When you attend a small university half an hour outside the biggest city in the world, (New York), you tend to get overlooked for major opportunities, (when big name figures want to speak in the area, chances are you'll see them at more reputed places like NYU), so naturally when word got round that this morning, former presidential candidate John Kerry, was scheduled by the college democrats to speak on the war in Iraque, it was a pretty big deal, so much so that some (including mine)professors cancelled classes to allow their students to attend this event. He was to be accompanied by current incumbent senator from the State of New Jersey Robert Menendez who just happened to be up for election. The event was *not* intended to be a rally of any sort, rather a true speech, as a thank you to the university for support shown thus far during Menendez's run for reelection. The college dems have been very active in campaigning for Menendez and therefore assumably had a particularly strong relationship with him. A broadcast email went out using a system the university uses to contact the entire university community (which not all university members got for some reason), stating clearly that the event was *not* university sponsored. This was a good choice, on the University's part, protecting their own backsides as it were. After all it was an event put on by a student group. However when students awoke this morning, the following was in their mailboxs.
The College Democrats invited Senators John Kerry and Robert Menendez to speak today at Seton Hall University. The topic of their comments was to be the
War in Iraq.

It is not the practice of Seton Hall University to host politicians in an election season without also hosting their political opponents, lest the University
Be seen to endorse particular political candidates.

Given the last-minute nature of this program, the insufficient planning and in view of our practice, this event has been cancelled.

We apologize to the College Democrats and to all members of the Seton Hall community.


While I'm not going to sit here and say that the university has no right to govern what events happen here, I will say this shows extremely poor tact and strategy on their behalf. The event was not the University as a whole hosting the individuals; rather it was an organization on campus student run hosting speakers, something they are supposed to do. I really wonder what the finer details here must've been, but I personally feel that this is in itself sencership of a student group.
For a school who has what is viewed by many as one of the top international relations school in the country takes this kind of action one must really shake their heads, I'd really like to say this is a bad bad move, and i hope that more then just myself demonstrate that this is the case. Beyond the actual act, the last minute nature makes the university look highly unprofessional and I smell just a little bias.