Despite student protests, Gov. Rick Snyder will speak at University of Michigan spring commencement

[Bozita]

http://www.freep.com/article/20110317/NEWS06/110317036/Despite-student-protests-Snyder-speak-U-M-graduation?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Despite some student protests, Gov. Rick Snyder will speak at University of Michigan spring commencement
4:22 PM, Mar. 17, 2011
BY DAVID JESSE
DETROIT FREE PRESS HIGHER EDUCATION WRITER


Despite a last-minute appeal by some students, Gov. Rick Snyder will be the main speaker at the University of Michigan’s spring commencement ceremony.

The Board of Regents today unanimously approved giving Snyder an honorary degree at the ceremony next month.

"We are pleased that Gov. Snyder has accepted” the invitation to speak, U-M President Mary Sue Coleman said during the meeting. “His (speaking) continues a University of Michigan tradition of having a new governor” be the speaker.

And while Coleman and the regents were glad Snyder would be speaking, some students weren’t as pleased. The university’s student government association narrowly defeated a resolution earlier this week calling for Snyder to be replaced as commencement speaker.

“Rick Snyder doesn’t represent me, he doesn’t represent my class and I hope to hell he doesn’t represent my university,” senior Zach Goldsmith, one of the leaders of a petition drive to get the university to reverse its decision, told the Regents.

Goldsmith railed against Snyder’s budget proposal, especially the “gutting” of public education funding. He said 4,313 U-M-related people have signed that petition, which was given to Regents on Thursday.

Snyder has proposed cuts of more than 20% in state aid to universities. If universities hold tuition increases to under 7%, those cuts will only be 15%.

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[abq e streeter]

1. I hope they make his life miserable that day (and every day)

[Snoutport]

11. that would be sweet justice :0) nt

[Scuba]

2. Sounds like a good venue for a PROTEST! n/t

[Purveyor]

6. With plenty of time to see to it that it is well organized, indeed! eom

[PA Democrat]

3. I hope he gets booed off the stage.

[roamer65]

4. Dick! Snyder.

Richard = Dick.

[Blue Owl]

5. Bring the rotten tomatoes

This POS is no friend of education and no friend of future hope for any of these graduates.

[amandabeech]

7. Back in the day, U-Mich students were capable of putting up a real fuss.

I hope that they still have it in them.

Snyder got a bad reception from the rank and file at a Focus plant yesterday. Leaders of the local told them to keep quiet.

[louis-t]

8. I urge the students to attend

and stand up en masse and turn their backs on this pig.

[gratuitous]

10. So many possibilities

Turn your back, stick your tongue out, moon him, make jerk-off motions, synchronized eye rolling, everyone hold up a newspaper when he starts talking.

[louis-t]

13. Oh, the newspaper thing is genius.

It's GOLD, Jerry! B-)

[gratuitous]

14. Been used by college basketball fans for ages

And, since we did it back when I was in college, I do mean AGES.

[abq e streeter]

12. I hope those close to him that turn their backs have eaten a LOT of beans right before.

[socialist_n_TN]

9. Some good ideas here. ANYTHING to make this pig....

miserable. He and Walker and all the other governers behind this coup d'etat need to be hounded day and night until they GIVE IT ALL UP!

So go get him Ann Arbor!

[hifiguy]

15. Lay in the cabbages now

and they should be nice and mushy by the time this asshat arrives on campus.

Make it rain rotting vegetables.