Vice President Dick Cheney attempted to beat his wife’s record for commencement speaking brevity at Friday’s undergraduate spring convocation.

He didn’t beat it, but he came pretty close.

“She’s been clocked at under five minutes,” Cheney told 5,518 graduates and their guests gathered at Breslin Center. “After years of tests and term papers, after hundreds of hours in the classroom, something tells me that you’re not all that excited about hearing another lecture.”

In his eight minute address, Cheney told the graduating class that although life plans are important, they should be aware that plans can change at any moment, much like his did. He discussed his decision to become President George W. Bush’s running mate two years ago - a path Cheney, who believed his time in public office was over, never thought he’d take.

“I was even thinking about growing a beard,” he said, poking fun at former Vice President Al Gore.

Cheney, who got a master’s degree from the University of Wyoming, is the fourth sitting vice president to speak at commencement, following Alben Barkley in 1950, Richard Nixon in 1957 and Hubert Humphrey in 1966. He last visited campus in August 2000, while making a brief campaign stop by train with President George W. Bush.

His trip to campus Friday was also short. The vice president said he wasn’t able to tour campus, but had heard about its main features.

“In the briefing before I came, I learned about some of the hallowed sites of Michigan State - Beaumont Tower, the statue of Sparty, the library, Wells Hall, the Peanut Barrel, the Landshark,” he said to laughs and applause from the crowd.

Despite the humor Cheney used in his speech, some graduates felt his message to be prepared for life’s changes remained strong.

“It was short and sweet and to the point,” child development graduate Sara Proctor said. “I thought it was just right. It applied to us.”

Provost Lou Anna Simon called the speech perfect.

“I’ve heard a great number of commencement speeches and I thought he had a great delivery and that he connected with the audience,” she said. “I think it was about the right length for a graduation.”

Cheney confirmed that he would be this year’s commencement speaker Monday, ending speculation for more than a month about who would give the keynote address. MSU normally announces its graduation speakers in early April, but the vice president’s schedule isn’t announced more than 48 hours in advance for security reasons.

“I thought his speech was warm and wise,” MSU President M. Peter McPherson said of the vice president’s comments. “I’ve known Cheney for some time and frankly, this is Cheney. He’s thoughtful and he’s interested in people, and he gave thoughtful advice on life.”

McPherson served with Cheney in the Ford administration, where he served as chief of staff.

Cheney was elected to the U.S. House in 1976, representing his home state of Wyoming. And he served the GOP as chairman of the Republican Policy Committee from 1981 to 1987 and as chairman of the House Republican Conference in 1987. In 1988, he was elected House minority whip.

Cheney joined the Bush administration in 1989, and served until January 1993 as secretary of defense, overseeing U.S. operations in the Persian Gulf.

Because of increased security at commencement, the university required tickets for the event and asked graduates and guests to come three hours early to go through medical detectors and other security measures.

Tickets were also required for commencement speeches by President Clinton in 1995 and World Bank President James Wolfensohn in 2000.

Officials said Friday’s event went smoothly, although about 40 people protested Cheney’s visit outside Breslin Center. The small crowd was protesting Cheney’s involvement with the oil industry, the Bush administration’s economic policy and the war on terrorism.

“As far as Cheney speaking at MSU, he just doesn’t belong where he is,” philosophy junior Daniel Brooks. “I don’t feel comfortable with him in office. It speaks poorly for MSU.”

But students inside Breslin remained largely positive about the vice president’s visit.

“I would’ve liked another five minutes of Cheney,” said Stephen LeCerf, and interdisciplinary studies in social science graduate.

But LeCerf said he was more concerned about Cheney’s noticeable injury than he was about the length of the speech.

Cheney walked onto the stage with the aid of a crutch under one arm and McPherson at the other. Cheney suffered from an inflamed Achilles tendon after hitting his foot on a table in his residence a little more than a week ago.

“I’m disappointed I didn’t hear about his crutch,” LeCerf said.

Other speakers at Friday’s commencement included MSU Board of Trustees Chairperson Don Nugent, the provost, the co-chairpersons of the Senior Class Council and senior speaker Robin Sloan.

Sloan, an economics graduate who began the literary magazine Oats his freshman year, spoke about heritage.

“You get to choose your life, you get to choose your legacy,” Sloan said. “It’s thinking of next year’s freshman, or the class of 2020.”