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The Daily OrangeSU looks to students for 2009 commencement speaker ideas, nominations
By David Lewis
Posted: 9/18/08, 1:16 AM EST Section: News
Suggestions for the 2009 commencement speaker are due Friday.
Chancellor Nancy Cantor will select the speaker from a list given to her by student representatives, including members of the Student Association and the Graduate Student Organization.
Josie Torrillo, special events coordinator for Syracuse University, said the department chose to move up the deadline for suggestions by a month.
This was so that the university has more time to secure a speaker, she said.
They decided again this year that student input was the best way to find a person that fits the criteria for a speaker and would interest students, Torrillo added.
"We can never promise that we're going to satisfy 100 percent of the population," Torrillo said. "We try our best to make sure that it's someone that's pleasing to all, but you're never going to please everyone."
The commencement speaker for the class of 2008 was ABC News journalist Bob Woodruff. Woodruff suffered extreme head and body trauma when a bomb hit his vehicle in January 2006 while in Iraq.
While Woodruff fit the criteria for the commencement speaker, many felt he appealed to mainly communications majors rather than the whole graduating class.
"I think it's important students have a say in who is chosen because you don't want to go to a graduation for a huge school and listen to a boring speaker," said Theresa Hubbard, a senior vocal performance major. "I think it needs to be someone who can communicate to everyone about general life experiences."
dalewi02@syr.edu
Chancellor Nancy Cantor will select the speaker from a list given to her by student representatives, including members of the Student Association and the Graduate Student Organization.
Josie Torrillo, special events coordinator for Syracuse University, said the department chose to move up the deadline for suggestions by a month.
This was so that the university has more time to secure a speaker, she said.
They decided again this year that student input was the best way to find a person that fits the criteria for a speaker and would interest students, Torrillo added.
"We can never promise that we're going to satisfy 100 percent of the population," Torrillo said. "We try our best to make sure that it's someone that's pleasing to all, but you're never going to please everyone."
The commencement speaker for the class of 2008 was ABC News journalist Bob Woodruff. Woodruff suffered extreme head and body trauma when a bomb hit his vehicle in January 2006 while in Iraq.
While Woodruff fit the criteria for the commencement speaker, many felt he appealed to mainly communications majors rather than the whole graduating class.
"I think it's important students have a say in who is chosen because you don't want to go to a graduation for a huge school and listen to a boring speaker," said Theresa Hubbard, a senior vocal performance major. "I think it needs to be someone who can communicate to everyone about general life experiences."
dalewi02@syr.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 8
Olin MacGregor
posted 9/18/08 @ 4:16 PM EST
outplacement guru Jim Challenger -- asked to speak about how Students, disaffected Faculty & Alums may engineer termination of their alma mater Chancellor
Bruce Skewes
posted 9/18/08 @ 5:17 PM EST
Try shocking everbody with some real diversity. Invite a genuine conservative. I'd suggest Newt Gingrich or best-selling author Rush Limbaugh, but there are a host of great conservatives to choose from. (Continued…)
Alum 07
posted 9/19/08 @ 9:23 AM EST
It took me about 2 seconds of research to find that Rudy Giuliani spoke in 2002. "No chance in hell for a conservative speaker" ?
In fact, the commencement speakers have been quite diverse over the years, ranging from political figures, to musicians, to broadcasters, etc. (Continued…)
ryan
posted 9/19/08 @ 9:53 AM EST
Nancy Cantor was not in charge in 2002 when Rudy came up.
Last year the students had a list and Woodruff was not on it, so I would not put much faith in seeing anyone from this years list. (Continued…)
Olin MacGregor
posted 9/19/08 @ 1:35 PM EST
Nancy Cantor is a left-wing liberal Democrat so if anyone has a notion to invite a politician, unless they are from the Hillary Clinton party wing .. or the Kennedy party wing . (Continued…)
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