AN OPEN LETTER TO ASU PRESIDENT CROW

Dear Sir:

I wanted to take a moment of your time to question the reasons for your refusal to grant an honorary degree to Pres. Obama.

While I realize that he has many achievements to come, I also think that his current achievements far outstrip those of past honorees. After all, you have bestowed degrees upon the Canadian Prime Minister, the President of the Navajo Nation and noted humorist Erma Bombeck.

Regardless of the intent, you have caused a great deal of suspicion in the rest of the country. We see this as either racist or sour grapes. Most think it has little to do with the qualifications of the President. Please keep in mind that to many Americans who have never visited Arizona it is best known for the Grand Canyon and as the state that wouldn't celebrate Martin Luther King Day. As a visitor who loves your state, I know it not to be true. But that's based on my personal experiences and not what I have read in the news.

While I personally do not think that race played a part in your decision....others will! And the fact that you did not realize this before you announced your decision is troubling. It makes you, personally; appear to be amazingly blind to public relations. (Which one would think would be an important aspect of your job.)

Perhaps if the accomplishments of the President of the United States are not enough to bestow a degree upon him, you should have selected a different, more qualified speaker.

Regardless of your reasons, you should have realized that this will be a publicity nightmare for the University which you serve and the state in which you live. There will be very good candidates for your school who will choose other schools to attend. There will be vacationers who may prefer visiting somewhere other than the Fairmont Scottsdale this year. I will be curious to see if this alters fund raising figures for your school. I doubt the loss will be significant, but it seems foolhardy in these trying economic times to drive away any business. And your university's seemingly partisan decision must take responsibility for those losses.

All in all, this was a poorly thought out decision on the part of the committee declining to honor the President of the United States. Or it was shortsighted on the part of the committee who selected your commencement speaker. Or it reflected an incredible amount of burecratic incompetence on the part of your staff. Either way it reflects poorly upon you personally, your university and the state of Arizona.

I find it sad that you have chosen a path that leaves you open to charges of racism and political partisanship. On the up side....your graduating students will receive a memorable experience from an eloquent speaker whose' inexperience has led him to the White House in a landslide over one of your state's favorite sons. And since I have heard Sen. McCain speak, I can only say that your students are the real winners here.