ANNOUNCER: Sereen Haddad [cheering] ADRIENNE HOAR McGIBBON: Sereen Haddad walked across the stage at a Virginia Commonwealth University graduation, carrying a Palestinian flag and not knowing if-or when- shed get her degree.

SEREEN HADDAD: I opened up my email to find a official university correspondence letter that basically notified me that they found me in violation of two policies, and that they were going to withhold my degree as long as the investigation was open.

ADRIENNE HOAR McGIBBON: VCU told Haddad they were withholding her degree because shed attended an “unauthorized event” outside of Cabell Library in April.

[cheering] SEREEN HADDAD: They still allowed me to walk across the stage.

They did rob me of the opportunity of, you know, getting my degree on time and feeling that kind of sense of accomplishment.

ADRIENNE HOAR McGIBBON: Haddad, a psychology major, says she finished her coursework in three years and was set to graduate Summa Cum Laude.

But her involvement in protests over the Israel and Hamas conflict has led to multiple code of conduct citations since the fall of 2024.

SEREEN HADDAD: This is an assault on dignity, on justice and the right to exist without fear.

ADRIENNE HOAR McGIBBON: The Palestinian says shes lost hundreds of family members in the conflict, and as a leader of Students for Justice in Palestine at VCU, shes been a prominent critic of Israel on campus.

SEREEN HADDAD: Even if I wasnt Palestinian, I would still be here.

I would still be part of SJP.

I would still be speaking up, because to stand with Palestine is to stand with humanity.

And to stand against Palestine is to not stand with humanity at all.

ADRIENNE HOAR McGIBBON: On April 29th, a few dozen students gathered on Compass Plaza next to Cabell Library.

A social media account called RVA4Palestine had promoted the event.

And less than 2-hours after students showed up, a dean from Student Affairs told students to either end the event or relocate.

GABE WILLIS: Students are allowed to gather, but it was pre-planned, coordinated online with a posting in this area specifically.

You cannot reserve this space on the lawn.

ADRIENNE HOAR McGIBBON: The students were given 15 minutes to move, and at 4:00pm Haddad announced the event was over.

SEREEN HADDAD: The organized event that was on the post- the post rva4palestine/ SJP collab... That event is over.

So this, this space is not being used for that.

That event is over.

Everyone got it?

CROWD: Yes!

SEREEN HADDAD: Alright.

ADRIENNE HOAR McGIBBON: About 45 minutes later, campus police warned students they could be arrested if they didnt relocate to a designated area a few hundred feet away.

VCU POLICE OFFICER: They have designated a free speech area.

They have asked you to move to that area.

Thats all theyre asking.

ADRIENNE HOAR McGIBBON: Campus police eventually left after arresting one student for holding a sign, and the event concluded without injuries.

Eight days later- Haddad received this letter from VCU, informing her the school was withholding her degree - Citing her failure to comply with VCU officials and for violating a campus space utilization policy.

VCU did not make staff members available for an interview, and has not responded to VPM News specific questions about Haddads case.

Mike Porter with VCUs Public Relations, told VPM News in an emailed statement that despite multiple warnings over a three-hour period... many of those assembled- refused to relocate to the Park Plaza Amphitheater.

Free speech expert Laura Beltz told VPM News that VCUs policies around student gatherings and expression are unclear.

LAURA BELTZ: There's no indication to me when reading the policy, that because you've planned it in advance, then you can't use the space spontaneously without a reservation.

ADRIENNE HOAR McGIBBON: Beltz warns the lack of clarity could have a chilling effect on campus speech LAURA BELTZ: Because they'll think, ‘Well, I don't want to risk punishment as far as participating in a protest like this.

The rules aren't clear, so forget it.

I'm not going to speak at all.

And that's certainly not the result we want at a public institution like this.

ADRIENNE HOAR McGIBBON: Haddad has been going through VCUs disciplinary process to get her degree, even though she says she didn't plan the April 29th event.

Three other students connected to SJP also received letters indicating their degrees were being withheld.

Zahra Jalajel was one of those students.

ZAHRA JALAJEL: We were the four who handled most discussions with Student Affairs.

And so my first thought is, like, this felt really targeted.

ADRIENNE HOAR McGIBBON: Jalajel was in class when students were asked to relocate from the plaza.

ZAHRA JALAJEL: I do think this was their last chance to, like, get at us, or to like, scare us or to, like, take away our joy.

And I think they took that opportunity.

ADRIENNE HOAR McGIBBON: VCU has since dismissed the allegations against Jalajel and a third Palestinian student who received disciplinary letters.

Haddad worked with the group Palestine Legal to appeal the university's decision to withhold her degree, which the school ultimately released to her on July 25.

SEREEN HADDAD: The most valuable lesson that I learned unfortunately, is that VCU will not stick by free speech.

Because, fact of the matter is, is whats going on is a genocide.

Its a holocaust.

And for the people who havent opened their eyes up to that yet I think that theyre blatantly ignorant.

ADRIENNE HOAR McGIBBON: Adrienne Hoar McGibbon, VPM News.