After the controversy over President Barack Obama's speech at the University of Notre Dame's commencement ceremony this Spring, Presidents of the nations’ Catholic colleges are urging new direction for selecting guest speakers and honorees.  The Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) is asking the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ to revise and clarify their “Catholics in Political Life” document which provides guidance for honoring or granting a platform to guest speakers.  The document was created in 2004 in response to the debate about pro-choice Democratic presidential candidate Senator John Kerry being denied Communion. "Catholics in Political Life" states that "The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles." However, after the Notre Dame controversy, some in the ACCU now find the document to be ambiguous and problematic for their institutions. ACCU’s executive director, Richard Yanikoski said that it’s unclear whether the document is talking about Catholics or all potential speakers.  He also argues that there should be a different standard for potential speakers of national stature, like the President, and that the document should distinguish between honoring an individual and awarding a platform for them to speak.

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