The selection committee for the 2010 commencement speaker has twice delayed posting details regarding the College of Letters and Science’s graduation on its Web site ““ first from Feb. 1 until Feb. 15, and most recently until March 1.
This board is concerned about the delay, especially in light of the past fiascoes over commencement speakers.
In 2008, former President Bill Clinton canceled his commencement speech at the last minute in response to a university labor dispute with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
In 2009, the committee selected actor James Franco as the commencement speaker, prompting intense criticism from students who doubted Franco’s qualifications, as he had graduated just a year before. Franco canceled and was replaced by Linkin Park lead guitarist Brad Delson.
This board understands that cancellations cannot be predicted and are not entirely the fault of the commencement committee, but the recurring delays are worrisome, especially because the committee was created for the express purpose of securing a speaker.
The commencement ceremony is a rite of passage for graduating students, and the quality of the speaker is often seen as a metric for a university’s prestige. The announcements of the speakers often receive media attention and affect the university’s public perception.
For example, students at Pomona will graduate with a speech by U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. Smith College has locked in MSNBC news anchorwoman Rachel Maddow. President Barack Obama spoke at Notre Dame in 2009. Even UCLA’s class of 2007 heard from author and NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
But now, when you search “UCLA commencement speaker” on Google, the most prominent results are about James Franco’s 2009 cancellation. We’re making headlines for the wrong reasons.
We need to get it right this year. Although the quality of a commencement speaker cannot be boiled down to a few concrete qualifications, this board believes that a commencement speaker should have not just fame, but accomplishments and a connection to the community he or she is addressing. The committee should select a speaker with life experience and who has something to say.
Commencement should be a joyful occasion ““ a culmination of four years of hard work and the conclusion of an important chapter of life. It’s where we say goodbye to the place that has become our second home. Is it so much to ask that we receive a qualified, reliable speaker to send us off?