USC has significant ties to the defense industry, as it shares two board members with Boeing: Stayce Harris and Robert Bradway. Moreover, Stayce Harris is also on the board of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, a position once held by Lockheed Martin and Chevron director, Debra Reed Klages.
In response to student protests in solidarity with Palestine, USC administrators ordered the LA Police to arrest over 90 protesters and eventually clear the encampment, and canceled the commencement speech of Muslim student and valedictorian, Asna Tabassum.