New School Commencement 2006

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    President Bob Kerrey
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We, the undersigned students, faculty, and staff of the New School, deplore the selection of Senator John McCain to speak at 2006 commencement. While affirming that the university has an obligation to offer access to views that might be rejected by many among us, we uphold the longstanding tradition of commencement as a celebration of both the graduates themselves and of the universitys core values. As a platform for political speech, commencement lacks any opportunity for debate or rebuttal; the speaker commands a higher profile than an ordinary lecturer, and may be assumed to have the implicit endorsement of the university community. Senator McCains voting record and public pronouncements are starkly at odds with the progressive social values for which this university once stood, and which we want to see upheld. We therefore:

call on President Kerrey to withdraw the speaking invitation

call on the Board of Trustees to intervene as necessary to ensure that the graduation ceremony retains its proper focus on the graduates, and to avoid lasting damage to the New Schools public reputation

call on the Faculty Senate to investigate and reform the process whereby commencement speakers are chosen

545 Signatures

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  • Censor Censor C
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    • Censor Censor Censor
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    • Adjunct Faculty, New School
  • Richard E L
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    • part time teacher
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    • Fashion AAS
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    • MFA Poetry
  • Alan B
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    • Mannes College
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    • general
  • Pusty G
    • Comments
    • I agree with Mr. Dick Lover
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    • dickiebird
  • Redefeat America 2
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    • Ahchoo. Gesundheit. Heil Hintler!
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    • We the people are nuts.
  • Rohan P
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    • Friend
  • norman k m
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    • macain is the BIGGEST fraud of them all
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    • no macainer
  • Ted K
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    • I'll give the speech.... for drinks. No fee.
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    • Speaker
  • Michael O
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    • Student (Class: Postwar Japanese Cinema, 2005)
  • Bill C
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    • Has anyone seen my little humidor?
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    • Monica on her knees sucking me
  • Hey D
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    • Marry a cat instead. You'll get more pu$$y
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    • Animal Studies
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  • Elvis
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    • Who is John McCain?
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    • heaven
  • Quazimoto
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    • Hey Jan I am ugglllyyy too. I'll do you.
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    • Bestiallity
  • Mickey M
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    • Top
  • Liberal K
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    • we kooky leftists want commies to speak
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    • janitor
  • Fock T
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    • we want murderers to come to our school
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    • dogcatcher
  • Moanica "Slurpy" L
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    • No piece without a blue dress!
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    • Student
  • Jeffrey P. R
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    • Janitorial
  • Barbara S
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    • NO ON McCain
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    • Strong Supporter of The New School
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    • Trump
  • Douglas M
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    • doug
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    • doug
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    • Private sector
  • Ronald R
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    • John McCain is an American Hero!!! Grow up you spoiled brats.
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    • Full-time Faculty, Eugene Lang College
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    • Say no to neocons
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    • careing citizen
  • Margo J
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    • Writing Dept., Eugene Lang
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    • GF
  • Dr. Jason K
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    • Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Michigan--Flint
  • yonatan r
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    • kerrey is ridiculous
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    • MA Anthropology
  • Brie G
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    • Anthropology, NSSR
  • Emily S
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    • NSSR Anthropology
  • Sen Edward Kennedy delivered the commencement address at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North A
    • Comments
    • And thats just fine huh - you freaks!!!!
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    • Sen Edward Kennedy delivered the commencement address at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams
  • Sen Kennedy planned to stay in Connecticut overnight because he was scheduled to return to western Massachusetts on Sunday to deliver a commencement address at Springfield College, Wagoner s
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    • two commencements by kennedy - no problem huh you biassed asses?
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    • Kennedy planned to stay in Connecticut overnight because he was scheduled to return to western Massachusetts on Sunday to deliver a commencement address at Springfield College, Wagoner said.
  • Don W
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    • I don't know what is more ridiculous, these little kids graduating from college, or this petition full of deleted comments. Both are ridiculous.
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    • pending approval
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  • COUNSELING SERVICES I
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    • COUNSELING SERVICES INFORMATION
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    • COUNSELING SERVICES INFORMATION
  • Losers
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    • You losers lost. Nice start on your "adult" life
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    • Loser Libs Crying lost
  • Get Over I
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    • Get over it. Kerry Lost.
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    • Kerry Lost
  • Dee O
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    • My dog attended Parson's School of Design
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    • parsons
  • Jocelyn L
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    • Full-time Faculty, Eugene Lang College
  • Joel S
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    • Part-Time Faculty, The New School for General Studies
  • Joshua C
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    • Milano
  • irene c
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    • lang
  • Nicholas A
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    • We want Bubba! We want Bubba!
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    • New School for General Studies