<p>Have any of you seen this before? There’s a lot of discussion going on over the fact that there are going to be protests at Sonoma State’s Commencement Ceremonies this year due to the awarding of honorary degrees to Sanford and Joan Weill…the protesters have even gone so far as to re-name Commencement a “Day of Shame on Sonoma State.”</p>
<p>You can google “Shame on Sonoma State” for more information.</p>
<p>What do you all think? I just feel like the re-naming…and putting importance on two people over the class of graduates who have worked hard for several years to get to this point…is both insulting and belittling to the graduates. (But then, since I AM one of the graduates, I suppose I’m a little biased.)</p>
<p>I don’t want this to get political…solely interested on what you all think of protesting at Commencement.</p>
<p>The protestors outside my graduation ceremony at umich were so loud that I could hear them chanting over our commencement speaker’s speech. I was really insulted. I was not pleased about who was chosen as our commencement speaker either and I agreed with the sentiments of the protestors, but that was the wrong time and place. That day was not about them nor was it about the governor… it was supposed to be about me and my fellow graduates. I was really offended by the whole thing. There were airplanes flying over the stadium with banners and everything.</p>
<p>There was a big thing going around facebook at the time encouraging the graduating class to stand up and turn their back on the speaker when he began his speech, and a lot of people said they were going to do it. At the time I wasn’t paying attention but my dad said he saw ONE student do it… and he looked like an idiot. I was relieved. I’d have wanted to walk out of the stadium from shame if my class had actually participated in that kind of ridiculousness. I was really glad nobody inside the stadium made a scene.</p>
<p>The whole thing really just put a bad taste in my mouth. Not the time or place.</p>
<p>I’m not OK with protests at commencements. Just not respectful to the graduates. </p>
<p>With that said, I also don’t agree with bestowing honorary degrees at commencement either. Commencement should be for those who worked hard at the school and for honoring their completion there. Honorary degrees should get a separate ceremony to protect against things like this.</p>
<p>Also, I think the U of M decision was stupid. Why did they bring in the governor? It’s not like the student body of U of M by and large supported him. They didn’t. Why open that can of worms? Just dumb.</p>
<p>^Because it’s tradition that they always bring in the new governer, they couldn’t NOT ask him. Especially since they’d had Obama the year before. It would have been making a huge statement not to invite him and I don’t blame umich for not being willing to do that in that particular time and place. There is a theme here… commencement should not be a time for anybody’s agenda. :P</p>
<p>Like I said, I didn’t like it either. There were other protests that took place at more appropriate times and places. Screaming during my commencement was inappropriate. Like, loud enough to be heard from inside the Big House over the speakers and the musicians. It was ridiculous.</p>
<p>Sorry, I should have been more specific, I’m not ok with people bringing in political players of any sort. Especially given the political climate. </p>
<p>I’m also not a fan of doing things because of tradition lol.</p>
<p>A bunch of students protested the speaker at my college graduation. As promised, they did a silent walk-out when he was introduced. They just lined up behind a leader who was holding a helium balloon and filed out. I thought it was a perfect balance between expressing their disapproval and respecting their classmates/families who wanted to hear him. (The speaker was Alan Greenspan, and their disapproval looks more prescient now than it did in 1999.)</p>
<p>Unfortunately there are a lot of self-righteous people who don’t really care who they stomp on in their effort to express their opinion - they’re too focused on themselves.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your thoughts. I guess this is one of those “adult moments” where I have to stop being angry with them and make it my job to just enjoy my graduation.</p>
<p>OP, congrats to you on the graduation. I think it is punishing the wrong people. If these protesters have a gripe with Sanford Weill, why take it out on the graduates? Additionally, Sanford Weill is now retired. My guess is he won’t be the least bit punished or shamed by the actions of the protesters.</p>
<p>As to philanthropic gifts coming from alleged ill gotten gains, I think there is a lot of that going around in general. I won’t go into listing them here, but a study of history will bear this out. Those who are extremely interested in social justice and such are not usually overly concerned with having a lot of money.</p>
<p>So true. Sonoma State should return the money given by Sanford Weill. And instead of banking the 12,000,000 “blood money” the school should try to collect … $12,000 from the OWS protesters. They probably could not get 120 bucks from that group of morons!</p>
<p>OP, they may end up not actually even doing it like they did at my graduation… or maybe they will. My guess is you won’t notice either way. You’ll be busy watching the ceremony. :)</p>
<p>Sandy Weill ended his employment as CEO with Citigroup in 2003 and as Chairman of the board in 2006. This was several years before the financial crisis. The students should be praising Weill for all the money he gave their miserable school.</p>
<p>Some graduates protested at my graduation in the early 80s. They were not disruptive. The just walked about with signs that said, “U of M Where are Your Priorities?” when Lee Iacocca was to be the speaker. When the ceremony commenced they sat down with the rest of us. I don’t think anyone minded much, even Mr. Iacocca.</p>