Keith Law: What's Palin got to do with higher ed?
The California State University, Stanislaus Foundation has selected Sarah Palin as the keynote speaker for the campus' 50th anniversary. Those of us who champion higher education are left to puzzle over how that decision could have gone so wrong.
I applaud Vietnam War veteran and former CSUS Alumnus of the Year, Michael Leaveck, for returning his alumni award in protest. A real hero like Leaveck would be a much better choice to speak at the event.
The problem with choosing Sarah Palin goes beyond finances, transparency, and the way that the foundation choose Palin absent any real involvement from the students, faculty and alumni whose aspirations are being represented by that choice.
Of course, the above transgressions do matter. The foundation should not spend so lavishly when all else is suffering from budget cuts; and the lack of transparency about the finances is suspect. Further, the lack of participation by the campus community makes clear that the foundation is forcing its will on the rest of the campus.
The main problem with the choice of Palin, the reason why the foundation's choice should be reversed, is because Palin represents the opposite values of the university as stated in both
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