YAF's Annual Commencement Survey: Liberals Outnumber Conservatives 6-to-1

A timely post about from www.yaf.org about commencement speeches, including Michelle Obama, who is highlighted by VDARE here. This follows this post about Sofia Vergara. 
You can follow me here.

YAF's 23rd Annual Commencement Survey: Liberals Outnumber Conservatives 6-to-1

             http://www.yaf.org/forms/campusactivismguide2015.html  

 

Posted by Patrick Coyle

Email Print

Young America’s Foundation’s (YAF) 23rd annual Commencement Speakers Survey reveals liberal speakers are dominating the 2015 commencement speakers’ circuit.

Every year, YAF surveys the commencement speakers from the top 100 universities, as ranked by US News and World Report. Some of the critical findings include:

• Among the top 100 universities: liberal speakers outnumber conservatives 6-to-1.
• Among the top 50 universities: the ratio increases to 9 liberals for every 1 conservative.
• Among the top 10 universities: there were 0 conservatives and 9 liberal speakers.

Not one conservative official currently serving in office was scheduled to speak. Current liberal officials—including Vice President Joe Biden, Governor Terry McAuliffe, Senator Michael Bennet, Congressman John Lewis, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti—all received invitations to share their ideas. Among the top 100 universities, only one conservative public policy official, President George W. Bush, was schedule to speak. Liberal office-holders and office-seekers were scheduled to speak at nine schools.

The data also shows favoritism by these universities toward Obama administration officials. Nine Obama administration appointees are speakers in 2015—compared to 14 George W. Bush administration officials for the entire eight years of Bush’s presidency.

This bias toward liberal speakers is an established trend: in 2014, the ratio was five-to-one; in 2013, four-to-one; in 2012, seven-to-one.

Ron Robinson, president of Young America’s Foundation, said, “Higher education preaches inclusion and diversity, while largely excluding conservative leaders from campuses. This is exactly why Young America’s Foundation has the largest conservative campus speaker series in the country—because our speakers will likely be the only conservatives students hear from in college.”

YAF’s full survey, including methodology, can be found here. YAF determines speaker ideology by surveying speakers’ public FEC records, searchable public statements and endorsements, and their service in elected or appointed office.

• Readers' Comments