Having Jerry Springer as your graduation speaker, instead of some boring random judge, is awesome. That's a story to tell your kids. I'm jealous.

Whatever ... who cares

and Funami is going to represent the alumni association

We had Dick Durbin in '05. Not much difference b/t the two in my book.

Actually I have seen Springer on TV and head on radio when he was a guest on some talking head political programs. He was the best guest each and every time.

Commencement speakers should be factored into law school rankings as part of the "reputation" category. Only a TTT would invite Springer and remind people he's an alum!

It sounds like "Northwestern Law School" did not select Jerry Springer but some graduation committee. Why didn't they have the students vote on a panel of speaker candidates? Would it have been that hard to send out an email saying pick one of these people. The person with the most emails will be our choice.

@9:14 - No way, it's gotta be t-rette's

LOL at LLMs doing anything worth the price of admission.

The students are getting too worked up about this. When I graduated, we had Sen. Biden speak, while he isn't as "controversial" as Mr. Springer, his speech was nothing more than a campaign speech and rather boring as well as inappropriate - at least Jerry might be entertaining.

I'm sure he will be much better than Nina Totenberg was at GULC last year.

Funny, I didn't know Miss Teen South Carolina is pursuing an LLM at Northwestern.

Signed by: Such as, U.S. Americans

the fact that Northwestern students don't find this hilarious and AWESOME demonstrates just how lame they must be.

can you imagine going through life without a sense of humor? thank the lord I didn't go to Northwestern.

wow. the fact that people are defending this schmuck as a speaker makes me want to cry.

Jerry Springer: prime example of the degradation of the human race for money.

The guy is a great speaker. Hell, he was the Mayor of Cincy (I know it is a TTT, but still). I would also bet that he is smarter than 99% of the kids he would be addressing (same percentage applies to commentors here). I would also say that his career is the envy of any biglaw partner out there -- more $, no work, no stress, and naked chicks (although often fat inbreeds).

I went graduation all 3 of my years at UVA and every speaker left me walking away a better person than when I arrived at the ceremony. Truly a wonderful experience and one I would do again in a heartbeat. UVA will always have my heart.

Wow. What a bunch of sanctimonious assholes. It's not as if he has odious politics or something - in fact, he's a big lefty. A judge from the Second Circuit spoke at my law school graduation and she was just so out of touch with what about 95% of the class was doing after graduation.

most of the students do find it pretty awesome. the LLM's are kind of up in arms about it and whining to the masses at the last minute.

There must be some chant at graduation:
"Show your tits!"
"Jerry, Jerry!"
"Go to Oprah"
"March naked!"
"Sit Down loser"
"Fish Stick Whore"
"We Love Lesbians"
"You suck"
"no more beer"

http://springerboards.jerryspringertv.com/index.php?showtopic=1442

GULC? Are you freaking kidding me? You are one step away from becoming an online, print out your JD type school.

"Go to Loyola!"
"Go to DePaul!"
"Go to Marshall!"

I take no position on whether Jerry Springer is an appropriate graduation speaker, but any measured analysis needs to consider the fact that, while on the Cincinnati City Council, he wrote a prostitute a check for services rendered and was busted for it. At least Spitzer was smart enough to use cash, even if he was kind of stupid for wiring it around.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Springer .

This American Life had a story recently on Jerry Springer's political career:
http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=258

Prostitutes were involved.

10:00 - Did you enjoy all the piss from GULC students? Don't they always piss on UVa students? That is what I keep hearing anyway.

There are a few outliers who decided to bitch about the committee's choice after the fact (rather than serve on the committee, or give input during the search). These people don't want Springer to speak, but don't have a viable alternative. It's really childish, but it's definitely (luckily) the minority opinion at NU.

I think how the poll is worded is skewing the results. I think that inviting Springer to speak is a terrible idea, but I "support" NU's selection because its really none of my business. I bet if the poll were changed to something like "Do you think that Jerry Springer was a good (or an appropriate) choice for NU's commencement speaker?" you would get slightly less one-sided numbers.

hell, i would LOVE to have Springer as commencement speaker.

I graduated from Norhtwestern last year. I don't remember who our speaker was, but I remember she said nothing worth-while or interested. I think she just read her resume to us, then read a few other people's resume's to us, then listed like 10 or 15 alums who had done something that she thought was very impressive, but it wasn't impressive enough that any of us had heard of any of them (save for a few). Then we got our little hood, and went to lunch with our families. Basically is was not "Etched" into my heart forever. My wife will be graduating this year, and let's just say I'm looking forward to being in the audience more than I was two weeks ago. That said, they could have found someone who was both dignified and interesting. But if we have to choose between the two, I'll take interesting.

Hey 9:44, my class had Biden speak as well. Unlike you, however, most of us found him to be a great speaker - both a brilliant man and an inspirational life story. Sorry you are so jaded as to complete miss those things. You'll make a great BigLaw drone.

Gallion OUT!

10:11

I not only would have picked UVA over GULC in a heartbeat (had I not gotten into my preferred school), I probably would have picked GW instead, as well.

FYI, GULC "pisses" on nobody.

i bet its the class of 2009 that is making a ruckus because they know that no one chosen next year will live up to JERRY JERRY JERRY!!!

Biden's commencement speech at NU law in '04 = worst commencement speech ever - although it might have been appropriate at a campaign rally

9:38: t-rettes will grow up, funami was grown up. 'nuff said.

Biden also spoke at 'Cuse in '03

Please don't speak about UVA on this forum. UVA actually has some class.

I graduated from NU last year and skipped graduation to travel internationally - can't say I regret it (though my time at NU was pretty awesome). But I heard the speaker that year was dull, dull, dull.

I believe one commenter said that NU students are "humorless" because they are "protesting" this. Interesting logic - because at least one LLM is pissed, therefore obviously the rest of the school is. When Jerry came to speak at NU (invited by the American Constitution Society), the room was packed.

Unfortunately, the sad fact is that Jerry is only a mildly entertaining speaker and his political expression is not especially nuanced. He's a middle of the road 60s liberal, and while I agree with his political stances, I have seen them better expressed elsewhere.

So kudos to the current NU folks for trying to come up with a lively graduation speaker - even if you probably misjudged. My advice to the LLM is to lighten up. Inevitably both sides will end up on graduation day wondering what they were fighting over.

PS for all you NU-haters, I work at a V10 firm in NYC (yes, not the end-all-be-all of success, but should count for something on this board) which was by far my first choice firm. And no, I wasn't on law review. So much for the TTT label (and frankly, wielders of the "TTT" always strike me as a bit sad)

As a Cincinnatian, I can attest: Jerry Springer is more than his latest incarnation as a talk show host. He started out as a gifted progressive civic leader, and he has appeared in Ohio this year as a thoughtful, articulate advocate for Democratic candidates here. But don't take my word: Listen to WBEZ's popular radio show, "This American Life," which includes a profile of him. People who knew him as an elected official compared him to JFK. Expect him to resurrect that tone as your graduation speaker. Prepare to be surprised.

I've been told repeatedly that lawyers don't care what their clients and cases are, but this is obviously wrong. They care, at least the law school students. This is one controversial client http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/03/anonymous-scientology-legal-letters-gregg-latham-watkins.php
and one case
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/03/28/lawyer-pleas-in-case-charging-that-he-bilked-firm-and-clients/?mod=WSJBlog
that someone complained and stopped the facts from appearing on Wikipedia.

9:58 AM: "I would also bet that he is smarter than 99% of the kids he would be addressing"

Springer resigned from the Cincinnati City Council after he was caught in a prostitution ring bust because he had paid by check. Even TTT students know better than that.

WTF? When did the NU class of 2008 get cool enough to invite Jerry Springer to speak at graduation? When they were 1Ls they had the tightest asses of anyone I've ever met.

But I digress. Where was Chamberlain's dedication to supporting the student body leaders when dear Peter Pattakos was causing a racial ruckus?

I went to SLU (yeah I know, I know, TTT). My graudation speaker was a very old professor being edged out after 50+ years and it was his last chance to talk. It lasted forever, made no sense, and I hated every single second of it. The next year? Attorney / MLB Manager Tony LaRussa. WTF. I heard it was a great speech. I knew I should have taken a year off before law school...

Does the graduation speaker need to educate you? Not really. Motivate you? Maybe. Entertain? Heck yeah. Jerry Springer would be a great speaker.

Current 3L at NU here.

Those who have caused a stink about Springer are just a (very) vocal minority. Most people don't really care one way or the other who the graduation speaker is - who ever really does? - and are actually kind of excited it's someone they've seen or heard of before and that might be interesting.

Maybe this move will cost them a couple of spots in the rankings. This move shows that NU's law school is overrated! Hurray! The truth revealed.

"University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small."
-- Henry Kissinger

Northwestern folks:

We still have tickets available for our graduation at NorthEASTern. You are welcome to come hear Justice Breyer speak!

@9:38 only if he's dressed as chewbacca

As a recent Northwestern grad I know that anyone can post onto the Listserv. The Listserve was usually ignored by 95% of the student body. Springer is an excellent choice and I am glad he accepted the invitation. Someone mentioned the recent NPR story. It was a great story, he is a far more complex man than people know. He was a respected politician, a former mayor, the scandal detoured him, and Ohio welcomed him back, he overcame it and did a lot of good for Cinci. He went for governor, lost, and life took him on another path. It will be a memorable graduation. I was on the committee that selected the speaker during my graduation year. He was like our third choice. I don't even remember who he was and what he told us. It was blah blah blah. I think image is important, but we can't take ourselves so seriously.

I went to NU for undergrad. Our graduation was tacky, and our speaker was pathetic.

Of course, if you go to the NorthEASTERN Commencement to hear Breyer speak, you will also have to listen to folks from the burned-out hippie administration expound on the value of spending $63,000/year to attend a "public interest" law school without grades or a law review, housed in what is certainly the crappiest, most out-dated law school in Massachusetts (and yes, I've seen all eight law schools in the state).

The LLM and other opponents should chant "YOU SUCK!" when Jerry is introduced.

Anyone supporting him should chant "JERRY!"

This could make it the best law school graduation ever. Better still if two hotties (preferably lesbian) rip each others robes off.

A recent post: "Maybe this move will cost them a couple of spots in the rankings. This move shows that NU's law school is overrated! Hurray! The truth revealed."

Did s/he really say "hurray"? Really? Can we at least all agree that anyone who says "hurray" deserves to be ridiculed mercilessly? We can find SOME common ground here, can't we?

10:00am: what kind of tool attends graduation when they aren't getting a diploma? I bet you were a hall monitor.

Haven't these NU crybabies ever seen Jerry Springer's Final Thoughts? Poignant, succinct, articulate.... sort of.

To everybody harping on Mr. Springer's resignation from the city council for the prostitute scandal, remember that he still managed to get re-elected as city councilman and then mayor. Pretty impressive. It certainly says something about the man (or about Cincy).

12:49 pm -- "The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with a typical voter."

http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1238

Pretty cool story about Jerry Springer that's worth listening to.

http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1238

as a student at northwestern i think it's important that i inform all of you of 2 things. first, we have had all of the conversations that you are bringing up right now. we've balanced his arguably admirable history of service against his arguably shady history with a prostitute(). there are thousands of ways to look at this issue. and this brings me to my next point. we already had springer speak at the school last year. and he delivered a decent speech to a packed house. its important to keep that in mind before you start bashing the moral sensibilities of the students here.

and for those of you NU graduates who believe that this is issue is being raised by an isolated group of complainers - you are sorely mistaken. the majority of people who have spoken out against springer are people who never complain and never spam the listserve. further, 100 students signed a petition in opposition to springer. and they did it in 24 hours. finally, the people who led the charge with the petition are respectful, quiet students who never raise complaints about school policies and certainly never spam the listserve with obnoxious emails as some other students are prone to do.

to the person at 1:37:

First, put a petition in front of someone and they're likely to sign it, especially depending on how you present things. The anti-Springer crowd has consistently overstated the strength of its numbers and its argument. For example, 100 people is far, far less than half of the graduates (after counting transfers and LLMs). Even if that constitutes some sort of critical mass of people, many of the more vocal anti-Springer advocates backed off their positions once the consequences of a rescission were articulated to them (see the SS listserv email for a typical example)

Second, you're a nerd and/or a snob. Stop taking yourself so seriously. The world will turn after the guy speaks. No one will care the moment graduation is over and we're off with families and friends celebrating.

Third, the three guys that started the petition are good guys. In fact, I would consider them friends. However, their actions were disappointing and, unfortunately, in-line with the entitled attitudes of so many students at the school.

That attitude leads to ideas like canning the speaker less than a month before graduation with no alternative, simply because they don't approve of someone they could have been involved in the process of choosing.

Shame on the crybabies. Each and every one of them.

What is there to argue about?:

This man exploits stupid, poor, desperate people for holier-than-thous to laugh at and belittle. He encourages violent solutions to messed up situations and shows that the personal problems of others are to laughed at and mocked.

And you guys think that's admirable? This guy's scum, plain and simple. Any "admirable history" (yes he was a politician! whoo hoo! so awesome!) is immediately swallowed by his scum-sucking, dirt-wallowing show.

He's slime, and the Law school is slime for giving this cretin the stage. The Law School Faculty should be ashamed, and the alumni should be up in arms.

Who's next? O.J. Simpson? Tonya Harding? Monica Lewinsky? Maybe Florida Cowgirl? Jason Blair!? Or Stephen Glass?

2:43==1)oh no, you won't get a speaker! I guess having a exploitative bottom feeder is better than having dignity!

2)"No one will care the moment graduation is over and we're off with families and friends celebrating."
---Except, moron, for the rest of your life, you'll be known as the law school class that decided Jerry Springer was diginified and worthy enough to speak at your graduation. Classy.

3) I love you inherently contradict yourself. The "No one will care" argument v. the "hey, we only have a month!" argument. Nice logic there, 3L.

4) I love how the actions to remove a p.o.s. like springer are "disappointing." yes, removing a barnacle on the underbelly of the human race is "disappointing." I bet you think that Paris Hilton is a lovely, misunderstood person that people just judge too harshly.

Jerry Springer is hands down the best public speaker I've ever heard. I don't like him otherwise, but whatever you think of him, he's perfect for such a speech.

2:55:

proving once again that entertainment trumps dignity every time.

hey, am I too late to laugh my butt off at Northwestern kids trying to defend this?

I echo the legal intern for Jerry Springer's show . . . Jerry frequently speaks (for free, with few demands) for student groups at Northwestern to help them raise money for various philanthropic causes and the like.

He is a classy alumnus, and very proud of his ties to Northwestern University.

Some more evidence of what he might talk about:

http://media.www.dailynorthwestern.com/media/storage/paper853/news/2002/02/14/Campus/Springer.Stresses.Freedom.Of.Speech-1908927.shtml

http://media.www.dailynorthwestern.com/media/storage/paper853/news/2007/04/04/Campus/Springer.Blasts.War.Policies-2822427.shtml

http://media.www.dailynorthwestern.com/media/storage/paper853/news/2004/04/20/Forum/Springers.Hopes.For.Political.Show.Not.Just.A.Show-1914509.shtml

guess not. I like how 319 calls him a "class alumnus." was that before or after the lesbian water gun fight in the vat of jello?

To the person who decided to render personal attacks on my previous points about the petition. I don’t understand your comments about overstating the strength of numbers. I’m not sure where you are getting that information. I have spoken with plenty of people who disagree with the decision. I’m not sure exactly how many people are in the class of 2008, but I am pretty sure that 100 people does not constitute “far, far less than half of the graduates.” Northwestern is a small school. I also am not aware of “anti-Springer” candidates backing off their positions. If anything, more people were ready to speak out on the listserve until other classmates, like you, started rendering personal attacks against those who disagree with the choice of speaker. As for canning the speaker less than a month before the graduation, I need more information on when the speaker was actually chosen. Based on my limited knowledge, it appears that it was a bit of a last minute, last resort effort. It is true that students could have helped pick a speaker. It is also true that many of us safely assumed our classmates would not pick some one we had all heard last year. And finally, as for your inappropriate and divisive comments about me being a nerd or a snob, I guess would say that I fall into the snob category. As an aspiring lawyer, I actually care about hearing from a speaker who instills a sense of dignity and social responsibility in our society. And so do my parents. The graduation committee’s decision to pick such a despicable speaker (who has already exercised his right to free speech at NU) and rude student responses such as the one you exhibited above have definitely helped me to determine that all of my donations will be going to my undergraduate ivy league school.

Hey, did anyone notice how 3:19 and others defending him are claiming that his leftist politics make him classy? Methinks the liberals will forgive anything so long as you nod your head and agree with them.

NU Law students need to get over themselves. Apparently the class of 2008 has just as minute a sense of perspective as my class (2007). Guess what, graduates? You're not special. Graduating from NUSL is not a major accomplishment to be proud of. You don't "deserve" a prestigious speaker any more than you "deserve" the ridiculously inflated salaries you'll earn for doing glorified clerical work (those of you who can get jobs, anyway). Stop furiously typing for a few seconds and try to appreciate the fact that Springer has a sense of humor - a valuable trait most of us lack.

Hiya 3:31:

I don't think the NUSL class thinks they;re special or that they deserve a prestigious speaker. I think they just don't want a giant buffoon who makes an jerk out of himself and other people just by showing up.

Perhaps you're the one taking yourself (and your highly inflated opinion of Jerry "The Joke" Springer) too seriously. But then again, that's nothing to be proud.

and here's 3:31's art of persuasion:

3 years at a known law school, graduating, become part of a profession: not an accomplishment. Bonus: take a shot at the unemployed part of the NUSL class. (3:31=nothing but class).

forcing confused, stupid people to make fools of themselves on the air and using their embarrassment for personal gain: an accomplishment, but only if you can make a joke.

Apparently, 3:31 feels that so long as you can laugh, you are a good person. nice logic there.

who gets the impression that Jerry Springer interns and the Dean are the only ones defending Springer here?
<--------Raises hand

2:43:

The LLMs didn't sign the petition yet every single one of them is ardently against Springer (refer to your beloved listserve).

What's funny is that you might consider the 3 guys that started the petition as your friends, but I sincerely doubt they share the sentiment... in fact, I would venture to say that most people you consider friends only associate with you because you're going through the same adolescent party phase together - something you clearly missed out in high school and college, where you were the weird kid with a nervous tick giving dirty looks to all the normal kids at lunch time.
I actually feel sorry for you because these three years of law school will be the best years of your life. Nobody, including yourself, liked you before, and nobody, including yourself, will like you after.

3:19 here,

I'm a big Ted Nugent fan, and he's spoken at Northwestern quite a few times with much success. This should demonstrate I'm not a fan of Springer because he's a liberal. Now, Nugent's not an alumnus, so, him speaking at the law school commencement would not be appropriate, but us open-minded Northwestern students and alumni respect all points of view. We also would welcome any Republican alumnus of the law school.

Why don't these folks suggest inviting Richard Wiley next year?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_E._Wiley

I am another 3L who is disappointed by this decision. Most of my points have been made, but I'll say this to supporters:

Did any of you actually attend his speech last year? During the speech he was illogical and inarticulate. He made all of these broad, sweeping statements and failed to support them in any way. To me, that is actually the worst part of this choice. He's a horrible speaker and illogical thinker. And to clarify, I lean left so I in theory agree with many of his politics.

Hmm, 3:19 seems to be ignoring the elephant in the room about Springer, namely that he is a lowlife jerk regardless of political persuasion, and therefore has no place on anyone's stage, regardless of politics. That may sound Ad hominem, but seriously, this is a man so cheap and tawdry and downright disgusting in his work that any credibility he has is destroyed. He does a disservice to his own causes by bothering to speak for them at all. And NU should be ashamed they'll put him on their stage.

Big deal, you like Nugent's music. I don't think Nugent belongs on an NU stage either---he's just a radio DJ/old rocker now, no law school credibility. But as far as I know, Nugent hasn't debased himself and other people by his work---Springer is far worse. And your argument that just because Springer is an alumnus he gets more of a right to speak at NU than non-alumni is laughable---would this apply if Ted Bundy graduated NU?

And I have no idea who Richard E. Wiley is. Why is next year relevant? Quit trying to change the subject.

Expunge the Springer trash off this school's stage right now. He's a turd blossom.

Jerry Springer is an excellent speaker and uniquely qualified to speak at a top law school. Like 90% of NU law school graduates, Springer is a talented person who could have done many other things but decided to whore himself out.

4:42--I don't think arguing his speaking style should be the crux of the argument. He could speak as well as William Jennings Bryan and he shouldn't be here. He's a total slimeball---that's why he should get the boot.

And to the NPR interview---has NPR ever met a low-life liberal they didn't try to rehabilitate? I heard the interview, and frankly, the reporter took Springer and his former campaign manager's word for it. I mean, they implied that Springer could have run for senate in Mississippi against Trent Lott and won, only poor Springer couldn't get out of his TV contract--that's the only reason. Yeah right. I'm sure no one's ever broken a contract to run for office, scumbag.

Just read the link to the Northwestern paper detailing one of Springer's previous appearances on the campus. I love how he compared the mainstream media's offering Diana of Wales a forum to talk about her troubles with his show providing a forum for poor individuals to do the same; what a champion of the downtrodden he is. Of course, he neglects to point out that the network didn't bring Camilla Parker Bowles midway through Diana's interview for the two of them to get into a major catfight so the audience could scream at and taunt them. Yeah, Jerry, your show is so wonderful to provide your marginalized guests with a forum to discuss their troubles; you're a regular Mother Theresa, and your critics are just "snobs".
(Oops, sorry, didn't one of his legal interns just inform us that these people were just well-compensated entertainers? Guess their "problems" might not be real....so what was that again about providing a forum to help the poor, Jerry?)

And people actually paid to listen to this bilge at Northwestern before? Is this the kind of disingenuous drivel he is going to deliver at the law school commencement? Unbelievable...unbelievable that people are defending him as an acceptable commencement speaker.

Springer is perfectly acceptable, especially at a law school where such a huge percentage of graduate will go work for big firms. Springer followed the money and pursued a questionable course. These students are also following the money, avoiding the public interest and government jobs where their abilities are sorely needed.

4:53=if what Springer does is merely questionable, I shudder to think what you find unacceptable.

Asking Jerry Springer to speak at commencement was clearly a huge mistake that reflects poorly upon the school, its students and its alumni. However, I don't think yanking the invitation from him now is an appropriate or effective solution, and the Dean probably took the correct approach with his response. What's done is done and the school should learn from this mistake.

I take offense to the comment from that jerk at 3:31 that graduating from Northwestern Law School is somehow not an accomplishment. Are you kidding me!!!! Graduating from any law school is a huge accomplishment. Getting in to law school is a huge accomplishment.

4:57:

it's better to not have a scumbag speak for you at all than to let loose and make a fool of you.

Save yourself 15 minutes at the ceremony. And some of your dignity.

I am an alumni and won't be attending this ceremony and agree that the speaker is not as significant as some of these students think. I don't even remember who spoke at my commencement. I also doubt that Springer is going to do or say anything inappropriate. He may give an insightful interesting speech. His actual speech is not what's damaging. What's damaging is the fact that we invited him and have aligned Jerry Springer with our prestigious institution that we are all so proud of. It's embarassing to all of NU's alumni. The current students that thought this would be a good idea are clearly short-sighted. Your decision affects more than your little graduation ceremony. Once you get out into the real world you will realize that this kind of shit ain't cute!

This American Life: Leaving the Fold, 258

http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=258

The sad thing, 5:21, is that most of the graduating class agrees with you.

I love how BC modifies its procedures to quell controversy over the SITTING ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES speaking at commencement, but the most famously skeezy guy in America is welcomed to NU without the bat of an eye...

current NU 1L. who cares, seriously?

As an NU Law alum, I am confused about a few things.

1. How does inviting Springer to speak reflect poorly on NU's students and alumni? 2:52, 4:57, et al.: If you believe what you've written, does this mean you think poorly of all Columbia studenst/alumni? I'm pretty sure you're lying if you say that you associate all Columbia students/alumni with the decision to invite Ahmadinejad to campus. As far as I can tell, that "scandal" hasn't hurt Columbia's ranking any.

2. I don't understand why people think inviting Springer to speak means NU has "aligned" itself with him. Past NUSL grad speakers include Dick Durbin, Janet Reno, Joe Biden, and Bob Kerrey. 5:21, does this mean that NU "aligned" itself with these politicians or endorsed their views? By your logic, the grad speaker shouldn't have any views of his own, lest people think the school is advocating them. You know what happens when people like that are invited to speak? You get last year's speaker, who everyone agrees sucked.

3. Without googling, can you name University of Georgia's upcoming grad speaker? I'm actually genuinely curious whether people think that speaker would be more appropriate for NU's law school graduation. And if you don't know who I'm talking about, it just goes to show that no one gives a shit about other schools' graduation speakers. Unless it's someone you wish would've spoken at your graduation -- like Conan O'Brien.

4. I do understand why many people think inviting Springer makes the school itself look bad (note: I'm NOT talking about students/alumni here), which is why it baffles me that people are being so hostile towards the student committee yet haven't said a word about any fault of the administration. Dean van Zandt explicitly stated that the invitation was approved by the administration. Anyone who knows anything about DVZ knows that he would never do anything to jeopardize NUSL's ranking. I'm pretty sure his Strategic Plan does not include ruining the school's reputation. So to those who are upset by the decision to invite Springer to speak, why aren't you pissed off at the administration, which obviously had an active role in the invitation?

Frankly, I don't understand how this adversely affects alumni at all. I'm pretty sure I won't be turned down for jobs in the future because I graduated from a school that later invited Jerry Springer to speak at graduation. Nobody's going to stop being my friend because of it. I live in the "real world" (5:21) and can assure you that this year's graduation speaker will have absolutely no negative effect on my life. If anything, it gives me something to talk about.

"I'm pretty sure you're lying if you say that you associate all Columbia students/alumni with the decision to invite Ahmadinejad to campus. As far as I can tell, that "scandal" hasn't hurt Columbia's ranking any."

Can you see the difference between inviting someone to speak on campus in a particular forum such as the one Ahmadinejad had, and inviting someone to give a commencement address? There is a massive difference...and I find it incredible that you could not appreciate the difference...no way could Columbia get away with inviting Ahmadenijad to give a commencement address without major protest. Your comparison just doesn't wash.

As for Janet Reno, Joe Biden, and Bob Kerry being former speakers at NUSL commencements, there is a difference between them and Springer. You can vociferously disagree with their political positions, but the fact of the matter is that each of them has held nothing but dignified political and academic positions...ridicule them all you want, but none of them has spent the past ten years hosting a syndicated television program that debases individuals through hairpulling, catfighting, poledancing, etc.

11:58: You're missing the point. Of course there's a difference between inviting a dictator to speak at a "Forum of World Leaders" and inviting an entertainer to give a graduation speech. The question was: Why does the former not reflect poorly on the students/alumni while the latter does? You didn't answer the question.

Good work, also, pointing out the differences between Springer and Reno, Biden, and Kerrey. You conveniently left out Durbin, whom not everyone would agree has "held nothing but dignified political and academic positions," and you ultimately failed to articulate why inviting Springer to speak indicates that NU "aligns" itself with him. Unless you're implying that NU advocates hairpulling, catfighting, and poledancing, I'm still confused.

12:39=the former does reflect poorly. Columbia is degraded by Ahmadinejad. no one denies that.

But a commencement speaker is an honorary position, well higher than just an invited speaker. They usually get some kind of award (e.g., honorary degree) from a school, showing the school grants them tremendous respect. The school, in making them a commencement speaker, is saying that their career is somehow laudable and something to emulate.

Durbin is a former U.S. Senator. He squarely falls into the political arean with Reno, Biden, and Kerrey. Simply because you don't agree with his politics doesn't mean he's some how "not respected." I can't beliieve you're idiotic enough to try to equate "not agree with his politics" to "runs a talk show that degrades the human race."

Jerry Springer is famous for being a piece of shit, period. The others are famous for being political leaders.

you can tell the difference, can't you? Or are you one of Springer's interns?

So, I think no one has mentioned that oftentimes when you have some self absorbed blowhard alum speaking at graduation, it is as a result of a sizeable donation to the school. I wonder if NU students would change their opinion, considering that...maybe none but it is a factor worth thinking about.

Also I wonder, really, how many of the NU 3L's families are really going to be shocked and outraged about this. .I've been to a few of my friends' graduation ceremonies at various schools and it is almost without fail boring as hell. I think if I were graduating from NU my family would be pretty happy to see someone who is at least remarkable.

Finally, the LLM's email talks about the "special day" being ruined. This reminds me of the bride who has an awful time on her wedding day because she thought it was supposed to be all about her, when really, most people are just there for the party and don't want to spend the whole time fawning over her. In other words, get over yourself, and have a good time. And you know what? You MIGHT really have this day etched in your memory forever, but ONLY because Springer is speaking, believe me.

Your statement that he is famous "for being a piece of shit, period," is simply not true. He is also the former mayor of Cincinnati. See 11:21 AM. It would appear that Springer, too, "squarely falls into the political arean [sic] with Reno, Biden, and Kerrey."

I cannot wait to hear what these ninnies from NU think about Hastings having Willie Brown be this year's commencement speaker . . . .

1:33: Right, and if he were only the mayor of Cincinnati, he would have received a gold-plated invite to be a commencement speaker....
Give me a break; every one of the other individuals mentioned has held a major national office (i.e., attorney general, senator, congressman,etc.). You cannot tell me that you are equating what Springer has done politically with what Biden, Reno, Durbin, et. al. has done on the national level. I don't care if you think their political positions are off the wall; you are comparing apples and oranges when you compare them to Springer's political career.
Let's be real; he wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting an invite to speak at commencement if he only had the mayor of Cincinnati on his CV...his sleazy show has made him a pop culture icon, and this is why he has the "cred" to get him an invite to speak.
Pathetic that a major university kowtows to this....how about asking Paris Hilton to speak at Northwestern's journalism school graduation? I hear she's available; she should be loads of fun.

And the previous poster is right about the distinction between inviting an individual to speak at a university and inviting him or her to deliver a commencement address....major differences there, everything from granting honorary degrees (which implicitly gives the university's seal of approval, which inviting the person to speak at a forum does not), to the fact that commencements are in essence a "captive audience;" family members who have supported their loved ones expect to attend these ceremonies; this is not the case with student fora hosted during the semester.

Wow. Get over yourselves. Who do you think speaks at law school graduations anyway? The rest of us are going to have boring as shit partners at law firms or judges or something. If we're lucky we'll have a senator or the solicitor general or "important" types like that.

No wonder you hate the guy so much, you have no sense of humor so you can only look at him seriously. Get over yourselves, have fun and don't forget that all Springer is illustrating is that you prefer boring and humorless to fun and interesting....when he *could* have been a reflection of your sense of humor and commitment to a good time on your graduation day.

"...he could have been a reflection of your sense of humor and commitment to a good time on your graduation day."

Hey, 2:05, good idea...since commencement is all about the good times and fun....why not just bring a keg to the ceremony? Why not ask Tara Reid to speak? She's lots of fun...I'm sure that there are lots of "fun" people available for public speaking engagements.

Yeah, too bad about those "boring as shit" judges or "something," as you so eloquently put it. No reason to give them a place of honor at a commencement ceremony for all of their accomplishments, nor give them a platform to say something about civic service, etc. Yeah, just throw the diploma at us, make us laugh, and let us tap the keg, 'cause thats what we want at the end of our law school careers.

You can have a good sense of humor, yet still know that there are more appropriate places for Springer's type of schtick than at a law school commencement.

100th!

I fully expect Springer to offer a speech that is both thoughtful and funny.

In the never ending game of law school "can you top this," I think the next step is for Michigan to invite their most prominent alumna -- Anne Coulter.

"No reason to give them a place of honor at a commencement ceremony for all of their accomplishments, nor give them a platform to say something about civic service, etc."

2:53, you make the assumption that law school commencement is a way to honor people in the legal field (eg: judges). That's funny because I thought law school commencement was about honoring or at least congratulating students on earning their degrees. You also assu