OPINION|
by Olivia Scheberle and Maeve Duden, Springfield
Each spring hundreds of Drury students count down the days to graduation, excited to celebrate their years of hard work with family, peers, and professors and staff members that have helped along the way.
This year, however, rather than excitement, tension is building with each passing day as students prepare for the arrival of this year’s commencement speaker, Roy Blunt, a former Republican U.S. Senator from Missouri. In a time when American politics are as divided as ever, inviting a well-known, controversial politician-turned-lobbyist is complicated at best. Though Brad Pitt was supposedly the administration’s first choice, Blunt is a far jump from the famous actor (who, unfortunately, cannot make it, as he will be filming out of the country at that time).
We believe Blunt is the administration’s attempt to counteract inviting former Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt, a Democrat, to be last year’s spring commencement speaker because many donors, trustee members, and locals believe Drury to be “too liberal.” No matter students’ political affiliations, many have one question on their minds: why is the administration making graduation political?
Politicians should not be invited to speak at commencement. Friends and family come from all over the world to celebrate the achievements of graduating students. This year, several students, faculty, and staff are debating on attending the ceremony. The fact that any member of the Drury community feels unwelcome at this year’s graduation demonstrates the absurdity of the administration’s decision and their gross negligence to consider the effects of their invitation. Whether Blunt is a Republican, Democrat, or Libertarian, his presence alienates members of Drury’s tight-knit community on a day meant for celebrating together.
Family and friends should not be uncomfortable attending commencement to support loved ones; faculty and staff should not feel unwelcome, as they have helped students come so far; and students, above all, should not feel as though their graduation is being used as a political statement to appease a certain party to secure donations. Keep politics out of commencement.
Olivia Scheberle and Maeve Duden are members of “The Collective,” an unofficial group of Drury students and faculty who have concerns over the commencement process and the current speaker for Commencement.