politics
NYU Selects Professor Jonathan Haidt as 2026 Commencement Speaker
Psychologist Jonathan Haidt will address graduates at Yankee Stadium on Thursday after NYU administrators praised him as one of the most consequential scholars of the 21st century. The Student Government Assembly’s executive committee objected in a statement emailed May 5, calling the choice a regression that fails to reflect student values. NYU said there are zero plans to replace him.
May 13, 1:04 PM·1m read3 sources
nypost.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
New York University has selected Jonathan Haidt, a psychologist at the university’s Stern School of Business, to deliver the 2026 commencement address at Yankee Stadium. According to NYU spokesperson Wiley Norvell, Haidt teaches one of the most popular classes at the university and his latest book has appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for 100 weeks.
The selection was announced on May 13. NYU stated there are zero plans to prevent Haidt from taking the stage. Previous NYU commencement speakers have included Molly Shannon, Taylor Swift, Martha Minow, Sanna Marin, David Boies, Sherrilyn Ifill, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
On May 5 the executive committee of the NYU Student Government Assembly sent a statement to administrators objecting to the choice. The SGA said a commencement speaker should “mirror the ambition and diversity” of the graduating class and cited Taylor Swift as an example of such a speaker. The student statement called Haidt’s selection “a regression” from previous choices.
” The students also asked: “Does NYU lack the necessary funding for the honorarium?
