CARBONDALE, Il. (AP) — Governor Bruce Rauner’s scheduled commencement speech at SIU is drawing some protests. The reason is in regards to the governor’s call to cut state funding to universities by 31.5 percent.

A petition was set up online asking the university to replace Rauner as a speaker at the May 16 commencement.

Rauner is scheduled to speak to graduates of the College of Business and the College of Education and Human Services in one of three graduation ceremonies that day.

Campus officials say they want Rauner to get a firsthand look at the university’s work. Rauner was invited in January to speak at SIU, before he announced his budget address in February.

 

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