Carleton College’s Steven Poskanzer, writing in Inside Higher Education: “The annual spring ritual … largely avoidable controversies over invitations to commencement speakers and the granting of honorary degrees, often spiced with self-righteous remarks and performative gestures by individuals who were given a few minutes at the speaker’s podium for quite different purposes. As the expected litany of outrage once again unrolls, one has to ask: Why do we make the same mistakes year after year and open ourselves to the same political crossfire? Are there no lessons to be drawn to avoid stepping into this obvious manure pile? In fact, such lessons exist and ought to be followed.” Read his critique and recommendations here.