SUNY New Paltz News Pulse: May 22, 2006

Commencement address to appear on C-SPAN

Arthur Sulzberger Jr., publisher of The New York Times, received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the college at the ceremony and gave a speech, which included humor, an apology and a plea.

New York Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr.’s commencement speech will be one of 40 commencement addresses from around the nation to be aired on C-SPAN television this weekend.

Sulzberger’s speech had humor: “This is my first ever commencement speech and, depending on your reviews, maybe my last.” He apologized to the graduates as well for not following through on what he had hoped to do after his graduation day in 1974:
“...we entered the real world committed to making it a better, safer, cleaner, more equal place,” he said. “We were determined not to repeat the mistakes of our predecessors. We had seen the horrors and futility of war and smelled the stench of corruption in government. Our children, we vowed, would never know that. So, well, sorry. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.”

He made a plea: “...my plea is: engage. Our world needs you. It needs your energy and your caring; it needs your commitment and your values....”

He also shared wisdom through his work as a media executive: “Yes, it’s important that those of us at The New York Times have the courage of our own convictions and defend the rights of our journalists to protect their sources.... But those big decisions rest on a stable foundation which has been built by thousands of small decisions...”

Sulzberger also received his first ever honorary degree from the college at Sunday’s ceremony.

For a complete transcript of his speech, visit www.newpaltz.edu/commencement. If you are interested in seeing Sulzberger give his speech, visit C-SPAN’s Web site and click on TV Schedules.

Congressman Maurice Hinchey ('68,'70g) received the Presidential Medal in recognition of his support for New Paltz and higher education.

Valedictorian Fitz Drummond (Finance, Management)

Dr. H. Faruk Karadogan of Istanbul Technical University, Ayazaga Campus, Turkey.

MAY 22, 2006
Volume 4, Issue 10

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