Student advocacy groups at the University of Arizona plan to hand out flyers Friday night at commencement detailing allegations made against Eric Schmidt in a lawsuit filed by his former girlfriend and business partner, and they are urging attendees to turn their backs to the stage when he appears and/or boo.
The groups have circulated a petition that had more than 1,260 signatures as of Wednesday, asking university leaders to cancel Schmidt’s speech. The petition was addressed to UA President Garimella and other administrators, and the protest is being organized by groups including FORCE, Students for Socialism, Women and Gender Resource Center and Pride Alliance.
Francisco Burke, who is involved in the effort, said attendees “should just know who the university has decided to have speak on this occasion.” He said the main issue is that the university is giving a platform to someone accused of abuse, adding that commencement is a crowded setting with survivors in the audience and on stage. UA commencement is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 15, at Casino Del Sol Stadium, formerly Arizona Stadium.
The protest centers on a lawsuit Michelle Ritter filed against Schmidt in November 2025 alleging sexual assault and harassment. Patricia Glaser, Schmidt’s attorney, has called the claims “false and defamatory.” In March, a Los Angeles judge sent the lawsuit to arbitration after Superior Court Judge Michael Small ruled that a 2022 federal law did not apply because a financial settlement Ritter and Schmidt signed in December 2024 came after the alleged sexual wrongdoing, not before.
The University of Arizona said it invited Schmidt to speak because of his “extraordinary leadership and global contributions in technology, innovation and scientific advancement.” UA spokesperson Mitch Zak said the university wanted him there in recognition of his role in Google’s rise, even as students prepare to confront the selection in front of graduates, families and faculty Friday night. For now, the ceremony is set to proceed with the protest aimed squarely at the man at its center.
