EUGENE–Question authority, but don’t overdo it, says this year’s University of Oregon June 16 commencement speaker.

David Schuman, a UO law school alumnus, former law professor and newly appointed judge on the Oregon Court of Appeals, in his commencement speech will urge members of the UO Class of 2001 to recognize the difference between critical thinking and cynicism.

"Colleges teach students not to take things at face value. That’s a fine thing to learn, but taken too far, this can turn into cynicism," Schuman says in his speech on "Questioning Authority." "There is value in the kind of authority that helps you embrace the basic values of your community. A true authority is someone who has been right so frequently in the past that their counsel cannot be safely ignored."

Approximately 3,000 spring-term degree candidates and about 900 fall and winter term UO graduates are eligible to participate in the 12:30 p.m. main ceremony on Saturday, June 16. Rain or shine, the commencement ceremony will be held at McArthur Court, 1601 University St. No tickets are required, and doors will open at 10:30 a.m.

Seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Graduating students will sit on the main floor; their guests will sit in the balconies. The university will accommodate any overflow crowds with closed-circuit television coverage of the ceremony available nearby in the Ballroom of the Erb Memorial Union, 1222 E. 13th Ave.

For those unable to attend the ceremony in person, Oregon Public Broadcasting for the first time this year will televise UO commencement live from 12:30—2:30 p.m. June 16. Check local listings for cable or broadcast channels.

Videotapes of commencement also will be available about one week after the ceremony for $25 each if picked up in person or $26.50 if shipped. To order in advance, call (541) 346-3048. Orders also will be taken on June 16 at Mac Court.

Schuman graduated from the UO law school in 1984 and joined the faculty in 1987. He taught constitutional law and legislative and administrative processes. His legal expertise also includes criminal procedure, human rights, and initiative and referendum. He is a highly regarded and respected teacher and received the UO’s Ersted Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1989.

His first job as a lawyer was as a clerk for Oregon Supreme Court Justice Hans Linde. Schuman then served as an assistant attorney general in the appellate division of the Oregon Department of Justice from 1985—87 under former Attorney General Dave Frohnmayer.

He took a four-year leave of absence from the UO from 1997 to 2001 to serve as deputy attorney general under Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers. Gov. John Kitzhaber appointed Schuman to the Oregon Court of Appeals on March 5.

Limited seating for commencement guests in wheelchairs or with other special mobility needs will be available on the main floor in the southeast corner of Mac Court. A sign-language interpreter will be present, and guests with impaired hearing may wish to sit in the first few rows of the southwest stands closest to the platform.

As in past years, individual schools and colleges–and several departments or special programs–will hold separate commencement ceremonies for their graduates. Generally, these smaller, more personal programs will occur on June 16, either before or after the university-wide event, but some will be held one or two days ahead. Rain plans for these events will be announced on local radio and television stations on June 15.

Campus parking will be limited and those attending are advised to arrive early. Free parking will be available in lots located at East 15th Avenue and Columbia Street, and East 14th Avenue and Kincaid Street, as well as at specially marked parking meters at the edge of campus.

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