World
(2009-04-28)
COLUMBIA, MO
(KBIA) -
Some students and faculty at a small liberal arts college in northeast Missouri are protesting the selection of this year's commencement speaker, former US Attorney General John Ashcroft. KBIA's Sara Wittmeyer reports.A number of Truman State students and faculty say it's the wrong time for Ashcroft to visit campus in light of the recently released torture memos. They say Ashcroft's values are not in line with the university's. According to history professor Thomas Zoumaras the school's board of governor's and interim president made the decision without polling the students or faculty..
"This is not representative of the institution because we have not gone through a democratic process that everyone can embrace and make their own."
Prior to becoming US Attorney General, Ashcroft was the governor of Missouri. Truman administrators say Ashcroft was chosen as the commencement speaker and as an honorary degree recipient because of the work he did during his tenure as governor. Graduation is May 9th.
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