Turning Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III into some sort of pariah on the pages of The Cavalier Daily and on the various listservs University students use to communicate with each other is nothing short of disgraceful. Wilkinson is a warm, congenial, and funny speaker. He loves the University and will doubtlessly have some enjoyable stories and inspiring words for the students walking the Lawn this spring. I’ve not seen an instance of a beat reporter or columnist contacting any students at the University who have heard Wilkinson speak (there are 370 of us in the 2011 Law School Class), and castigating the choice of a speaker because of so called conservative judicial opinions is ridiculous — and I speak as a strong Democrat. Should there be a political litmus test for commencement speakers weeding out any with viewpoints that some might find objectionable we’ll be sure to have boring, irrelevant speakers for decades to come. Additionally, making the claim that the University should make celebrity status paramount in its decision is laughable. That students haven’t heard of Wilkinson or immediately assume a federal judge will be a bore only shows closed mindedness. Some of the best, most inspiring, and memorable speakers you’ll find don’t have television shows, record deals, or best seller status. Wilkinson is a dedicated public servant, connected to the University, and I for one trust and applaud President John T. Casteen III’s choice and suggest that students not poison commencement trying to discredit the speaker.
Read More
Letters to the Editor: The resignation of University President Jim Ryan
July 23, 2025Following this resignation, The Cavalier Daily has received letters from the University community which provide various perspectives on what this moment means to them and to the University’s future.
TURNER: The ‘95-5’ statistic on viewpoints diversity leaves out the majority
By Sarah Turner | June 19, 2025Political contributions are likely a weak proxy for the presence of diverse perspectives in the classroom environment.
VEGA: In defense of President Jim Ryan
By Keoni Vega | June 5, 2025Should the raucous Jefferson Council and related conservative groups succeed in their effort to oust President Ryan, the University will enter a new phase that will be unrecognizable to most of its current students and staff.
