WHAT DOES “diversity” mean on Grounds today? Student reaction to the University’s announcement of Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III, a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, as its commencement speaker this year has thrust this question into the spotlight. Some University students have launched an effort to challenge the selection of Wilkinson in the name of protecting “diversity” and many have written about their opposition on the pages of The Cavalier Daily.
This growing effort shows that too often, diversity is absent from the one facet of Grounds life where it is essential: intellectual life.
During his illustrious career, Wilkinson has served as a professor at the Law School, a deputy assistant U.S. Attorney General, an editor of the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, a U.S. Supreme Court law clerk and a soldier in the U.S. Army. His accomplishments equal or surpass past University commencement speakers. Some of the last 25 speakers include a former university president, a best-selling novelist, a Virginia Supreme Court Justice, a former First Lady, the Governor of Virginia and multiple U.S. Senators. All these public figures had inspiring stories to share. Wilkinson is no different.
On top of these accomplishments, Wilkinson is a particularly appropriate speaker because he is a University graduate, Charlottesville resident and friend of the University. If all these factors were not enough, he is a charismatic speaker with a contagious personality.
With his long career in public service, well-respected national reputation and love for the University, he is a great choice. However, some students dissent in the name of diversity.
Supporters purport to use “diversity” synonymously with open-mindedness; they argue for the University administration to hire a “dean for diversity,” for the faculty to offer a wider variety of classes and for students to sign a “diversity pledge.” They sing the virtues of learning about people from different places with different points of view. Yet, when it comes to listening to someone with a reputation for being politically conservative, that supposed open-mindedness quickly dissipates.
Because some students disagree with a few of Wilkinson’s opinions, they are quick to claim that his opinions are discriminatory and illustrate political bias. Opinion columnist Amelia Meyer described one “problem” with his selection: “It is that his political biases will alienate a large number of students when a commencement speaker should bring students together.” Others have complained about the need to protect diversity, claiming that inviting Wilkinson is against the University’s long-standing goals of diversity. But where is their support for diversity when it comes to a more politically conservative public figure?
These students argue that because some of Wilkinson’s rulings are disagreeable to them, he is offensive. Their message is: If you disagree with someone on a few issues, that person is automatically offensive, discriminatory and alienating — and therefore, should have no place on grounds. This is the opposite of true intellectual diversity.
Some of the students supporting this effort are hiding behind process arguments, claiming that students should have a bigger role in the selection of the commencement speaker. Currently, a committee of students and faculty members gives the University president a list of 10 speakers, from which he invites one. This process has been in place for years. No one complained about the selection process when author John Grisham, a well-known high-dollar Democratic fundraiser, was selected, or even after his speech, in which he hit on hot-button political issues such as the Vietnam War and global warming.
That a conservative judge does not fit within the definition of diversity on Grounds reveals how far we have to go to achieve diversity in the academy. Unfortunately, we have settled for descriptive diversity, such as race and sex, rather than reaching for intellectual diversity.
I hope that Wilkinson takes the opportunity to address diversity in his commencement speech. This would help complete our education.
Karin Agness is a third-year student in the Law School and a 2006 graduate of the College.
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