President Clinton’s visit to campus is a credit to the university and its accomplishments.

Clinton will speak at Breslin Student Events Center today to honor the men’s basketball team’s NCAA Championship and reflect on his presidency.

Today’s speech not only brings attention and respect to the basketball team, but to the university as a whole. This is Clinton’s fifth visit to MSU in eight years. Previously, the last sitting president to visit the university was Theodore Roosevelt in 1907.

During his first visit, in September 1992, Clinton held a rally at Beaumont Tower. In October of the same year, Clinton participated in a presidential debate against then-President George Bush and Reform Party candidate Ross Perot at the Wharton Center. In 1995, Clinton gave the commencement speech at MSU. His last visit was in 1996 when MSU was a visit on Clinton’s whistle stop campaign for re-election.

Clinton has spent his presidency trying to improve benefits to those pursuing a higher education and should be welcomed at any institution of learning. In Clinton’s 1996 campaign stop, he pledged to make education a priority in his second term.

Clinton has felt a connection to MSU. Recently, in a Rolling Stone interview, Clinton said his 1995 commencement speech at the university turned the tide against anti-government feelings after the Oklahoma City bombing.

Today’s visit is a credit to MSU, not just because it is the only university the president plans on visiting in his last weeks in office, but because MSU did not invite Clinton to speak; his staff sought out the university. While his speech makes up for a canceled basketball team visit to the White House because of a Middle East peace summit last summer, Clinton did not owe the team or the university.

Clinton has no ulterior motive to speak at the university. Now that he has no one to campaign for, and being at the end of his term, no particular platform or agenda to promote. This speech is in no way something Clinton has to do.

Because of the rarity of this occasion and the unique opportunity for MSU, professors should be lenient toward students who choose to attend the speech instead of going to class. There is more to education than the classroom experience and this is an opportunity that should not be missed. Instructors have canceled classes and been understanding for basketball games and other events in the past; it would only seem an appropriate gesture for an event like this.

This is also a good opportunity for students and the public to get involved politically. Seeing the president speak may spark more interest in politics. Students should be encouraged to get involved in the political process in any way they can.

Despite personal views on Clinton as a person and a politician, it is an honor to have the president come to the university. The university and all those affiliated with it should take pride in Clinton’s visit and in MSU.