Chancellor Mark Emmert confirmed rumors Thursday that President George W. Bush will speak at the University’s spring commencement.
“The president said he’d love to come,” Emmert said in a phone call to The Reveille.
Emmert said he had been working “very hard with a variety of political and corporate leaders” to secure Bush as a speaker for the May 21 event.
Commencement is scheduled to start at 9:45 a.m.
Because of security concerns about the president’s visit, attendance to the ceremony will be limited.
University Registrar Robert Doolos sent broadcast e-mails to graduating seniors and graduate degree candidates March 18 telling them to plan ahead for a high-profile speaker, but he did not confirm who that speaker would be.
Graduates will each be allotted four tickets for their guests to attend the ceremony at the PMAC. Graduates also will need a “graduate” ticket to present along with their University IDs when they enter the PMAC, according to the e-mail.
Guest and graduate tickets can be picked up at the Union Box Office Monday from April 12 to 23 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Any leftover tickets will be given out “one or two” per graduate from April 27 to 30 at the box office, Doolos said in the e-mail. Any remaining will be distributed to University faculty, staff and students on a first come, first served basis beginning May 4.
But Doolos said the number of allotted tickets could change.
“We have to review security requirements,” Doolos said. “We’re looking at whether we can give four out.”
Doolos said he would send out another broadcast e-mail to inform graduating students of any changes.
Vice President Dick Cheney was scheduled to speak at the spring 2003 commencement, but canceled because of a vote on a tax cut proposal in the U.S. Senate.
The vice president serves as president of the Senate and casts the tie-breaking vote in the event of a tie.
Lynne Cheney, the vice president’s wife, spoke in his place at the University’s 250th commencement.
Bush’s LSU address is one of only three university speeches he is scheduled to deliver. Bush is scheduled to speak at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Concordia University, a liberal arts school, in Mequon, Wis.
Calls to the White House about further security details were not returned by press time Thursday.