University changes commencement plans

UPDATED: 9:27 p.m.

Commencement plans at GW have changed after the this week’s tragedy at Virginia Tech and last week’s controversy, the University announced this evening. Rather than having a single speaker, President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, graduates will be addressed by all five honorary degree recipients and a student speaker who recently ended a tour of duty in Iraq.

The announcement that Trachtenberg would be the only speaker for commencement caused much controversy among graduating seniors and massive mobilization against Trachtenberg and commencement on Facebook. In a statement released Wednesday night, Trachtenberg said that this week’s events made it “clear that commencement 2007 will be a time of both celebration and deep reflection on campuses across America.”

“As you know, there has been a spirited discussion on our own campus over the past week about commencement,” Trachtenberg said in the statement. “I would like to have us move forward in unison.”

Catherine O’Connor, a graduating senior who returned to GW after serving a tour for the U.S. Marines in Iraq, will be the student speaker, and will address the audience with the five honorary degree recipients: Wolf Blitzer, Ralph Cicerone, Linda Cropp, Harvey Fineberg, Lowell Weicker.

“Each, in his or her respective way, has made a difference in our world and I have no doubt you will find their words inspiring,” Trachtenberg said. “As I have done each year for the past 18, I will deliver the charge to the graduates and together we will send you off to your own successes in life.”

Stay with The Daily Colonial as this story develops.

The tragedy at Virginia Tech has had a sobering effect on our entire nation and on college campuses in particular. Last night, our GW community came together in a heartfelt show of respect for the students, families, faculty and staff of our sister school. I was extremely proud of our students for this outpouring of support. It touched our community and it touched me.It is now clear that commencement 2007 will be a time of both celebration and deep reflection on campuses across America as we honor our graduates while holding the Virginia Tech community in our hearts.

As you know, there has been a spirited discussion on our own campus over the past week about commencement. I would like to have us move forward in unison. To this end, I have asked my colleagues responsible for commencement weekend to try to improve and articulate our plans. Rather than providing a single keynote address, we are reviving a model used successfully in the past by which the commencement audience will receive words of wisdom from each of our five stellar honorary degree recipients, as well as our extraordinary student speaker who resumed her studies at GW after a tour of duty as a U.S. Marine in Iraq. Each, in his or her respective way, has made a difference in our world and I have no doubt you will find their words inspiring. As I have done each year for the past 18, I will deliver the charge to the graduates and together we will send you off to your own successes in life.

We hope and trust that this will be a meaningful and memorable weekend for you, filled with events and activities that bring families together in celebration of life and achievement.