Trump's "Commencement-Adjacent" Speech at University of Alabama

I believe that a few fair and germane questions should be asked about the planned involvement of Trump at a Commencement related event at the University of Alabama. The first question would be: “who proposed or initiated plans for the event?” I would speculate that, while Gov. Ivey is not known for her respect for academia or education, the impetus for the event probably did not come from her office or that of the University President. At least the event apparently will not be mandatory or included in the formal ceremony of awarding degrees, and neither students nor faculty will be compelled to attend if they should choose not to support the event.

Trump is known to be fundamentally transactional, among other traits. His primary tools of “negotiation” are the proverbial “carrot and stick.” He will either offer financial inducements to get compliance with his wishes or threaten serious punishments if his wishes are not complied with. This brings the second question: “did Trump threaten [express or implied] to cut federal funding for University of Alabama if it did not accommodate a “platform” at Commencement?” While the background politics in Alabama are favorable to Trump, the University leadership must have realized that providing Trump a “bully pulpit” at the academic ceremony would only tarnish the reputation of the institution. After all, Trump has many attributes, but none of them are related to education, intellectualism, or academic excellence.

The next logical question that should be asked is: “who benefits financially from the planned event?” It is reported that the event will take place in university facilities but will be “ticketed.” It is not reported how much the tickets will cost, but they will not likely be cheap. Where will the ticket proceeds go? Trump is well known as a “grifter,” with his fake for-profit university, sales of signed Bibles, sneakers, coins with his image, selling US citizenship for $5 million coin purchase, and other scams. He also has a long history of convening rallies requiring significant local security and traffic control costs, and then leaving without paying the local authorities who get stuck with the bill for such expenses. Keep in mind also that US taxpayers are fully funding Trump’s visit to Tuscaloosa, including security. So there is no reason to charge admission for the event, unless it is a fund raiser for the University. If the funds are going to Trump’s “campaign accounts” [and note that he has nothing to campaign for any longer] then he is prostituting the University of Alabama for personal gain. So, who will get the ticket proceeds??

The last, and probably most speculative question is: "whether there is some plan to award Trump an “honorary degree?” While it is understood that such awards are ceremonial, they have traditionally been used to recognize serious accomplishments in public service or education. To award an honorary degree is to place the institution’s reputation and imprimatur behind the endorsement of the recipient. Trump has cut funding for academic research at internationally recognized centers for academic excellence and is in the process of dismantling the US Department of Education. He has labeled academics as “left wing lunatics” and disparaged higher education, while pressuring universities to reverse efforts to diversify opportunities for higher education to students who have heretofore been marginalized and discriminated against in admissions and access. Whether liberal or conservative, each graduate of the University of Alabama was provided the atmosphere, resources, and opportunity to study, formulate and debate their understanding and views about their professions, their society and the world. To grant Trump any such an “honorary” accolade, even if only ceremonial, is to denigrate any degree previously awarded by the University of Alabama, and to insult every Bama alumnus.