February 13, 2014
President McCartney announces Christine Lagarde of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as the commencement speaker
On the Thursday of February 13th, 2014 President McCartney, now in her second year in office, announced the 2014 Commencement speaker in a morning announcement via social media. The choice was Christine Lagarde, Managing director of the International Monetary Fund. The announcement sparked controversy across campus, and on that day a petition spearheaded by students of color asking the administration to reconsider their choice went live, which eventually gathered 502 signatures. Many students, but most vocally lower-income students and students of color took issue with Lagarde as a choice. They said it undermined the school’s commitment to lifting up marginalized voices, citing the negative impact of the IMF (International Monetary Fund) on marginalized women around the world. The administration’s decision not to rescind their invitation to Lagarde led to a chain of student led actions calling for Lagarde’s withdrawal.
Announcement tweet here
A student-written article summarizing the response & actions here
Sophian articles on the response & actions: IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde Named Commencement Speaker; Should Christine Lagarde Give Our 136th Commencement Address?; Who is Christine Lagarde and Why Should I Care?; Smith Panel Addresses History of the IMF; The Issue of the Hour: The Editorial Take On Lagarde
The petition here
[Last updated on October 20, 2018]