the war in Gaza . Additional events are still planned for graduates.

The university announced the cancellation of the May 10 main-stage ceremony — which typically draws around 65,000 people — on Thursday, one day after more than 90 students were arrested on campus.

College protests over Gaza war

USC is among the dozens of colleges and universities where protests have unfolded on campus just weeks before commencement season ; several have resulted in violence and arrests as police attempt to clear student encampments that have cropped up on school grounds.

The cancellation of the main ceremony also comes more than a week after USC officials announced that they would not have valedictorian Asna Tabassum, who is Muslim and had shared pro-Palestinian views, speak at commencement, citing vague concerns over security .

University officials had said news of Tabassum’s selection as graduation speaker had drawn responses that had “taken on an alarming tenor,” but they did not specify any threats. Amid backlash at the decision, the school also canceled a keynote commencement speech by film director Jon M. Chu, an alumnus of the school.

The university said Thursday that it would still host dozens of other commencement events, including traditional ceremonies at individual schools.

“We understand that this is disappointing; however, we are adding many new activities and celebrations to make this commencement academically meaningful, memorable, and uniquely USC,” the university said in its update.

That may not satisfied all students.

“I think that much like every major university, they need to say that it’s for safety. It’s a farce. It’s not for safety. It’s to shut down the voice of the students,” USC graduate student Leah King said, adding that when USC has right-wing pundits on campus, the university can guarantee their safety.

King said she was talking to a grad student Thursday afternoon whose entire family is coming to Los Angeles from China and now the student is scrambling, trying to figure out where to tell their family to go.

Yvonne Condes in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

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U.S.C. Cancels Its Main Graduation Ceremony, Citing Security Concerns

There have been student protests and arrests, as well as controversy over the school’s decision to cancel the speech of its valedictorian.

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By Stephanie Saul

The University of Southern California announced on Thursday that it has canceled its main-stage graduation ceremony for students, a move that follows campus protests over the Israel-Hamas war and a controversy over its selection of a class valedictorian.

The university said that it could not host the ceremony, which was scheduled for May 10, because of new safety measures that would have increased the amount of time needed on the day to process the 65,000 students and guests who usually attend.

This week, the university has been rocked by turmoil by pro-Palestinian protesters, resulting in the arrests of more than 90 people.

It was the continuation of controversy on the Los Angeles campus that began in early April, when the university selected a Muslim valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, a biomedical engineering major from Chino Hills, Calif.

Following complaints from several Jewish organizations that Ms. Tabassum, who is of South Asian descent, had posted a social media link to a controversial pro-Palestinian organization, the university informed her that she would not be delivering the traditional valedictorian speech.

The university said the decision was based on a barrage of communications threatening to disrupt the graduation ceremony. But, in a statement, Ms. Tabassum voiced skepticism about the university’s motivation.

In making the announcement Thursday about the main stage cancellation, the university emphasized that other graduation events celebrating individual schools would continue. In those ceremonies, students cross the stage, are awarded their degrees and are photographed.

“We understand that this is disappointing,” the announcement said, “however, we are adding many new activities and celebrations to make this commencement academically meaningful.”

That did not appease many students.

“The cancellation of commencement? I think it’s cowardly,” said Layla MoheyEldin, a senior majoring in international relations and Middle East studies. Her high school graduation was scaled down because of the pandemic, and now she is losing her main college ceremony.

Last week, the university announced that speakers and honorees who had been scheduled to attend the main stage graduation, including the “Crazy Rich Asians” director Jon M. Chu and the tennis star Billie Jean King, would not be present.

Past speakers at the main ceremonies have included the actor Will Ferrell and the author Siddhartha Mukherjee.

Jonathan Wolfe contributed reporting.

An earlier version of this article included a picture that was published in error. It showed the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles, not the University of Southern California.

How we handle corrections

Stephanie Saul reports on colleges and universities, with a recent focus on the dramatic changes in college admissions and the debate around diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. More about Stephanie Saul

Local News | At UC Irvine, hundreds turn out to demonstrate…

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Local News | At UC Irvine, hundreds turn out to demonstrate in support of Palestine

Uci still plans to move ahead with its june graduation; it’s “business as usual,” a spokesperson says..

During the two hours protesters at UC Irvine chanted and marched on campus calling for the university to divest financial ties from Israel on Thursday, there was zero visible presence of officers in uniform.

That’s a far cry from the mass pro-Palestinian protest at USC yesterday, where over 200 people showed up and ultimately resulted in nearly 100 arrests Wednesday evening.

The protest at UCI on April 25 comes amid a growing number of demonstrations that have recently swept across U.S. college campuses calling for universities to cut their financial ties to Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war .

While a security protocol was in place, UCI spokesperson Tom Vasich said the university did not want to escalate the situation.

“We also want to protect (the protesters’) First Amendment rights,” Vasich said.

A woman listens to speakers during a demonstrate in support of Palestine at the University of California, Irvine in Irvine, CA on Thursday, April 25, 2024. Protests have been staged at college campuses across the nation in response to the war between Israel and Palestine. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Several hundred people demonstrate in support of Palestine at the University of California, Irvine in Irvine, CA on Thursday, April 25, 2024. Protests have been staged at college campuses across the nation in response to the war between Israel and Palestine. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Several hundred people march around campus as they demonstrate in support of Palestine at the University of California, Irvine in Irvine, CA on Thursday, April 25, 2024. Protests have been staged at college campuses across the nation in response to the war between Israel and Palestine. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

People listen to speakers during a demonstration in support of Palestine at the University of California, Irvine in Irvine, CA on Thursday, April 25, 2024. Protests have been staged at college campuses across the nation in response to the war between Israel and Palestine. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A woman holds a flag of Palestine as people demonstrate in support of Palestine at the University of California, Irvine in Irvine, CA on Thursday, April 25, 2024. Protests have been staged at college campuses across the nation in response to the war between Israel and Palestine. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

John Nonato, an organizer who identified himself as a UCI student, said students felt the need to elevate their voices and the student-led movement across the country.

“I want to emphasize that our demands and our focus and purpose of our rallies are clear: Condemning the genocide and calling for Palestinian liberation,” Nonato said.

Prior to the rally, protesters posted their demands for the university to social media, which included a call for full and immediate divestment from all academic and economic activities with Israel, amnesty for all student protesters and an academic boycott of Israeli institutions.

Promptly at 12:45 p.m. on Thursday, hundreds of protesters clad in black and white keffiyehs and holding up signs that read “UC Irvine, Divest Now” and “Invest in students, not war” gathered in front of Langson Library. They chanted various slogans , including “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free;” “from Palestine to Mexico, border walls have to go;” and “fund our jobs and education, not war and occupation.”

While USC’s demonstration was described as chaotic and boisterous, the protest at UCI, which lasted until 3 p.m., was peaceful with no interruptions or altercations. Instead of stationing police on campus, several university personnel drove around a golf cart or walked a few hundred feet ahead of the protesters who marched around Ring Road.

Protesters started at Langson Library before passing by the Science Library, the engineering lecture hall and the social ecology school.

I’m at UC Irvine, where demonstrators are calling for the university to divest from Israel, joining the pro-Palestinian movement on university campuses across the country. pic.twitter.com/EYuOsICqL6 — Hanna Kang (@byhannakang) April 25, 2024

While no large counter-protest ensued, one man stood off to the side and quietly held up mini Israel and American flags.

Former UCI economics professor Ami Glazer, who retired in 2020, said he came to show support for Israel. The rally on campus was not a pro-Palestinian protest, he said, but an anti-Israel one.

“I don’t see any message regarding a two-state solution, which I would favor. They hate Israel and Jews,” said Glazer, motioning toward the crowd.

On Thursday, protesters called Israel a “settler state” and said a revolution is the only solution to “free Palestine.”

Demonstrators marched past two Starbucks, where they stopped in front to chant “Starbucks, Starbucks, you can’t hide. We charge you with genocide.”

Many pro-Palestinian advocates have boycotted the giant coffeehouse chain amid the war in the Middle East due to its alleged support of Israel. But Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan has said that “narratives get shaped by external voices disconnected from the brand” and that the company “stands for humanity.”

On Thursday, similar demonstrations formed on the Westwood campus of UCLA . And USC announced it is canceling its main stage commencement ceremony .

But at UC Irvine, graduation will be business as usual, Vasich said.

“Our commencement is in June, a very different story (from USC),” he said.

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