Reconsider the Smith College 2014 Commencement Speaker

This choice has caused an uproar. Maybe it's time to be considered. I'm not sure how she is a reasonable choice after Rachel Maddow and Arianna Huffington, and especially after electing this progressive new president of ours..,

I am frustrated by this choice, especially given the hypocrisy of claiming Smithies are "Women for the World" while simultaneously honoring an institution that actively benefits only the Global North. This choice yet another public demonstration that Smith, while touting racial, geographic and economic diversity numbers, is only paying lip service to the idea the that globalization can benefit everyone.

time to listen to your students, Smith.

Seriously, I am extremely disappointed with this choice and hope that together we can remedy this misrepresentation

Utterly disgusted that Smith has chosen to host someone from the IMF, an organization that has proven itself to be nothing but imperialistic, ineffective, and oppressive. The fact that Smith announced this by Twitter during a snow day instead of at a more accessible and expected platform (Rally Day???) proves that they're trying to sweep this under the rug. The Smith community will not stand for this.

After 4 years and many tend of thousands of dollars I have to express my disappointment at the choice of commencement speaker and therefore an honorary member of Smith. While I am sure the choice is an accomplished woman so am I and many other woman. The lessons my daughter has been taught at Smith will enable her to be an accomplished woman herself. This alone does not me or her an appropriate commencement speaker. After reading the bio what I see is someone who is not inline with the wonderful lessons that Smith represents. It does not have to be someone famous but should be someone that represents the values. I do not mean to be disrespectful to the speaker only mindful of someone that my daughter believes represents her

I am disappointed in this choice of speaker, and in the way it was announced in a way that makes me believe administration knows this was something the student body would not support.

I am thoroughly disappointed with Smith College for choosing Christine Lagarde as a speaker and urge the institution to stand up against economic inequality and oppression by reconsidering a new alternative for a commencement speaker. We are better than this. I am proud to be a Smith College woman, and I do not want this to be a part of our legacy.

Fuck this shit

This choice of commencement speaker is like a slap in the face. I understand the whole strong-female-leadership-thing but what about the ethical, moral, and honorable component? Something I have learned while here at Smith is to stand up against corrupt systems. Christine Lagarde and her direct association with the IMF, an organization that has been shown again and again to promote inequalities, is the exact opposite of what I imagine a Smith College commencement speaker to be.

I'm so disappointed. I get that she's a powerful woman who's probably worked very hard to be where she is, but that isn't enough - the value system behind that has to be in tune with Smith and what we are as a community - and frankly, this was a pretty terrible choice.

As a smith alum (class of 2010) I would just like to add my two cents in. With all due respect I disagree with this petition not because I think the IMF is a great organization but because change has never come from silence. I have worked in DC now for 4 years in international relations and while I would have signed this in a heartbeat when I was at Smith, now seeing all of the issues that have come as a result of the lack of true dialogue in DC and around the world you might understand why I think a petition to have a conversation with C. Lagarde might be more constructive. I can understand some people just might not want her at all, but for the people who actually know and care about what the IMF does, I would think they might want to give her and the organization some food for thought the way I know us Smithies are capable of. Of course this is not my graduation so it's not for me to say and I have nothing but respect for the decision of the class of 2014, but I just thought I would present an alternate view. This was done on my phone so please excuse the brevity.

I am very disappointed.

The thoughtful comments of my fellow Smithties speak my mind very well. I am proud to be a Smithie. I am not proud of the current choice of commencement speaker.

I believe there could of been a much better choice about commencement speaker for this year. I support my fellow Smithies in saying that Smith College should reconsider the 2014 Commencement speaker and issue an apology to the entire Smith community for such a poor choice. Ada Comstock 13'

As a Smith alum, I am very embarrassed by the choice of an IMF head as commencement speaker. Commencement speakers are meant to be inspiring, not divisive.

I strongly agree with the comments of my fellow Smithies and the conditions of this petition as stated. I strongly encourage that Smith College rethink this atrocious decision which goes against everything that we as the Smith Community support.

Really trying to be a proud Smith alum, don't make it this hard!

As an alumna of Smith College, I don't think this woman should be speaking to our graduating class. Aside from the atrocities that her corporation fosters, I also don't think that we should have someone who has financially benefitted from this type of injustice speaking to graduates, and setting them up for a reality that simply does not exist anymore. Rather, the commencement speaker should be someone who encourages the graduating class to fight for what is right, to stand up for what they believe in, and to do what they are called to do in this world, not trample upon those who are lesser in this world. I don't think this woman fairly represents by any means what Smith stands for, and if she does, then I don't recognize my alma mater of 3 years anymore.

With all due respect to the many views aired on this forum, perhaps I could share my views on why I think this petition is unnecessary and blowing this way out of proportion. First and foremost, it is good to remember that a commencement speech is, as speechwriter Anthony Trendl aptly writes: "an opportunity to share your experience, values and advice. The precise form is up to you. This affords the speaker a platform to say amazing, unlimited things." This means that Christine Lagarde's coming to Smith gives all of us an opportunity to listen to a remarkably accomplished woman dish out general life advice and the usual "what-I'd-have-done-instead-if-I-were-22-again", and how she achieved success and finding her place in the professional world as a woman. Her purpose is NOT to propagate any questionable IMF policies, beliefs or anything at all about her professional career. It is not even required of you to harbour positive feelings towards her or the IMF. Listening to her speak for half an hour about her LIFE - not the IMF's policies - doesn't mean you are aligned with the IMF's policies. Let us take a look at her numerous accomplishments and accolades, which I've copied and pasted for your convenience from Wikipedia: - A noted antitrust and labor lawyer, Lagarde became the first female chairman of the international law firm Baker & McKenzie. - On 16 November 2009, the Financial Times ranked her the best Minister of Finance in the Eurozone. - Minister of Agriculture and Fishing and Minister of Trade - Minister of Economic Affairs, Finance and Employment - Lagarde was the first woman to become finance minister of a G8 economy, and is the first woman to head the IMF. - Christine Lagarde was named Officier in the Légion d'honneur in April 2012. Look at that. I'm excited at hearing HER speak. Now: I am in no way supporting the corrupt practices of the IMF. What I am asking you to do, however, is to reconsider her legacy, and the fact that Christine