Andrew "Andy" Card, the former Chief of Staff of the Bush Administration, is getting an honorary degree from UMass, and our campus is up-in-arms. His speech in April angered students, and now the University is growing louder in protest. These protests have taken the form of 'Die-ins', as well as organized meetings. Now, as the time of graduation rapidly approaches along with Card's official acceptance, disgruntled resistance has reached a crescendo.
For those who are unfamiliar with Card's career and accomplishments, he started as a corruption-fighting Massachusetts State Representative, making an unsuccessful run for governor in 1982. Afterward, he worked in both the Reagan and Bush administrations and as a lobbyist in the automobile industry. Most recently, Mr. Card found himself appointed Chief of Staff for current president, George W. Bush, in 2001. Though he resigned last year, it is due to this position in the White House that such controversy emerged on our campus.
Dissidents to his honorary degree depict Card as a talking head of the Iraq War. Being in charge of the White House Iraq Group, he played an important role in lobbying the necessity of war to the American people. Going on the UMass-Amherst website, one can see the criterion for the selection process includes a statement that candidates "shall be persons of great accomplishment and high ethical standards who exemplify the ideals of the University of Massachusetts." Protesters argue that an honorary degree winner represents the University, and with it the student body - by giving Card a degree, we affirm and support the war in Iraq by association.
For some here on campus, this is enough to get them up in arms with a picket sign, and these same people will try to convince others to do the same. But the truth is, if you are not already emotional over Andy Card, chances are you never will be. Furthermore, there is no group compelled to come out and speak for his merits. One can parallel the situation to the present two moods of the United States public regarding the War in Iraq - either we are ignited or we are ignoring. In our country, there are less openly opposed, and even fewer are gung-ho.
At UMass however, to complement our reputation as a progressive university, there are better percentages of those ignited against and opposing the war. The recent 'die-ins', meetings and writings are all indicative of a student body that, if not indifferent, has a distinct distaste for our country's operation overseas and all who represent it. But despite this notable amount of objection, calls for rescinding are not being heard by our school administration.
At a recent Faculty Senate meeting, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Stephen P. Tocco refused to allow a review for the Card decision. In a room cluttered with both students and teachers, along with clapping approval at the suggestion for a meeting on the subject, the higher-ups would have nothing of it.
Quite simply, the Andy Card situation proves this democratic institution to be not so democratic after all. Despite these prevalent protests and formal requests to reconsider the nomination, no progress has been made. As a result, the situation has come to a head. The administration will not stand down, and neither will those opposed, a group comprised of not only students, but faculty as well. Now things are getting ugly as protests at graduation commencement have been planned, giving anyone who opposes the Iraq War in the general area (and this is Massachusetts we're talking about), to come on down and show it.
What could have been a nice commencement will now be turning into a circus, a shame on our school that could still be easily avoided if student's voices are heard. Though this challenge isn't from every individual at our University, the silence spurs from indifference rather than support. But as students, we shouldn't be self-conscious if we haven't chosen a side on the Andy Card issue or Iraq, because we're in good and plentiful company. We should be self-conscious if we sit idly by as the University gives out honorifics that do not reflect the overarching opinion of the student body. We should be self-conscious if we let those in charge refuse to acknowledge those who pay, work and live at this institution. The decision of whether or not Andrew Card gets a degree should be ours, and it isn't.
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