Bill Hall, the longtime Ohio State vice president for student affairs, accepted an invitation to be the spring commencement speaker after a unanimous recommendation by the commencement committee.

“It was absolutely a complete surprise to be chosen,” Hall said. “I had no idea given the kinds of people that were being talked about. When the president called, (the feeling was) one of sheer joy and sheer terror to put together a speech of that magnitude.”

Hall was the undisputed selection of the commencement committee after The Lantern named him “the ultimate Buckeye” in an editorial on April 6 that highlighted Hall’s demonstrable courage in his battle against pancreatic and liver cancer, and his 28 years of dedication to OSU students, said Bill Murphy, chair of the commencement committee and special assistant to the president for national media.

“As soon as the idea came up, a number of us began discussing the idea of inviting Bill and got really excited,” Murphy said. “He exemplifies a lot of qualities that you hope a commencement speaker will have. I’ve worked closely with him on a number of student-related issues and he is so deeply devoted to students. It seemed like a perfect match.”

Hall was released from a one-week hospital stay yesterday morning after doctors discovered he was having an irregular heartbeat, said Hall’s wife Kathy.

“I’ve been feeling pretty good,” Hall said from his hospital room Wednesday. “I haven’t had some of the major reactions I might have (from the chemotherapy). If I can get this heart thing under control perhaps we can stabilize it for a while.”

Hall said a CAT scan Tuesday showed that a new round of drugs he has been taking have reduced the size of his tumors.

“I was honored just by the fact that The Lantern had nominated me for the position,” Hall said in a raspy voice, a result of the chemotherapy treatments he has been receiving since being diagnosed with cancer over winter break 2004. “To be actually picked to do that commencement speech is just an incredible honor. I look forward to giving the speech. It’s my last opportunity to offer some advice to the students.”

President Karen A. Holbrook immediately approved the committee’s April 12th recommendation, Murphy said.

“There was unanimous agreement that Bill is the perfect choice to bring a message of character and courage to our students,” said Holbrook in a letter to several Lantern editors. “His many years of dedicated service to students, involving very long hours of personal involvement in a wide variety of student activities and concerns will make his message especially meaningful.”

The commencement committee, which is comprised of students, faculty and administrators was charged by the president last summer to recommend commencement speakers who would bring an interesting and challenging message to students, are good public speakers, and who students want to hear, Murphy said. Members of the committee include David Frantz, secretary for the Board of Trustees; Tom Rosol, the new dean of the veterinary school; Aftab Pureval, president of Undergraduate Student Government; and Emily Quick, undergraduate student member of the Board of Trustees.

Murphy said the selection of Hall as the speaker came two weeks early. The committee originally wanted to make a recommendation by the end of April.

“We wanted to (decide on a speaker) sooner rather than later, but we were at the point where we had three or four really, really strong names that had surfaced and we were about to go back to the committee with those,” Murphy said.

When Hall’s name came up as a possible commencement speaker, Murphy discussed the idea informally with several committee members. Within days he had sent out an e-mail stating that Hall was his recommendation for speaker and he heard back from the majority of committee members in one day.

“I was getting exclamation points and all caps; the whole nine yards,” Murphy said. “For someone who knows Bill, it was really heartwarming.”

The 16 member committee launched a Web site in January to encourage students to make suggestions about possible commencement speakers. The committee has tried to take a cue from students and follow in the tradition of students selecting the speaker, Murphy said.

“What we have tried to do is to start to generate a really good pool of candidates for each of the four commencements,” Murphy said. “We had an August speaker in mind before we had the June speaker.”

Murphy said they are now considering proposed speakers for 2006.

“We have some good names for 2006,” Murphy said. “They are really distinguished, interesting people.”

One of the names being considered for next year is British Prime Minister Tony Blair, said Barb Pletz, the president for the Council of Graduate Students and a member of the committee.

“For the students of the committee, we struggled long and hard to get the right person and here he was sitting on campus the whole time,” Pletz said. “We work with him all the time and he really cares about the students.”

“He’s had a lot of great experiences; he’s a retired brigadier general and he’s an incredible leader,” Pletz said. “I think if anyone has an emotional or a great sending-off speech, it’s Bill Hall.”

Hall said he has started to think about what he would say to graduating students in June.

“I want to share some of the personal experiences (I have had) like the pillow fight,” Hall said. “It would be over the four years of experiences students have and I have had.”

Hall’s health problems have made his appointment as the spring commencement speaker more poignant for many involved.

“We don’t know how many other commencements Bill will be with us,” said Bruce Bursten, a member of the committee and a distinguished university professor in chemistry. “It is an opportunity for Bill to give some of his thoughts to students. He has spent his career here loving the students at OSU.

“From a student point of view (it will be a) great opportunity for students to thank Bill for all he’s done. It will be a very teary occasion for all.”

The widespread support of the committee’s choice has left no doubt in some minds that Hall’s speech will be a momentous occasion.

“He’s played such a role here and shown such character and courage,” Murphy said. “People will remember his talk for the rest of their lives.”