The entire world turned its gaze to the U during the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 Olympics. Under the soft lenses of NBC cameras, our campus shined like a newly polished gem.

Unfortunately, the Olympic exposure didn’t help the Board of Trustees select this year’s commencement speaker.

This criticism is in no way a slight against Christine Durham, the chief justice of the Utah Supreme Court who will speak at the May 10 ceremony. She is the first woman appointed to the Court as well as the first woman chief justice. Her accomplishments are well documented, and she is a deserving speaker.

However, in a year of unprecedented international attention brought on by the tragedy of Sept. 11 and the spectacle that was the Olympics, surely the U could have attracted a speaker that could discuss both topics from a wealth of experience.

The Games brought dignitaries from many different spheres to our state and our campus. Surprisingly, the allure of speaking at the campus that was at the heart of the biggest party this country has seen in a long time didn’t strike the fancy of an international player.

Tom Ridge, the newly appointed director of homeland defense, works daily to stop future terrorism attacks. He was also involved in Olympic security measures. He would be an optimal candidate to address this graduating class. People could make a case for a number of other politicians, scholars and international personalities as well.

Surely, Durham will offer students a stellar speech with worthwhile advice, but students would have benefitted this year by hearing from someone who could tell us about the chaotic international community this year’s graduates will now enter.

Whether administrators failed to attract a speaker with a more international bend due to a lack of finances or simply because they didn’t try is a moot point now. Durham will hopefully use the podium to discuss her achievements in the legal sector and how they relate strongly to the lives of students.