The March event Eastern Michigan University President Susan Martin was scheduled to speak at about personal trials and triumphs she’s faced in her career has been canceled.
EMU President Susan Martin
EMU vice president of communications Walter Kraft confirmed the cancellation and said Martin just “wasn’t available” for the event, which would have taken place Monday.
The cancellation comes just a month after EMU spokesman Geoff Larcom said the event had been confirmed by the university.
“We had told them about a month ago that she wasn’t available and they had been working to find another speaker,” Kraft said.
The event, "Trials and Triumph of an American Woman," was going to be hosted by the EMU student organization B.L.A.C.K., Black Leaders Aspiring to Critical Knowledge.
B.L.A.C.K. hosted a similar event last year, when former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick spoke during its Second Chances and Redemption Series event in 2011.
The event would have followed an incident that occurred last year in which Martin got into an argument with an alumnus after consuming alcohol. The regents reprimanded Martin in a May 17 letter and the board's executive committee threatened to fire Martin if she did not control her drinking.
Martin told AnnArbor.com in February she didn't plan to "focus" on the incident, but was willing to address it if she received questions about it.
"My board gave me a letter and I respect them and I don't have anything further to say about it," Martin said. "I'm happy at my job... .I won't focus on that."
The event originally was slated to be called, Second Chances and Redemption-- Trials and Triumph of an American Woman, but the name was changed as a stipulation of the university, said B.L.A.C.K. President Jovan Kennard.
Kennard said the name "conflicted" a few things, so the group agreed to change it.
Kraft said the topic of the event was not a factor in the decision and the university did attempt to help the group secure another speaker.
“Unfortunately, the person the guys identified informed us last week that he could not speak because of prior engagements,” said Reggie Barnes, Director of Diversity and Community Involvement. “They haven't been able to find someone else, so we thought it was in their best interest to reschedule for next semester.”
Kraft couldn’t say whether Martin would be available at a later date to speak at the same event.
“I don’t know, I’m not sure what they would be looking for,” Kraft said. “ They would have to make a determination about who they might want.”
Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.