Baldwin won't uplift at graduation

When I learned that Alec Baldwin would be speaking at my graduation, I have to say that I was pretty disappointed. Many of my fellow graduates will claim that they don't care who delivers the speech. A bunch of them are in the "I'm not even gonna go to graduation" crowd. But even these rebels could probably think of an admirable person whom they'd turn out to see.

We only graduate from college once, and a commencement speaker highlights the transition from our last few minutes as students to the first few as "real people." Regardless of the speaker's field, he should have a history of leadership that makes him an effective and inspirational model. It makes sense that NYU recently chose a Supreme Court justice and a Secretary of State to advise us at this overwhelming turning point in our lives. But this year's choice seems to fall a bit short.

I have no problem with an actor speaking at graduation. Baldwin is a talented comedian, and he has the awards to prove it. But let's be honest: This guy is no Meryl Streep. He's not even a George Clooney.

Wondering if Baldwin's $1 million donation to Tisch last year had anything to do with his selection, I turned to omniscient NYU spokesman John Beckman. He wrote back to me saying that honorees are chosen because "they have a record of achievement that can be held up as an example to our graduating students."

But should we be valuing a career full of on-camera achievements over character? We all remember his infamous rant to his 11-year-old daughter, telling her she didn't "have the brains or the decency as a human being [to answer her phone]." This is just the beginning of a laundry list of evidence that suggests Baldwin is no Mother Teresa.

But even putting that aside, I find it rather ironic that my commencement speaker is going to be the same man that didn't show up to our convocation ceremony during Welcome Week 2006. The school had said he'd be greeting us at the beginning of our NYU careers, but we were informed halfway through the event that he wouldn't be able to make it. Isn't it a little strange that Baldwin, of all people, was chosen to be one of the first and last memories of my graduating class?

Clearly NYU is hoping that we overlook these flaws and focus on Baldwin's success as an actor. But if we are to use career accomplishments alone as the standard for what makes "an example for our graduating students," it begs a question for the selection committee: Did Tiger Woods make the short list this year?