U-M: Gov To Speak Despite Student Protest

(Ann Arbor-WWJ) Despite some student opposition, the University of Michigan says its decision to invite Gov. Rick Snyder to deliver the spring commencement address will stand.

Meantime, the school's Board of Regents meets Thursday in Detroit to decide whether to confer an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on Snyder, a U of M graduate who already has three Michigan degrees.

Student Rick Durance created an online petition in opposition to having Snyder speak. By late Tuesday afternoon, more than 36 hundred names were listed.

Durance is upset over Snyder's proposed cuts to education funding. In addition, he thinks U of M should find a more inspirational speaker to deliver the April 30 address at Michigan Stadium. "They don't find our governor inspirational, which I think is telling," Durance told AnnArbor.com.

A U of M statement says the school will stand by its tradition of inviting a newly elected governor to deliver the commencement address and receive an honorary degree.

(Copyright 2011 WWJ Newsradio 950. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press And AnnArbor.com Contributed To This Report.)