Sandra Day O'Connor won't be accompanied by the eight other justices when she delivers her opinion at the University later this semester.
Instead, as the commencement speaker, she'll give advice to about 2,000 members of December's graduating class. The first female Supreme Court justice, nominated by President Reagan in 1981, O'Connor is one of four people who will receive honorary degrees on Dec. 15.
"It's a great honor for Michigan to have Justice O'Connor as our commencement speaker," said Law School Dean Jeffrey Lehman. "Even the most abridged history book must note the courage and ability that made her the first woman Supreme Court justice."
Already approved by the University Board of Regents, O'Connor will be among four people given honorary degrees. The other honorees include: Robert Altman, a film maker; John Pickering, a lawyer; and Vera Rubin, an astronomer.
The University's honorary degree committee sifts through nominations twice a year - in November and April. The committee then makes its recommendations and the University president picks the speaker from among those chosen.
Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies Homer Rose, a member of the honorary degree committee, said O'Connor's nomination may have been considered more than a year ago, but was postponed until the upcoming graduation - the most convenient time for O'Connor to visit Ann Arbor.
"The honorary degree committee doesn't approve people for specific commencements," Rose said. "The scheduling of who goes to what commencement is a completely different process."
Interim President Homer Neal said O'Connor is scheduled to fly into Ann Arbor and out again on the same day - staying just long enough to deliver the address. Neal said, however, that he has written O'Connor a letter asking her to arrive earlier.
"I have written to her to see if she would come a day or two early to give a general colloquium," Neal said, adding that the event could be held in the Rackham Amphitheater.
Neal said O'Connor has not yet responded to his letter and he isn't too optimistic about the chance of her arriving before commencement.
"She is very busy and I'm sure it's hard for her to get out of Washington," Neal said. "The chances are probably less than 30 percent that she will come early."
Associate Law School Dean Kent Syverud, who served as O'Connor's law clerk from 1984-85, said he was excited to hear she would be speaking at graduation ceremonies, when roughly 20 percent of the University's yearly graduates will be honored. About 9,000 to 10,000 degrees are awarded each year.
"She's at the moment at the center of the Supreme Court in the middle of some of the most difficult issues that the country is facing," Syverud said.
Syverud, who described O'Connor as a "very decent and fair person," said the middle-of-the-road justice, and the Court in general, currently face some controversial issues.
"I don't always agree on how she comes out on things, but I'm relieved all the time that there's someone with an open mind on the Supreme Court," Syverud said, citing recent cases on abortion and freedom of religion issues.
"I don't think she'll talk about those issues directly, but probably about how the difficult issues should be faced," Syverud said.
Syverud said O'Connor has led a unique life - from growing up on a Texas ranch with no electricity to being the first female justice on the high court.
Before being nominated to the high court, she served as an Arizona state senator from 1969-75 and as the Senate majority leader. She also served as the assistant attorney general of Arizona from 1965-69.