--- title: Tulane Students Feel ‘Cheated’ With Hoda Kotb At Graduation description: Hoda Kotb will speak at Tulane University’s graduation ceremony even after the Louisiana college’s announcement was met with criticism. canonical: https://time.com/4266082/tulane-university-hoda-kotb/ author: Melissa Chan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-03-21T15:58:57.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-15T04:22:05.000Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: Tulane Students Unhappy Hoda Kotb Is Giving Commencement Speech og:description: "We think we deserve better than this" og:url: https://time.com/4266082/tulane-university-hoda-kotb/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb285e8e72d65b7e4/69888bc4196cf4458503ad43/hoda-kotb-tulane.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: AOL BUILD Series: Hoda Kotb Discusses Her New Book "Where We Belong: Journey's That Show Us The Way" og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Tulane Students Unhappy Hoda Kotb Is Giving Commencement Speech twitter:description: "We think we deserve better than this" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb285e8e72d65b7e4/69888bc4196cf4458503ad43/hoda-kotb-tulane.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Tulane Students Sniff at Choice of Hoda Kotb to Address Graduates  by [Melissa Chan](/author/melissa-chan/)  ## Melissa Chan Updated: Dec 15, 2023 4:22 AM CUTPublished: Mar 21, 2016 3:58 PM CUT  "Today" host Hoda Kotb discusses her book "Where We Belong: Journey's that Show Us the Way" on Jan. 6, 2016 in New York City. "Today" host Hoda Kotb discusses her book "Where We Belong: Journey's that Show Us the Way" on Jan. 6, 2016 in New York City.Slaven Vlasic—Getty Images  by [Melissa Chan](/author/melissa-chan/)  ## Melissa Chan Updated: Dec 15, 2023 4:22 AM CUTPublished: Mar 21, 2016 3:58 PM CUT Hoda Kotb will [speak at Tulane University’s graduation ceremony](http://tulane.edu/news/releases/pr%5F031416.cfm "undefined") even after the Louisiana college’s announcement was met with [fierce criticism from some students](http://theadvocate.com/news/neworleans/neworleansnews/15229399-123/small-group-of-tulane-students-feel-cheated-hoda-kotb-tabbed-graduation-speaker-see-karen-swensens-i "undefined"), who felt they were “cheated” by the choice. Tulane students signed a petition to demand a new speaker after it was decided that the NBC _Today_ show co-host would deliver this year’s keynote address in May. “Given the amount of money, work, and passion we have poured into our educational careers at Tulane, we think we deserve better than this,” read the petition, that has since been taken down, [according to local media reports](http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/short-lived-petition-asked-for-kotbs-removal-at-tulane-commencement/87171339 "undefined"). The short-lived petition, which attracted around 200 signatures, also said picking Kotb as the honored guest was an “embarrassment” to the graduating class and school because she is “hardly an inspirational figure,” the [_Advocate_](http://theadvocate.com/news/neworleans/neworleansnews/15229399-123/small-group-of-tulane-students-feel-cheated-hoda-kotb-tabbed-graduation-speaker-see-karen-swensens-i "undefined") reported. Kotb addressed the petition in a brief statement to WWL-TV. “Forget the petition, I love the response. I love New Orleans! See you soon!” she wrote. In Tulane’s news release, she said the city and its people “have always held a special place in my heart.” “Having lived here and covered the world, I know the importance of Tulane both locally and internationally,” she said in the release. “I am thrilled to honor a new generation of New Orleanians as they earn their Tulane degrees.” The Emmy Award-winning former New Orleans anchor is also a correspondent for _Dateline_, according to Tulane. “Who doesn’t love Hoda?” Tulane President Mike Fitts said in a statement. “Her infectious personality and indomitable spirit pervade everything she does from reporting to writing to advocating for breast cancer awareness. She is the perfect choice to address our graduates.” _Today_ co-host Kathie Lee Gifford praised Kotb in a tweet, saying there was “boundless support” for her. > [](https://twitter.com/KathieLGifford/status/711970203450646528) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4266082/tulane-university-hoda-kotb/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4266082/tulane-university-hoda-kotb/"},"headline":"Tulane Students Sniff at Choice of Hoda Kotb to Address Graduates","datePublished":"2016-03-21T15:58:57.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-15T04:22:05.000Z","description":"\"We think we deserve better than this\"","url":"https://time.com/4266082/tulane-university-hoda-kotb/","keywords":["celebrities"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb285e8e72d65b7e4/69888bc4196cf4458503ad43/hoda-kotb-tulane.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Melissa Chan","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/melissa-chan/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb285e8e72d65b7e4/69888bc4196cf4458503ad43/hoda-kotb-tulane.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"AOL BUILD Series: Hoda Kotb Discusses Her New Book \"Where We Belong: Journey's That Show Us The Way\"","caption":"\"Today\" host Hoda Kotb discusses her book \"Where We Belong: Journey's that Show Us the Way\" on Jan. 6, 2016 in New York City.","creditText":"Slaven Vlasic—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/celebrities/","name":"celebrities"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4266082/tulane-university-hoda-kotb/","name":"Tulane Students Sniff at Choice of Hoda Kotb to Address Graduates"}}]}] ```