By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Staff Writer
Former Princeton University President William Bowen used the podium at the Haverford College commencement ceremony Sunday to lecture protesters about openness and mutual respect.
Canadian physicist Robert Birgeneau backed out of making the commencement speech and accepting an honorary degree in the wake of approximately 50 students and faculty members protesting police violence used against students during his term as the ninth chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, from 2004 to 2013.
"Let me be clear at the outset that I am not judging the controversy over Bob Birgeneau’s handling of unrest at Berkeley," Mr. Bowen said. "I have neither the facts nor the inclination to do so."
The text of his speech was printed on the Business Insider website.
His speech was widely reported in newspapers and national networks Monday morning.
Mr. Bowen said it is a serious mistake for a leader of the protest against Mr. Birgeneau’s proposed honorary degree to claim that Mr. Birgeneau’s decision not to come represents a "small victory."
"It represents nothing of the kind," Mr. Bowen said. "In keeping with the views of many others in higher education, I regard this outcome as a defeat, pure and simple, for Haverford — no victory for anyone who believes, as I think most of us do, in both openness to many points of view and mutual respect."
Mr. Bowen said those who wanted to criticize Mr. Birgeneau’s handling of events at Berkeley should have encouraged him to come and engage in a genuine discussion.
"I think that Birgeneau, in turn, failed to make proper allowance for the immature, and, yes, arrogant inclinations of some protestors," Mr. Bowen said. "Aggravated as he had every right to be, I think he should be with us today."
As president of Princeton University, Mr. Bowen said he presided over a commencement at which George Shultz, then a member of Nixon’s cabinet in Vietnam days in the 1970s, was awarded an honorary degree for a lifetime of service as the quintessential public servant.
"Still, and not surprisingly, many people, and many students especially, objected to the awarding of an honorary degree to Shultz — even as the university took pains to explain that conferring an honorary degree did not imply agreement by the university, or any component of it, with all of the views and actions of the recipient," Mr. Bowen said. "That standard would effectively preclude, de facto, recognizing any person active in public life."
He said the protestors were respectful and chose to express their displeasure by standing and turning their backs when the secretary was recognized.
"Secretary Shultz, in turn, understood that the protestors had every right to express their opinion in a non-disruptive fashion, and he displayed the courage to come and accept his degree, knowing that many of the faculty and staff (a strong majority, I would guess, this person included) thought that the Nixon conduct of the Vietnam War was a tragic mistake," Mr. Bowen said. "Princeton emerged from this mini-controversy more committed than ever to honoring both the right to protest in proper ways and the accomplishments of someone with whose views on some issues many disagreed."
Mr. Bowen ended his remarks thanking Haverford for allowing him to express his personal thoughts.
"It is my hope that this regrettable set of events will prove, under President (Dan) Weiss’ leadership, to be a true ‘learning moment,’ and that Haverford will go forward, as I am confident that it will, as a great liberal arts college committed, as always, to both the principle of non-violent protest and to the enduring values of openness and respect for diverse views."
Mr. Bowen served as president of Princeton University from 1972-1988. After leaving Princeton, he became president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
