They visited FDU this spring semester, speaking to standing-room-only audiences about the environment, tolerance, terrorism, the theater and the film industry.

"This has been a very special time in the history of the University," said FDU President Frank Mertz. "The quality and prominence of those who have chosen to speak here is unrivaled."

The highlight of the semester occurred on March 12, when President Clinton and Vice President Gore spoke at the Rothman Center. The event, attended by more than 6,000 people, marked the first time a current president appeared at FDU. While not officially part of the campaign trail, Clinton's visit had all the enthusiasm and electricity of an election-year rally. And the topic of his address was a vital one: the environment.

"If we want the country to be the greatest country in the world in the next century, we have to provide for a clean and healthy environment," Clinton said. "It will not be a miracle that preserves the global environment but the result of millions of people devoting themselves to a common cause."

Clinton credited 25 years of bipartisan commitment for improving the quality of the environment and pledged to fight anti- environmental efforts emanating from Congress. "When it comes to protecting our air, our food, our water, I cannot sacrifice America's values and America's future or America's health and safety."

The president also challenged Congress to adopt his proposal for $2 billion in tax breaks for businesses that clean up and develop contaminated lands. "It's a myth that you have to choose between the environment and the economy. Good environmental policies will help the economy to grow."

Vice President Al Gore, a well-known environmental advocate, discussed the need for both political parties to jointly address environmental issues. "The greatest strides we have made in America in cleaning up the environment have been when both parties worked together We need to get back to a bipartisan approach because we can walk farther on the path to progress when we walk on common ground. Our air, our water and our land are too magnificent to be subject to political noise pollution."

In the audience that day were former New Jersey governors Brendan Byrne and Jim Florio, as well as the Duker and Flatow families of New Jersey, who have lost loved ones in terrorist bombings in Israel. Clinton met privately with members of the families and thanked them for their "incalculable sacrifice and continued devotion" to the peace process in the Middle East.

Clinton's visit was initiated by the White House, which contacted the University only days before the event was to be held. "They were enthusiastic about our facilities, our commitment to assist them and the fact that we have excellent environmental studies programs," said Paul Huegel, associate vice president for University relations and marketing, and assistant Teaneck-Hackensack Campus executive. "They also were aware of how well the Special Academic Convocation featuring Leah Rabin had gone the week before."

Continuing the Quest for Peace

About her husband, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, she said, "He was usually portrayed as a man of war who turned into a man of peace. The truth was there wasn't a moment of his life when he did not hope and dream of the day when peace would finally come."

Rabin poignantly described her husband's last moments, exactly four months earlier, before an assassin took his life. At a peace rally in Tel Aviv, the crowd was chanting, "Rabin, we love you!" when gunshots rang out. "I saw him falling down covered by the security men, at first believing they made him fall down to protect him only to protect him. Over an hour later he died in the hospital. I went to bid him farewell and to kiss him for the last time. Then I went home without him, alone."

Both New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman and Sen. Lautenberg participated in the ceremony and credited the Rabins for their leadership and commitment to the peace process. FDU participants in the program were: Dr. Leonard Grob, professor of philosophy and Teaneck-Hackensack Campus director of University Core, who delivered remarks on behalf of the faculty; Dr. Faramarz Fatemi, director of the School of Political and International Studies and president of the Academic Senate, who presented Leah Rabin with the faculty gift, a hand-tooled, leather book in which to frame the honorary degrees; Pastora Goldner, BA'95 (T-H), MA'96 (T-H), who gave remarks on behalf of the students; Dr. Geoffrey Weinman, vice president for academic affairs, and President Mertz.

The invitation-only affair was attended by approximately 1,000 people and was conducted in the midst of heavy security with federal, state and local authorities, as well as Israeli forces, monitoring activities. The ceremony ended with a rendition of the peace song that was played only minutes before Rabin was killed.

The impetus for the event was a visit to Israel by Mertz last November. He traveled to Tel Aviv to meet the faculty, administration and staff of BioTechnical Institute. FDU offers a variety of courses to institute students who later come to FDU for additional course work. During that visit, Mertz had the opportunity to talk with a number of high-level government officials and the subject of a posthumous degree for Yitzhak Rabin was discussed. "The University and the Board of Trustees then made a decision to award dual degrees to both Yitzhak and Leah Rabin," Mertz said.

"A Special Connection"

Gov. Whitman, who was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree, also emphasized the need for graduates to continue to think critically and listen to each other. "Only by bridging the gaps between us are we truly going to make the world a better place."

The May visit by the governor was her fourth in less than a year at the University. Besides attending the Special Academic Convocation honoring the Rabins, she also had visited the Florham-Madison Campus to congratulate Presidential Scholars and to attend Technarium 96, a science and technology fair. Citing her recent visits, she added that she has come to develop "a special connection" with the University. "This honor means a great deal to me."

Theater and Politics - "The Art of the Possible"

The visit, sponsored by The Literary Society, featured Miller lecturing on theater language, answering audience questions, reading from his Pulitzer Prize-winning "Death of a Salesman" and signing books. "A good play has to move forward in its depths as well as on its surface," he said. "Theater, like politics, is always the art of the possible."

When asked by an audience participant why his play, "The Crucible" (based on the Salem witch trials and winner of a Tony Award), has been his most produced work, he replied, "Because it can happen again It is what happens when religion and politics come together." Miller recently finished a screenplay for a new film version of the play.

Among Miller's other successful and critically acclaimed works are "All My Sons" and "A View from the Bridge." A number of his recent plays have been produced by the state-supported theater in London. "They have theater in London and we don't," he complained, adding that American theater was too concerned with profits.

From the Theater to the Big Screen

Despite the fact that he believes it may be tougher today for college youths starting out, Lee told the audience, "You can succeed if you have confidence, talent and drive. You can accomplish your goals."

Lee, who has created "She's Gotta Have It," "Do The Right Thing" (for which he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay), "Malcolm X," "Crooklyn" and the recently released "Girl 6," is currently working on his next film, which will portray baseball Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson.

Coming together was an important theme in Lee's address. He described how, when studio funding dried up for his movie about Malcolm X, he called prominent friends like Bill Cosby, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, and they all responded. Lee added that his success and his motivation are based on the belief others have had in his work.

The List Doesn't End There