Forty-one years after his own graduation from Syracuse University, Vice President Joe Biden will return to give the university’s 2009 commencement address. And while many students and professors said they are eager to hear the SU College of Law graduate speak, some law students expressed discontent that Biden was not invited to speak at SU’s College of Law’s graduation ceremony.

‘When the news broke that Biden would be speaking at the undergraduate commencement, the mood throughout the law school was anger,’ said law student Bryan Georgiady. ‘We were shocked that although he was a law grad, he wouldn’t be at our ceremony.’

Georgiady said he is angry with SUCOL Dean Hannah Arterian for failing to extend Biden an invitation to speak at the College of Law’s commencement.

Natasha Khachatourians, class of 2009 student president, sent an e-mail to students in response to their concerns. The e-mail, obtained by The Daily Orange, explained Arterian’s reasoning was partly based on one of the SUCOL Commencement Committees’ selection guidelines, which states that the speaker cannot be running for political office.

When the committee initially proposed Biden, he was running for the vice presidency and was therefore ineligible. But the e-mail also said it was suggested that the committee delay the invitation until after the presidential election.

‘Dean Arterian discouraged this idea for two reasons: first, if he were to become Vice President, it would prove extremely difficult, and in all likelihood, unrealistic to obtain him as a speaker,’ Khachatourians wrote. ‘Second, Vice President Biden spoke at SUCOL’s convocations only a few years ago and we wanted to add a fresh voice to our commencement ceremony.’

Arterian did not return e-mails or calls placed to her office.

Chancellor Cantor said that she was sure Biden would want to speak at SU. ‘I knew he would want to do it,’ Cantor said. ‘It really was more of a question of could he manage it in his current position?’

Cantor received a list from the student selection committee several months ago, and when she saw Biden on it, she called and wrote a letter to the vice president.

Cantor said she expects strong security on the day of commencement, and plans to take the lead from Biden’s security team, which will include secret service. She said the university expects national attention, in addition to attendance from the SU community.

‘I think it’s wonderful for us as an institution and for our graduates to have somebody that’s so deeply involved in making such a difference in the world,’ Cantor said. ‘And with his really long years of expertise in addition to the unique position he has right now, he’s able to reflect on what’s happened and what’s going to happen in the future.’

In response to concerns from students at SUCOL, Cantor stressed that Biden is speaking at commencement for the whole university, and the law school is part of the whole university.

Jaclyn Donati Grosso, SUCOL’s director of communications and media relations agreed, and said the College of Law has made special arrangements with the bookstore to have the law regalia in on time for the May 10 ceremony, so law students can participate in the Commencement Ceremony in their caps and gowns.

Grosso also said she has not received complaints from law students regarding their speaker. Alumnus Everett Gillison, the deputy mayor of public safety for Philadelphia, will address law graduates on May 17.

‘We’re very proud that he’s going to be our commencement speaker,’ Grosso said. ‘We’re equally proud to have a college of law alumnus speak at the undergraduate commencement.’

Law student LeChristian Steptoe said he was pleased with the choice.

‘I think this shows what a good school we have, that even one of the worst students here can perform so well on the world stage,’ Steptoe said, referring to Biden plagiarizing a Fordham Law Review article while at SU in 1965. Biden has since publicly acknowledged the incident.

Law professor Roderick Surratt said that everyone at the law school is very proud of Joe Biden. Surratt also said he does not think it is problematic that Biden is speaking at the undergraduate commencement ceremony, rather than SUCOL’s commencement.

‘He’s spoken three times previously at the law school graduations, so I think it’s very appropriate that he speak to the whole university this time,’ Surrat said. ‘I think it’s marvelous that the university is honoring him in this way.’

Krystie Yandoli, a freshman women’s studies major, said that regardless of being an alumnus, the fact that the sitting vice president is willing to take a day off to come and speak says a lot about Biden’s character.

‘It’s going to be a hard act to follow for future classes, Yandoli said. ‘I know I’ll always compare mine to this.’

mequalte@syr.edu

Published on March 16, 2009 at 12:00 pm