The University of Florida's apology has fallen short for some of the 21 graduates whom a school staff member yanked off the stage this weekend as they danced to celebrate their achievements during a spring commencement ceremony.
"In general, I don't think I've ever been handled in that manner, not even by my parents," Oliver Telusma, one of the students given the hook, told ABC News' "Good Morning America" on Monday.
"It's kind of embarrassing, kind of degrading."
Another student, Nafeesah Attah, told "GMA" the dances were symbolic gestures of joy that had meaning rooted to their fraternities and sororities. She said the response of the white university staff member who grabbed her and the others and shoved them off stage "was not arbitrary."
"It was definitely contingent on your race ... other white students who were dancing were not perceived as a threat," Attah said.
University of Florida President Kent Fuchs acknowledged that the school had been "inappropriately aggressive" when rushing graduates across the stage Saturday, a videotaped incident that has stirred controversy online amid suggestions that the white usher was motivated by race because the students were black.
Fuchs apologized at another commencement ceremony Sunday.
"I want to personally apologize for us doing that on behalf of myself and also the University of Florida," Fuchs said.
Fuchs has also "personally called each of the students impacted to convey his apology and to let them know that the practice of physically interfering with students' celebrations to rush them across the stage has been stopped," a university spokeswoman said this afternoon.
Students who spoke to ABC News identified the staff member who forced them off stage as a chemistry professor, but school officials declined to confirm his identity.
In a message left on Telusma's phone, which was shared with ABC News, Fuchs said that a review of video showed 21 students were forced off stage.
"And based on our review of video, you were one of those 21 students, and I'm just appalled we did this to you and I personally apologize that this happened at the very time that we all should be celebrating your accomplishments and your time at the University of Florida," Fuchs said in the voicemail.
"And then, lastly, there was one specific staff member that was very aggressive ... in doing this, and we have asked our human resources and also this individual's college to investigate and to take appropriate action," Fuchs said in the message to Telusma.
Fuchs apologized at another commencement ceremony Sunday.
"I want to personally apologize for us doing that on behalf of myself and also the University of Florida," Fuchs said.
Doing the stroll across the stage at graduation did not play well at the University of Florida on Saturday. Some of the graduates said they were ushered off too quickly.
A university faculty member was caught on the big screen in the O’Connell Center rushing and manhandling students -- most of them African-Americans -- who were attempting to stroll or dance during Saturday’s commencement ceremony, The Gainesville Sun reported.
Footage showed that while some students attempted to dance, they were grabbed by the usher, who rushed them offstage, WCJB reported.
University President W. Kent Fuchs issued an apology Sunday on Twitter, calling the actions “inappropriately aggressive.”
“During one of this weekend’s commencement ceremonies, we were inappropriately aggressive in rushing students across the stage,” Fuchs wrote. “I personally apologize and am reaching out to the students involved.”
Monday morning, one student told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that the incident was “kind of embarrassing, kind of degrading.”
"In general, I don't think I've ever been handled in that manner, not even by my parents," Oliver Telusma said.
Telusma, 21, who received his bachelor’s degree in political science, said the usher reached under his armpit as he danced and lifted him.
“I had just started ... and he picked me up and turned me around, which I thought was kind of embarrassing and degrading to be handled in that manner,” Telusma told the Sun. “It was just really uncalled for, especially for anyone not martially trained to do that.”
Christopher Garcia-Wilde, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in microbiology, said he was “too afraid” to stroll because he saw the usher push one of his friends while putting another “in an entire bearhug,” the Sun reported.
“Both of my friends wanted to celebrate by strolling, which is a cultural tradition in historically black fraternities and sororities,” Garcia-Wilde told the Sun. “It’s a tradition to stroll at graduation if you choose to, and people have been doing this for years.”
Nafeesah Attah told “Good Morning America” that the usher’s actions were “not arbitrary.”
"It was definitely contingent on your race. ... other white students who were dancing were not perceived as a threat," Attah said.
UF spokeswoman Margot Winick issued an apology Sunday.
“We very much believe that this was a time for celebration,” Winick told the Sun. “So the university just regrets that the acts of those who were monitoring the lineup could dampen the spirits of the day.
That’s not at all what commencement is about — it’s about celebration.”
Winick said administrators will not release the faculty member’s name until they obtain more information and review the incident.
During Sunday’s 2 p.m. commencement, Fuchs addressed the issue to the audience and said the university “inappropriately, physically rushed a number of students across the stage,” the Sun reported.
“I want our students to know that we’ve changed that practice, and we also want each of you to know that we celebrate you, your graduation, and your accomplishments,” Fuchs said. “Congratulations all.”
Cox Media Group
