South Carolina HBCU Withdraws Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette’s Commencement Invite After Student Protests; GOP Lawmakers Seek To Cut Funding

South Carolina State University rescinded an invitation for Republican Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette to deliver its spring commencement address after sustained student protests and reported security concerns. University officials said the decision was made "out of an abundance of caution" and that the college would "move in a different direction" for the ceremony.

What Happened

The university initially invited Evette on the basis of her business background: as the founder and former CEO of a company that grew from a startup into a billion-dollar enterprise, administrators said she represented "innovation, resilience and real-world achievement." Students, however, objected to Evette's positions on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), abortion and her public support for former President Donald Trump, prompting marches, chants and at least one sit-in on campus.

Then interim South Carolina State University President stands next to former President Joe Biden during the school's commencement ceremony in 2021.

Safety Concerns and Rescinded Invitation

University President Alexander Conyers announced he had personally decided to withdraw the invitation, citing safety concerns. Evette said attorneys from the university informed her office that "credible threats" had arisen. In public comments, Evette called the demonstrators a "woke mob" and compared her experience to other conservative speakers who have faced campus backlash.

"Out of an abundance of caution for safety, the college would be moving in a different direction for this Spring commencement." — South Carolina State University statement

Student Perspective

Students and leaders at the university emphasized that the protests were focused on representation and the message conveyed at a graduation ceremony rather than simple partisanship. Zaria Tucker, president of the Student Government Association, told the board of trustees that commencement should uplift graduates and reflect their communities, not serve as a platform for a politician actively campaigning for another office.

The campus of South Carolina State University.

Video shared by local reporters captured students chanting slogans and conducting demonstrations across campus. In some footage, protesters denounced former President Trump and criticized policies they see as harmful to their communities. Students repeatedly described their actions as peaceful.

Political Reaction

In response to the rescinded invitation, nine Republican state legislators aligned with the House Freedom Caucus called the university's decision "shameful" and urged that the institution receive "no funding" in the next state budget, arguing that a state-funded campus should be able to protect a state official. Evette, who is running for governor of South Carolina, defended Republican support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the state and praised federal actions she attributed to former President Trump.

The South Carolina State House is seen in Columbia, South Carolina.

Context And Questions Raised

Critics noted that the university had previously invited President Joe Biden to speak at commencement in 2021, when Conyers served as interim president. Observers on both sides framed the episode within broader national debates over free speech, campus safety and the role of commencements as civic or celebratory events. University leaders and faculty have been asked by some critics to do more to address students' concerns and clarify facts about the situation.

Key facts: the invitation was originally extended in December; administrators cited safety and "credible threats" when rescinding it; student leaders emphasized representation; and a group of GOP lawmakers demanded the school be defunded in response.