WSU cancels Ivanka Trump graduation speech

[ABC]

Utash is long gone like a turkey through the corn.

Very doubtful. Inviting Ivanka was a perfectly reasonable choice. She is the Chair of a national workforce board. Does the WSU faculty not want WSU front and center in such an effort?
This was not poorly handled by Utash - it was poorly handled by WSU and specifically Golden.

[pinstripers]

I wonder if she was bumped because she is a Jew? Perfectly reasonable.

[WstateU]

I wonder if she was bumped because she is a Jew? Perfectly reasonable.

Naw, it was because she's a woman...

[Shockm]

While this isn't a freedom of speech issue (and it's clumsy at best to mention it in this context), it is about diversity and inclusion. But I can't help but feel as if Golden just defined who and what is included in diversity and who and what is not.

He does appear to be a weak president. Unfortunately, that's exactly what students and faculty want, so they can feel as though they can exert their influence and control.

FIF President Golden
I stand with the Kansas Board of Regents in its support for freedom of speech and for diversity and inclusion as long as WSU faculty and students aren't unhappy nor dislike the speakers family. I look forward to continuing our efforts in advancing the mission and vision of @WichitaState for all of #ShockerNation IF we able to transform the world through innovation, applied learning, entrepreneurship and economic impact and it can be accomplished without offending our faculty and students socialistic leanings.

By the way, this doesn't bode well for the WSU Innovation Campus or the Entrepreneurial curriculum.

Royal Shock,
As to your first point, you'd have to explain more to me, about what you mean, because I think this act shows that if the faculty and/or students came out against any speaker, at any time, President Golden would consider cancelling their speech.

[Kung Wu]

Very doubtful. Inviting Ivanka was a perfectly reasonable choice. She is the Chair of a national workforce board. Does the WSU faculty not want WSU front and center in such an effort?
This was not poorly handled by Utash - it was poorly handled by WSU and specifically Golden.

She was a freaking KEYNOTE SPEAKER at CES 2020 for poop's sake. That is the epicenter of global consumer technology showcases -- where the best companies and startups from around the globe come together and show the world what's in the works.

Dr Ray and President Golden have some serious explaining to do; as to how a Jewish, female keynote speaker at CES 2020 and senior advisor to the President of the United States is not the absolute perfect candidate for a graduation ceremony at WSU Tech.

I'm listening.

[Stickboy46]

FIF President Golden
I stand with the Kansas Board of Regents in its support for freedom of speech and for diversity and inclusion as long as WSU faculty and students aren't unhappy nor dislike the speakers family. I look forward to continuing our efforts in advancing the mission and vision of @WichitaState for all of #ShockerNation IF we able to transform the world through innovation, applied learning, entrepreneurship and economic impact and it can be accomplished without offending our faculty and students socialistic leanings.

By the way, this doesn't bode well for the WSU Innovation Campus or the Entrepreneurial curriculum.

Royal Shock,
As to your first point, you'd have to explain more to me, about what you mean, because I think this act shows that if the faculty and/or students came out against any speaker, at any time, President Golden would consider cancelling their speech.

We need to stop using the term "cancelled her speech" in relation to this. That's not what happened. They refocused the priority of speeches from her to a student. Her speech is still readily available directly on the commencement page.

You can disagree with the refocus but to say it was cancelled is not factually correct. It's just how the media reported it so everyone ran with that term.

[RoyalShock]

FIF President Golden
I stand with the Kansas Board of Regents in its support for freedom of speech and for diversity and inclusion as long as WSU faculty and students aren't unhappy nor dislike the speakers family. I look forward to continuing our efforts in advancing the mission and vision of @WichitaState for all of #ShockerNation IF we able to transform the world through innovation, applied learning, entrepreneurship and economic impact and it can be accomplished without offending our faculty and students socialistic leanings.

By the way, this doesn't bode well for the WSU Innovation Campus or the Entrepreneurial curriculum.

Royal Shock,
As to your first point, you'd have to explain more to me, about what you mean, because I think this act shows that if the faculty and/or students came out against any speaker, at any time, President Golden would consider cancelling their speech.

I don't believe this is a violation of the First Amendment. She was invited, then uninvited. Her speech is available online. No one's rights were violated. But he did send a message that she and what she had to say falls outside his idea of diversity.

[RoyalShock]

We need to stop using the term "cancelled her speech" in relation to this. That's not what happened. They refocused the priority of speeches from her to a student. Her speech is still readily available directly on the commencement page.

You can disagree with the refocus but to say it was cancelled is not factually correct. It's just how the media reported it so everyone ran with that term.

I do completely disagree with the idea it was "refocused". This was obviously a reaction to faculty and student protest because of who she is. If it truly was a refocus, then everyone involved in the refucusing should have their positions refocused away from WSU.

Those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked have been sacked.

[Stickboy46]

I do completely disagree with the idea it was "refocused". This was obviously a reaction to faculty and student protest because of who she is. If it truly was a refocus, then everyone involved in the refucusing should have their positions refocused away from WSU.

Lol that's interesting spin. It's not cancelled because it's there. It was taken out of primary focus and put into secondary focus.

I don't agree they should have caved to the masses but it was a no win situation. There was going to be a negative impact to WSU no matter what they did. If the graduation happens last month, this is a non issue. I think by allowing the speech to happen but not focusing on it and allowing people to choose if they wanted to listen to it was the best possible solution.

There is a lot of cancel culture going on here... But I don't think it's on the side you guys are implying here.

[Shockm]

I don't believe this is a violation of the First Amendment. She was invited, then uninvited. Her speech is available online. No one's rights were violated. But he did send a message that she and what she had to say falls outside his idea of diversity.

Technically, you probably are correct, (at least I wouldn't argue the point), but had this not been a "Virtual Graduation" she most definitely would have been cancelled (uninvited) from a "Real Graduation" too.

This is what students said in an Eagle article, regarding this issue. It's kind of concerning, I think.
“The Trump name, regardless of the first name it is attached to, is a divisive political statement, especially during a time of incredible civil unrest in our country.
“A state institution like Wichita State University should be wary of allowing something this controversial to happen on our campus.”

The second sentence is an alarming pronouncement from young people who are going to run our community in the future, and will be the leaders who will defend the Constitution, including the First Amendment. After all, we don't want to have anything that is uncomfortable or controversial to be said, or to "happen on our campus" or in our community. We might have to deal with things.

[Shocker1976]

She was a freaking KEYNOTE SPEAKER at CES 2020 for poop's sake. That is the epicenter of global consumer technology showcases -- where the best companies and startups from around the globe come together and show the world what's in the works.

Dr Ray and President Golden have some serious explaining to do; as to how a Jewish, female keynote speaker at CES 2020 and senior advisor to the President of the United States is not the absolute perfect candidate for a graduation ceremony at WSU Tech.

I'm listening.

Could not agree more; President Bardo must be spinning in his grave. Difficult to watch Golden take WSU back into the hinterlands of higher education. Any thoughts on how soon the Innovation Campus and programs will be relocated to Beakerville?

And to think I was actually considering making a gift to the university.

[SHOCKvalue]

People should just not watch or listen to things they don't like.

Crazy and ground-breaking thought, right?

[wufan]

There is a lot of cancel culture going on here... But I don't think it's on the side you guys are implying here.

You are surely correct. Please site examples.

[Veritas]

Send him an email. With his line of thinking he’ll resign if he gets more than 400 emails in support of him leaving.

president@wichita.edu

[Shockm]

Lol that's interesting spin. It's not cancelled because it's there. It was taken out of primary focus and put into secondary focus.

I don't agree they should have caved to the masses but it was a no win situation. There was going to be a negative impact to WSU no matter what they did. If the graduation happens last month, this is a non issue. I think by allowing the speech to happen but not focusing on it and allowing people to choose if they wanted to listen to it was the best possible solution.

There is a lot of cancel culture going on here... But I don't think it's on the side you guys are implying here.

I agree with you that this became a no win situation (either the students would be unhappy or the bad publicity nationally would. It could have been handled better but I think cancelling IT was the wrong thing to do. Students should be heard but they aren't correct and succumbed to no matter what.

I would like to hear more specifics too about the cancel culture you are talking about. Please explain and make it more clear.