<rly last week, Carleton students, faculty and staff received an email announcing the cancellation of S. E. Cupp’s convocation speech, which had been planned for today.
A conservative writer, culture critic and political commentator, Cupp was scheduled to deliver a convocation about stereotypes associated with the right end of the political spectrum, just as Republican Presidential campaigning is at its height.
Cupp is the author of “Why You’re Wrong About the Right” and “Losing Our Religion: The Liberal Media’s Attack on Our Christianity.” Though her speech likely would have sparked interesting dialogue around campus, neither students nor faculty contacted Director of Events Kerry Raadt with comment after he distributed the email last week.
Cupp’s booking agency contacted Raadt, saying that an unavoidable conflict prevented the political pundit from coming to Carleton. Because all other convocation dates are full for the rest of the year, they were unable to reschedule.
Raadt recalls only one other time in his 15 years of working at Carleton that a convocation speaker canceled so close to the scheduled presentation date.
“The speaker was on his way to Minnesota and one of his connecting flights got canceled so he was stranded in Detroit,” he said.
To replace Cupp on such short notice, Raadt added, would have been “paying for a ‘canned’ speech just to fill the date and would have compromised the integrity of the convocations program, since we expect speakers to make a thoughtful connection to the Carleton community with their presentation.”
Cupp and her booking agency did not respond to an email from The Carletonian. Because she did not speak today, the college did not pay Cupp. More information about the speaker can be found at www.redsecupp.com.