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This isn't much different from giving Jerry Falwell or the Pope a mic so they might deliver a speech at the graduation. That would be an obvious endorsement.

Not really. I don't think colleges who call in Rev Jesse Jackson or Rev Al Sharpton, for example, for speeches or for even a commencement speech, aren't endorsing their religiosity at all.

I suppose the distinction is that Jesse and Al would be considered for their civil rights records, not because of their roles as religious leaders. Still, I don't think the fact that someone is invited to speak is a religious leader is necessarily an obvious endorsement of their religios point of view.