Rooney's speech leaves bitter aftertaste at UMass
It's a rare commencement speech that keeps people talking for a week. But Emily Rooney's keynote address at the University of Massachusetts at Boston 10 days ago did just that -- and not because the campus was inspired by her message. Rooney, a broadcast journalist at WGBH-TV and the daughter of cranky ''60 Minutes" commentator Andy Rooney, managed to offend UMass students and faculty on at least two levels: First, by suggesting that their support for interim chancellor J. Keith Motley in the recent chancellor search was ill-informed (she also called Motley a ''long shot" for the job); and second, by tailoring her remarks to traditional graduates, who started school four years ago, instead of the many older, longer-term students at UMass. Molly Geidel, a new graduate who plans to write to UMass trustees about the speech, said Rooney neglected basic etiquette. ''You don't insult the person who introduces you, or your audience," she said. ''It was presumptuous of her to say that no one was informed about the search." Responding to the criticism last week, Rooney said she was determined to avoid cliches in her speech and to make people think. She said she felt she had to address the chancellor search -- ''It was the 800-pound gorilla in the room" -- but her comments about ill-informed Motley supporters weren't aimed specifically at the campus. And while she considered eliminating her description of graduates as freshmen in 2001, she said she decided not to because ''the majority probably started then." In fact, less than half of freshmen who enroll at UMass-Boston graduate within six years.
MR. NICE GUY: As far as we know, no one at commencement was offended by Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler, who received an honorary degree from UMass-Boston. Diane Vasseur, a longtime UMass staffer who helped the Boston rocker don his academic robes, said he was gracious and friendly, a ''regular guy" who chatted about his grandkids. ''He was having a hoot," said Vasseur, who has also robed Bruins star Cam Neely and Teresa Heinz Kerry. ''He said the robe was cool." It was Vasseur who gave Tyler the tin of licorice mints he later shook onstage while singing; he refused gum, she said, because of upcoming dental work.
GOT TUITION? Sure, the best way to deal with the high cost of college is to save, save, save, starting when the children are toddlers. But for those who haven't, here's a gamble: Buy a $100 raffle ticket from the Sisters of St. Joseph, a Brighton-based order of Roman Catholic nuns, and you could win $100,000 for college. Just 3,000 tickets will be sold for the June 15 drawing, said Sister Margaret Sullivan, a congregation leader. Prize money will be paid directly to the accredited US college chosen by the winner. Tickets are available at (617) 746-2115 or at bostoncsj.com/Ed_campaign05.htm.
AFRICAN PRESIDENTS: Charles Stith, director of Boston University's one-of-a-kind African Presidential Archives and Research Center, was in Mali last week to address a conference on democratic reforms for former African heads of state, convened by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. In a speech on Wednesday, Stith talked about the ways some of the former leaders were helping their countries improve education, health, and conflict resolution, and serving as ''symbols of hope" for democracy. ''These guys are much more reflective of the future of Africa than somebody like a Robert Mugabe," Stith, former ambassador to Tanzania, said of the Zimbabwe president in a phone interview from Mali. He also said that African political parties need to learn how to be ''gracious winners" who don't settle scores every time power changes hands. At least nine of the approximately 20 heads-of-state at the meeting had been involved with the BU center in some way, three of them as presidents-in-residence on campus. ''That this meeting happened is a very tangible testament to the work we've been doing at Boston University," Stith said.
CHOBANIAN HONORED: While the talk at BU last week was mostly about the new president-elect, Bob Brown, trustees made a point of honoring Aram Chobanian, the man who earned kudos for his leadership of the university during a tumultuous time since the firing of incoming president Dan Goldin in the fall of 2003. The trustees voted to remove ''ad interim" from Chobanian's title and officially designate him BU's ninth president. ''He quickly stabilized the institution and established a new tone and way of doing business on campus," board chairman Alan Leventhal said in a note to the campus community. ''There is nothing 'interim' or transient about the impact Dr. Chobanian has had, and we want history to record and recognize him as one of Boston University's most important and respected presidents."
BRINGING CULTURE TO ALLSTON: Harvard University has created a new high-level administrative position to oversee arts activities and plan for the cultural elements of Harvard's new campus in Allston. Sean Buffington, currently an assistant provost and deputy chief of staff, will become associate provost and director of cultural programs. ''I'm incredibly impressed by the cultural resources here at Harvard, and I see it as my goal to raise the profile of those resources, make them more available to students and to faculty, and make them more visible in the larger community as well," Buffington said. He will work on Allston arts planning with a new advisory committee, to be convened in the fall, made up of faculty and leaders of campus cultural organizations.
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