Posted on 02/20/2002 12:56:25 PM PST by vannrox
DAILY BRUIN ONLINE - Wednesday, February 20, 2002
Students protest Bush speaking at commencement
GRADUATION: Credentials and politics of first lady criticized; critics want invitation recalled
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| The Associated Press | ||
| First lady Laura Bush (middle) talks with Japanese Emperor Akihito (right) | ||
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Despite being 3,000 miles away, Laura Bush fueled debate between administrators and students who objected to the possibility of having the first lady speak at this year's commencement ceremony.
Students in the Graduate School of Education & Information Studies met with Dean Aimee Dorr on Friday to demand that she rescind the invitation to Bush.
Critics cited Bush's "shallow credentials" and complained they were not allowed to participate in the selection of their commencement speaker.
"We're disappointed that the selection for a student event had no student input," said Estela Zarate, a doctoral student in education.
The dean is usually the one who formally invites commencement speakers. In this case, Chancellor Albert Carnesale sent the invitation because it is general practice for the chancellor to do so when the university contacts the heads of state.
Carnesale, who sent off the invitation in early February under the recommendation of the school, said Tuesday that "it is extremely unlikely" he would rescind the invitation.
"She seems to me to be an entirely appropriate speaker," Carnesale said of Bush, a former teacher, librarian and current education advocate.
"Having had a career in education and information studies, she's been dedicated to those areas, as has been demonstrated by her actions," he added.
Dorr said she selected five candidates to speak – of which Bush is ranked first – based on discussions with the school's faculty executive committee, which is comprised of department leaders and two student representatives. The committee serves an advisory function to the dean.
The other four candidates were not disclosed.
"I'm really sorry there is this much agitation," Dorr said Friday, promising to increase student involvement in future selections.
Many students warned Dorr of the political implications of inviting Bush to speak at the commencement.
"She was selected for her political celebrity," said Tara Watford, a doctoral student in education.
"The commencement speaker should speak to us based on achievements in the field," she said. "(Bush) has no merit."
Watford then read a quote in which Bush allegedly admitted to becoming a librarian to expand her dating circle.
Bush's advocacy for early literacy and her efforts to combine education and librarianship make her a suitable candidate to speak at commencement, Dorr said. She also said having Bush speak would help the department become more well known.
"It's a way to have students and the school more visible," Dorr said.
Students don't necessarily have to agree with the political views of the commencement speaker, Dorr said.
"Campus has to be a place where people of different views can speak," she said. "The ceremony involves a lot of people and has to work for a lot of people."
Whenever the university invites a speaker in a political position, some students are bound to disagree, Carnesale said.
"That is not a reason to exclude somebody from speaking," he said.
But, some say, a commencement is not the right forum for Bush to speak, since she will get the last word.
Having Bush speak at the department's commencement would also incur extra costs.
According to John Bollard, director of student services for GSE&IS, preliminary figures he received from the Secret Service indicated an additional $55,000 would need to be spent on top of normal commencement expenses. The extra cost would pay for increased security and a press room.
Though Bush has been invited to speak, it is not definite she will accept.
"We all see it as a long shot," Dorr said.
After the meeting, Zarate said she hopes students in the department will protest the invitation and the appearance should Bush accept.
"We will not stand by and allow her presence to go uncontested," Zarate said.
With reports from Linh Tat, Daily Bruin Senior Staff.
That's a fair question. I received a Doctorate in Education at UCLA about 30 years ago. That's before they added "& Information" to the title, whatever that's supposed to mean.
I was at war with part of the graduate faculty all the time. They threw up roadblocks to try and stop me from graduating since I was obviously WAY too far to the right, asked all the wrong questions, finished the coursework and dissertation too quickly, and clearly was not in synch with the department.
But I beat the silly bastards, and after being a College Dean for awhile formed my own business, became independently wealthy, and retired at 50. Also served on the Board of Regents of a fine Private College for 12 years, and raised all sorts of hell with some faculty.
That's what THIS graduate degree holder did. Living well is the best revenge.
Republicans want to starve old people and kill children, or is it kill old people and starve children (Geesh, I can never get my talking points down right)?
Democrats are good. Look at Clinton's poll numbers in the minority community. Still sky-high. Republicans all have white sheets in their closets, even if they appointed a black man to the highest cabinet position in any administration to date. Hey, he's just an Uncle Tom, that Colin Powell. Condi Rice? An Aunt Tom! Because a TRUE minority would be a democrat ONLY. Any conservative views or opinions they hold are self-hate. These types of views should be, must be, made illegal. If they speak, it hurts me, and I consider it hate!
Laura Bush is married to the EVIL Republican President, who while Governor of Texas, failed to sign into law a hate crimes bill, that was just like murdering my father all over again.
< /sarcasm >
Above is what I posted on the other thread that is now locked by the admin moderator NAZI. LOL just teasing Mr./MS. moderator.
Big ditto!
These beds wetters want a leftist speaker, the kind without a tenative grasp of reality. End of story
Okay, I'll jest tell you: It was Gary Winnick, Chairman and Founder of Global Crossing Ltd.
... And for the general student body, last year's speaker was piano-playing funnyman Randy Newman -- a known educator with plenty of 'merit'.
I'd love to hear Dr. Thomas Sowell's comments on this twit and her "department". He's had some good comments on the level of intelligence of "students" in our "schools of education".
Obviously, she'd rather hear Angela Davis - a woman of "color".
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