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Thursday, May 8, 2014

(Not) Sorry

Leafy Haverford College suddenly finds it has a commencement-speaker controversy, too - and less than 10 days to sort things out.  It started when the college invited Robert J. Birgeneau, former chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, to speak and receive an honorary degree at the May 18 ceremony. Birgeneau is known for his support of undocumented and minority students, but became controversial in 2011 when university police used force on students protesting the financial handling of the state's higher education system. "As a community standing in solidarity with nonviolent protesters across the country, we are extremely uncomfortable honoring you," a group of 50 Haverford students and professors wrote to Birgeneau. "To do so would be a disservice to those nonviolent protesters who were beaten and whose actions you dismissed as 'unfortunate,' as if they brought the abuse upon themselves." But, the group said, they would support his appearance if he met nine conditions - including publicly apologizing, supporting reparations for the victims, and writing a letter to Haverford students explaining his position on the events and "what you learned from them."

Birgeneau's response? No way...


No way or my way?

Leafy Haverford College suddenly finds it has a commencement-speaker controversy, too - and less than 10 days to sort things out.
It started when the college invited Robert J. Birgeneau, former chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, to speak and receive an honorary degree at the May 18 ceremony. Birgeneau is known for his support of undocumented and minority students, but became controversial in 2011 when university police used force on students protesting the financial handling of the state's higher education system.
"As a community standing in solidarity with nonviolent protesters across the country, we are extremely uncomfortable honoring you," a group of 50 Haverford students and professors wrote to Birgeneau. "To do so would be a disservice to those nonviolent protesters who were beaten and whose actions you dismissed as 'unfortunate,' as if they brought the abuse upon themselves."
But, the group said, they would support his appearance if he met nine conditions - including publicly apologizing, supporting reparations for the victims, and writing a letter to Haverford students explaining his position on the events and "what you learned from them."
Birgeneau's response? No way.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20140508_Haverford_mired_in_its_own_commencement_speaker_controversy.html#dJDVGlUXmL0e6pFx.99

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