When author and educator Sharon McMahon was initially named this year’s Utah Valley University commencement speaker, there was no official vote or debate where members of the public could weigh in.
Instead, a campus committee quietly selected her, and shortly after her name was announced, outcry erupted from the political right. That led to threats, McMahon said, which the university said led to safety concerns. Her speech was ultimately canceled.
Utah’s Board of Higher Education hopes to prevent that kind of controversy in the future.
Moving forward, they will now require Utah’s eight public colleges and universities to make the commencement-speaker approval process more formal and open.
The idea is that any concerns could be raised earlier — so a speaker isn’t shouted down or forced to pull out.
Last week, the board approved the new policy, which will require a school’s board of trustees to publicly review a proposed commencement speaker in an open meeting.
Before a formal vote, there will be opportunity for public comment. That’s meant to offer more accountability and transparency.
Read the full article by Courtney Tanner at sltrib.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.