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EDITORIAL: Integrity rather than celebrity
Editorial | 4/1/08
Posted online at 12:39 AM EST on 4/1/08
With the announcement of this year's graduation speaker, senior CNN political analyst Bill Schneider '66, came a choir of groaning from some students.
Evidently, the idea of yet another journalist sending our senior class on its way is an offense to good taste. Why can't we get someone famous? Someone like J.K. Rowling or Hulk Hogan? Why another journalist? And why not, Jon Stewart?
Truth be told, whether Brandeis tried to shoot for big game like Stewart or not, the bottom line is that we probably don't have the capital, or a famous name like Harvard's to boot. But what we do get instead is integrity and academic value, and there's no harm in that.
Recent decades have seen the development of an unspoken rivalry (extremists would call it a Cold War of sorts) among schools for money and recognition. The coveted position of graduation speaker is slowly becoming an extension of this. A big name graduation speaker means more press, which hopefully means more money.
We, as students of this top-tier educational institute, should be thankful that Brandeis has steered clear of this spiral and is building a tradition of meaningful and thoughtful speakers at the school instead of blowing our tuition on a news headline. The inclusion of Bill Schneider to our list of recent speakers, which has added two former presidents in the last year alone, is something to be proud of as a school.
With the recent five-year anniversary of the Iraq war, not to mention a groundbreaking election on the horizon, schools should be kicking down journalist's doors across the country, suitcases of cash in hand, begging for the grace of their presence.
Our seniors may actually step off campus wiser for the wear, sage words ringing in their ears instead of plugs for Slim Jims and American Gladiators.
Evidently, the idea of yet another journalist sending our senior class on its way is an offense to good taste. Why can't we get someone famous? Someone like J.K. Rowling or Hulk Hogan? Why another journalist? And why not, Jon Stewart?
Truth be told, whether Brandeis tried to shoot for big game like Stewart or not, the bottom line is that we probably don't have the capital, or a famous name like Harvard's to boot. But what we do get instead is integrity and academic value, and there's no harm in that.
Recent decades have seen the development of an unspoken rivalry (extremists would call it a Cold War of sorts) among schools for money and recognition. The coveted position of graduation speaker is slowly becoming an extension of this. A big name graduation speaker means more press, which hopefully means more money.
We, as students of this top-tier educational institute, should be thankful that Brandeis has steered clear of this spiral and is building a tradition of meaningful and thoughtful speakers at the school instead of blowing our tuition on a news headline. The inclusion of Bill Schneider to our list of recent speakers, which has added two former presidents in the last year alone, is something to be proud of as a school.
With the recent five-year anniversary of the Iraq war, not to mention a groundbreaking election on the horizon, schools should be kicking down journalist's doors across the country, suitcases of cash in hand, begging for the grace of their presence.
Our seniors may actually step off campus wiser for the wear, sage words ringing in their ears instead of plugs for Slim Jims and American Gladiators.
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 6
Methinks you doth protest too much.
posted 4/01/08 @ 8:19 AM EST
If a senior wrote this, your cognitive dissonance is showing. If anyone else wrote this, you just don't know what you're talking about. The reason why seniors want a "name" is not because they're shooting for celebrity, but A) because meriting a big name means a validation, a capstone of sorts to their education, and B) it's one last experience they can tell their kids about. (Continued…)
AL
posted 4/02/08 @ 11:09 AM EST
As a graduating senior this year, I'm disappointed by the university's choice of commencement speaker. No doubt Bill Schneider will be interesting, but so would my mom. (Continued…)
Paul Trusten, R.Ph. '73
posted 4/04/08 @ 12:14 AM EST
Ironic that a previous poster suggested his Mom. My Dad would make a great commencement speaker. He has experience as a World War II combat soldier, a father, a husband, and an entrepreneur, all of which are skills that seem to have become grossly undervalued in 2008. (Continued…)
Whatever, Paul.
posted 4/06/08 @ 12:34 PM EST
"Maybe Brandeis and its community members should come down to earth." Maybe not, Paul. I think ambition is a great asset, and it's what makes this university a (supposedly) top-tier institution -- its students are supposed to dream big, are supposed to go on to become the top in their fields. (Continued…)
compete with tufts?
posted 4/06/08 @ 2:33 PM EST
do you realize that tufts is having meridith viera as their graduation speaker? you moron, we are totally competing with tufts.
Aaron
posted 4/08/08 @ 4:04 AM EST
To Whatever, Paul... you must view college as a way to get to the next step to living a life of comfort and affluence. So, you are understandably concerned with the reputation of your school and its rankings and statistics. (Continued…)
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