My daughter and son-in-law received graduate degrees at U-M. I am late to the party but sent the email. I also mentioned I was unhappy with them paying off the feds a few months ago to have their research funding restored. I see a report that the speech was restored to their website but I couldn’t find it there.
Qasim's post prompted me to write my own letter to UMich president:
Dear President Grasso,
Although I live in New Hampshire I am aware of some of the University of Michigan’s rich history in promoting progressive education. For example, I was a Peace Corps volunteer and am aware that President Kennedy chose the entrance to the UMich law library to announce the establishment of the Peace Corps. I am also aware that my PhD dissertation on the topic of Courage along with others from around our country are officially housed at the University of Michigan.
Now along comes you and your apology for Professor Peterson’s graduation speech and your removal of it from the university website because of the positive comments he addressed to social activist students who are in support of murdered and endangered Palestinians. It is hard for me to believe that a president of a large US university could be so uninformed as not to recognize that the Israeli war has degenerated into a genocide while the rest of the world is becoming increasingly aware that it has. I suspect that your motivation was to be beholden to certain donors rather than to education and truth or more likely, you are among the craven cowards who are bending a knee to the present corrupt federal regime. But in any case, you have dealt another blow to free speech rather than promote it, even though this is a fundamental pillar of our country.
When I was younger, I used to idealistically think that the cream rises to the top. Thanks to you and others like you, I’m realizing that it is often sour cream. My hope is that you have enough self-awareness to feel at least some sense of shame and accountability for what you have done.
President Grasso, Provost McCauley, Regent Bernstein, General Counsel Lynch, Dean Hurn and Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs
As a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Nursing (1975), I have come to the time of my life where I am considering where to donate the money I leave behind. I am a lifetime member of the Alumni Association and am a member of the San Diego UM Alumni Association, as well. I contribute my time here as a mentor and, on occasion, money to the School of Nursing.
The deletion of Professor Peterson's commencement speech from the University's website and the public apology issued by President Grasso is a disgrace to the University of Michigan and the US Constitution! I am appalled and embarrassed by this turn of events and am reconsidering any additional contributions to the University of Michigan!
Only a retraction of the shameful apology issued, immediate restoration of Professor Peterson's commencement speech on the UM website and a formal apology to Professor Peterson will change my mind. This MacArthur Genius Grant recipient and faculty senate chair who celebrated Sarah Burger, Moritz Levi and the Black Action Movement students should be celebrated himself for lifting up students for speaking out against genocide of any kind. He makes me proud to be a Michigan Alumni. As a historian, he knows of the struggles that have gone on for generations but wiping a population off the face of the earth is something to protest and we, as Americans, have the freedom to do so and it should be without reprimand!
I implore you to do the right thing here! Apologize and restore Professor Peterson's speech to its rightful place in history.
Sincerely,
Debbie Berg, MSN RN
Dean Emeritus, San Diego City College Nursing Education
Debbie, thank you for your email and impassioned support of Dr Peterson's part in our university graduation celebrations. There has been no deletion; UM videos of the graduation ceremonies were taken down because UM was held to the law for copyright infringement by an outside company. The legally required edits of the early graduation activities have been carried out, and the video has been restored. Although I have not checked in person, my understanding is that Derek's controversial remarks are in place.
A remaining issue is that leaders at UM are constrained from making political comments and opinions to the public while in their leadership
role. Derek did not hold to that requirement, as his statements were political in nature. And many Jewish students have been vocal about the negative impact of his statements on the joy of their celebration. But it is under discussion of whether he was speaking as a leader or as faculty. The latter are not constrained by the policy of institutional neutrality. There will be more work on that issue to come.
So while I am under the banner of institutional neutrality, I can say that our nursing graduates were honored in every way as healers and nurses. I extend that honor to you as our UMSN alumna. My best regards, P
One of the very few upsides to having to live through this absolute horror of human existence is that now all of us can be the hero, as we must be to survive. Today, Prof. Peterson is the hero.
As we come upon another year of graduates, from all walks of life, let us not forget that we are beautifully diverse and powerful in numbers. Humanity is counting on goodness to overcome the evils that have taken over our voices. We will never let them! Power to the people
Just as there are “corporate Democrats” there are “corporate universities” that rely on corporate money such as advertising revenue from sporting events etc. Same strings just different puppets being played.
I am so sick of the continual racism and bigotry that is continuing in this world. trump has allowed the racists and bigots to come out from behind their rocks, without any fear or retribution. Such hypocritical White National Christians, and of course, there are other nationalities and races that can be added to that equation, but the White National Christians seem to be the biggest contributors.
Kudos to Professor Peterson for speaking the truth, and Domenico Grasso should be ashamed of himself!
The picture you accurately paint is horrifying and the Palestine exception to human decency reigns at universities and mass media. I will write a letter to the U Mich officials tomorrow. I think, however, there might be another reason for UMich's horrible action--fear that they may have to change their ways. Last week, the Michigan Democrats nominated people for a number of offices. Rashida Tlaib has endorsed five of these nominees. Let me mention one, Amir Makled nominaton to the U of Michigan Board of Trustees:, with Tlaib's comments: "Other board members have prosecuted student protesters and capitulated to Trump. Meanwhile, Amir has provided free legal representation for student protesters." A real mensch, a virtuous man who, if elected, will bring needed demands to end the Palestine exception there.
My daughter and son-in-law received graduate degrees at U-M. I am late to the party but sent the email. I also mentioned I was unhappy with them paying off the feds a few months ago to have their research funding restored. I see a report that the speech was restored to their website but I couldn’t find it there.
Emails sent! Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Qasim!
Qasim's post prompted me to write my own letter to UMich president:
Dear President Grasso,
Although I live in New Hampshire I am aware of some of the University of Michigan’s rich history in promoting progressive education. For example, I was a Peace Corps volunteer and am aware that President Kennedy chose the entrance to the UMich law library to announce the establishment of the Peace Corps. I am also aware that my PhD dissertation on the topic of Courage along with others from around our country are officially housed at the University of Michigan.
Now along comes you and your apology for Professor Peterson’s graduation speech and your removal of it from the university website because of the positive comments he addressed to social activist students who are in support of murdered and endangered Palestinians. It is hard for me to believe that a president of a large US university could be so uninformed as not to recognize that the Israeli war has degenerated into a genocide while the rest of the world is becoming increasingly aware that it has. I suspect that your motivation was to be beholden to certain donors rather than to education and truth or more likely, you are among the craven cowards who are bending a knee to the present corrupt federal regime. But in any case, you have dealt another blow to free speech rather than promote it, even though this is a fundamental pillar of our country.
When I was younger, I used to idealistically think that the cream rises to the top. Thanks to you and others like you, I’m realizing that it is often sour cream. My hope is that you have enough self-awareness to feel at least some sense of shame and accountability for what you have done.
Sincerely,
Bill Cuff, PhD
I just sent my emails too!
My letter:
Debbie Berg <debbiejberg2@gmail.com>
Thu, May 7, 7:18 PM (17 hours ago)
to phurn@umich.edu
May 7, 2026
President Grasso, Provost McCauley, Regent Bernstein, General Counsel Lynch, Dean Hurn and Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs
As a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Nursing (1975), I have come to the time of my life where I am considering where to donate the money I leave behind. I am a lifetime member of the Alumni Association and am a member of the San Diego UM Alumni Association, as well. I contribute my time here as a mentor and, on occasion, money to the School of Nursing.
The deletion of Professor Peterson's commencement speech from the University's website and the public apology issued by President Grasso is a disgrace to the University of Michigan and the US Constitution! I am appalled and embarrassed by this turn of events and am reconsidering any additional contributions to the University of Michigan!
Only a retraction of the shameful apology issued, immediate restoration of Professor Peterson's commencement speech on the UM website and a formal apology to Professor Peterson will change my mind. This MacArthur Genius Grant recipient and faculty senate chair who celebrated Sarah Burger, Moritz Levi and the Black Action Movement students should be celebrated himself for lifting up students for speaking out against genocide of any kind. He makes me proud to be a Michigan Alumni. As a historian, he knows of the struggles that have gone on for generations but wiping a population off the face of the earth is something to protest and we, as Americans, have the freedom to do so and it should be without reprimand!
I implore you to do the right thing here! Apologize and restore Professor Peterson's speech to its rightful place in history.
Sincerely,
Debbie Berg, MSN RN
Dean Emeritus, San Diego City College Nursing Education
Response from Dean Hurn, School of Nursing:
Hurn, Patricia <phurn@med.umich.edu>
4:50 AM (8 hours ago)
to me, phurn@umich.edu, Angela, Christine
Debbie, thank you for your email and impassioned support of Dr Peterson's part in our university graduation celebrations. There has been no deletion; UM videos of the graduation ceremonies were taken down because UM was held to the law for copyright infringement by an outside company. The legally required edits of the early graduation activities have been carried out, and the video has been restored. Although I have not checked in person, my understanding is that Derek's controversial remarks are in place.
A remaining issue is that leaders at UM are constrained from making political comments and opinions to the public while in their leadership
role. Derek did not hold to that requirement, as his statements were political in nature. And many Jewish students have been vocal about the negative impact of his statements on the joy of their celebration. But it is under discussion of whether he was speaking as a leader or as faculty. The latter are not constrained by the policy of institutional neutrality. There will be more work on that issue to come.
So while I am under the banner of institutional neutrality, I can say that our nursing graduates were honored in every way as healers and nurses. I extend that honor to you as our UMSN alumna. My best regards, P
As an alum, I signed the letter and sent an email to those listed, and shared the post with other alums. Thank you for highlighting this issue.
I also see that you have updated information that Dr. Peterson's address has been reposted on UM's website.
Our voices matter, individually and collectively!
One of the very few upsides to having to live through this absolute horror of human existence is that now all of us can be the hero, as we must be to survive. Today, Prof. Peterson is the hero.
Sent my emails today. Thanked for publishing the entire speech on the website and asking for a public and formal apology.
I am waiting
As we come upon another year of graduates, from all walks of life, let us not forget that we are beautifully diverse and powerful in numbers. Humanity is counting on goodness to overcome the evils that have taken over our voices. We will never let them! Power to the people
Zionists have taken control of Universities
Done! Looking forward to their performing all three!
Just as there are “corporate Democrats” there are “corporate universities” that rely on corporate money such as advertising revenue from sporting events etc. Same strings just different puppets being played.
The Israel lobby has far too much influence in American life.
The University president should be removed. 🙄
I am so sick of the continual racism and bigotry that is continuing in this world. trump has allowed the racists and bigots to come out from behind their rocks, without any fear or retribution. Such hypocritical White National Christians, and of course, there are other nationalities and races that can be added to that equation, but the White National Christians seem to be the biggest contributors.
Kudos to Professor Peterson for speaking the truth, and Domenico Grasso should be ashamed of himself!
The picture you accurately paint is horrifying and the Palestine exception to human decency reigns at universities and mass media. I will write a letter to the U Mich officials tomorrow. I think, however, there might be another reason for UMich's horrible action--fear that they may have to change their ways. Last week, the Michigan Democrats nominated people for a number of offices. Rashida Tlaib has endorsed five of these nominees. Let me mention one, Amir Makled nominaton to the U of Michigan Board of Trustees:, with Tlaib's comments: "Other board members have prosecuted student protesters and capitulated to Trump. Meanwhile, Amir has provided free legal representation for student protesters." A real mensch, a virtuous man who, if elected, will bring needed demands to end the Palestine exception there.