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Apr. 20--DAVIE -- Some students at Nova Southeastern University say the school's move to invite author Salman Rushdie to speak at graduation is an insult and they want campus officials to reconsider their choice.
A small group of concerned undergraduate students will meet with the private university's leadership today, although NSU is unlikely to replace the author, whose 1988 novel The Satanic Verses was accused of being blasphemous to Islam.
Graduating senior Farheen Parvez said she and her family would boycott the graduation ceremony, scheduled for May 7 at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise.
"I was looking forward to my graduation, of course," said Parvez, a student leader and officer in the International Muslim Association at NSU. "Then when I found out that Salman Rushdie would be the speaker, I was appalled."
Rushdie, award-winning author of nine novels, is best known worldwide because his book, The Satanic Verses provoked an uproar in the Muslim world. In the novel, a near-death experience changes two Indian expatriates to Britain into living symbols of good and evil, who then go through a series of dreams and revelations.
In announcing Rushdie as a speaker, NSU officials praised him as an example of "higher education's central role in the open, uncensored examination of social, cultural and religious issues."
"Most importantly, he's an outspoken advocate of freedom of expression, which is a critical core value of the university," said Don Rosenblum, dean of NSU's undergraduate school.
Choosing Rushdie was not meant to insult anyone, Rosenblum said.
"I'm concerned for students who think it's intended as an affront," he said. "[Because] it's not. ... I hope through conversations in classrooms or person to person, we can reassure them."
Rushdie, being paid an undisclosed speaking fee, also will receive an honorary doctorate at the NSU ceremony.
A media representative for Random House, Rushdie's book publisher, could not be reached for comment.
Rosenblum said that universities look for "stature and significance" when selecting a lead speaker for graduation ceremonies. He also said that the bulk of the feedback from the NSU community so far on Rushdie had been positive.
Faculty suggested Rushdie as the keynote speaker because he fits well with NSU's yearlong study of the theme of "Good and Evil," Rosenblum said.
The university has explored that theme through classroom activities and public events such as panel discussions on the Rwanda genocide and a speech from Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel.
"If he was here for any other event, that would have been fine, because that's optional," said Parvez, a biology major. "But having him at graduation, it's not appropriate because that's for the families and for the students."
Besides concerns based on Rushdie's writing, students also expressed worries over safety.
"Who is to say there is not someone willing to try and kill him while inflicting harm to everyone else at the ceremony?" said NSU student Randy Rodriguez-Torres in an editorial published in this week's NSU student newspaper.
In 1989, Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran issued a fatwa, a religious edict, calling for the execution of Rushdie and placed a $3 million bounty on his head.
Khomeini later died and the Iranian government effectively withdrew the fatwa in 1998.
In recent years, Rushdie gradually has resumed a public life, speaking at universities and making other appearances.
Rosenblum said security at the ceremony would be similar to that for previous special events. Rushdie did not ask for added security, he said.
Though she disagreed with the choice of Rushdie, NSU student Sadia Dandia said she planned to attend the commencement. "I don't think a speaker should prevent anyone from going to their graduation ceremony. It's not something you can get back."
Douane D. James can be reached at ddjames@sun-sentinel.com or 954-385-7930.
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