The Board of Trustees unanimously voted to apologize and re-invite Oscar winner and PCC alumnus Dustin Lance Black as the 2014 commencement speaker Wednesday night, after receiving a recommendation from the administration earlier Wednesday.
Controversy arose over commencement speaker choices after Black, who was on the board-approved shortlist of potential speakers, said he was disinvited by the college to speak. According to administration officials, they feared sexually explicit photos of Black, that had surfaced on the internet in 2006, would tarnish the school’s reputation.
“The Board earnestly hopes that Mr. Black will accept its invitation to speak and to begin to heal the breach in our relationship with an alumnus whom the Board greatly admires…” the recommendation said. “In the event Mr. Black is not available, the Board further authorizes the superintendent-President to conduct the 2014 Commencement exercises in a manner ‘friendly to the graduates and their families’ but with no outside speaker.”
This story is developing and will be updated.
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Instead of “BREAKING,” the headline should read “From the ‘too little, too late’ file.”
This administration is just pathetic; this shows how the previous announcement about the commencement fiasco was all a lie.
I agree… too little, too late…But not too late to get rid of the administration and the BOT!
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/dustin-lance-black-speaks-pasadena-city-college-officials-created-toxic-and-dishonest-atmosphere/
The administration isn’t recommending anything. They were forced into doing this by the trustees. Rocha will either resign or be fired for cause because he repeatedly used college staff and resources to lie to the public.