Seniors Express Concern Over McCain Speech

On Tuesday, a group of six seniors met with Columbia College Dean Austin Quigley and Dean of Student Affairs Chris Colombo to express their concern over the selection of Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) as speaker for Columbia College Class Day on May 16, 2006.

The students gathered to represent the graduating class' concern over the arbitrary nature of the selection, issues with the senator's political record, and McCain's decision to speak at commencement at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University just a few days prior to Class Day.

"We were trying to represent those three sectors of the population and convey their concerns," said Ben Smith, CC '06, who met with the deans.

During the fall, two seniors were chosen by CCSC to represent the senior class on a selection committee with senior class president Kwame Spearman. In October, the committee presented seniors with a list of possible speakers that didn't include the senator. After Senator Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton rejected offers, the committee and the deans chose McCain together.

"I personally think that the process wasn't fair in that I don't think it reflected what students actually wanted," said Laura Coradetti, CC '06, who was also present at Tuesday's meeting. "I think we should have been given the opportunity to react."

Still, Spearman believed that the committee had handled the selection appropriately. "I think those concerns have merit," he conceded, but emphasized the committee's commitment to the students' original choices. "We gave 120 percent to try to get what the students wanted," he said. "I completely understand that Senator McCain is not someone who everyone on campus aligns themselves with."

Other students feared the speech could become weighted in politics. "One of the main problems that McCain's presence as a graduation speaker and politician presents is the problem of him presenting views that are potentially worthy of debate," said Smith. "Him presenting in an academic forum where debate is in fact impossible is problematic because our time here at Columbia is sure to have been, hopefully, characterized by open debate and a willingness to challenge ideas."

"When you bring someone political here you can't expect that people aren't going to respond in a political manner," said Kim Sue, CC '06, a senior involved in the effort.

Despite their discomfort with the senator, the students remained positive about Class Day and felt that their meeting with Deans Colombo and Quigley had gone well. "I think that both Dean Quigley and Colombo were really open to listening to what we have to say-they were genuinely concerned about our concerns," said Coradetti.

McCain's speaking at Class Day has spawned three Facebook groups, including one 39-member group entitled "John McCain Does Not Speak For Us." The two groups voicing approval of the senator's speaking has a total of 20 members.

In the midst of actions from groups like SEEJ and SHOCC, the students hoped their classmates to view their activity positively. "We are not looking to do something disruptive.... It's our celebration, it's our Class Day too. We don't want it to be a negative thing," Coradetti added.

They also said that they weren't questioning McCain as a person, but the political image surrounding him.

"You can't just say that he's a war hero, he's a father, he's a moral, ethical man who probably has a lot of great stories about his daughter," said Sue. "You can't divorce the fact that he is very powerful and everything that he does is political... we have to respond in kind."