University chancellor apologizes for mocking Asian languages during commencement speech

Purdue University Northwest’s Chancellor Thomas Keon has come under fire over remarks he made during a commencement ceremony on Dec. 10, and he's apologizing, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The remarks came after commencement keynote speaker Jim Dedelow finished his speech, where he mentioned a made-up language he created to amuse his new granddaughter. At one point, he used it to calm the baby from the stage when she made noise during his speech. Keon then came back to the podium and said, “Well, all I can say is,” and proceeded to speak in gibberish that sounded as if it was mocking an Asian language. He then said, “That’s sort of my Asian version of his."

In a letter dated Dec. 14, Keon said he was sorry for making a comment that was “offensive and insensitive.”

“I am truly sorry for my unplanned, off-the-cuff response to another speaker, as my words have caused confusion, pain, and anger,” Keon wrote. “Purdue University Northwest, and I personally, take great pride in being welcoming and inclusive to all people.”

He went on to say that he's going to drive initiatives at the school to “specifically understand and address issues of importance to the Asian American Pacific Islander community at PNW, and to offer concrete ideas that our university will act upon to ensure that our campuses are places that welcome and value all.”

“We are all human,” Keon said in his letter. “I made a mistake, and I assure you I did not intend to be hurtful and my comments do not reflect my personal or our institutional values. In the true spirit of diversity and inclusion that is a cornerstone of PNW, I will learn from this and assure you that Purdue Northwest and I will take action to prevent such missteps from occurring in the future.”

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