Spring Quarter graduates await word of who will wave them off to their future careers at this June's commencement ceremonies.

Senior Class Council's first choice, OU alumni Ohio Gov. George Voinovich, declined an invitation to return to Athens for the June 14 ceremony. Voinovich spoke at OU's 1991 commencement.

"He declines all offers," said Patricia Madigan, deputy press secretary in Gov. Voinovich's office. "He gets a lot of requests to speak at commencements and he can't say yes to everybody."

The 1991 commencement was Voinovich's only commencement address in seven years, she said.

But now the senior class council and the university have their sights set on a few other potential keynote speakers.

"There's a standing invitation to Elizabeth Dole," said Richard Harrison, senior class council adviser. "The invitation was sent in December, but we're still waiting for a response."

OU President Robert Glidden, who has been working with the council to line up a speaker, said in an e-mail that Dole's office has not responded to the invitation.

But the search might have to move on, said Ben Hunter, senior class council president.

"We can only give a certain amount of time (for the speaker) to respond," Hunter said.

If Dole declines OU's offer, the council will extend an invitation to Ohio Sen. John Glenn. If that fails, the council will invite U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

"We look for a high-profile person who can bring a nice message," Harrison said. "It's hard to top a Matt Lauer or a Hillary Clinton."

For the third year, OU will hold two undergraduate commencement ceremonies, one in the morning, one in the afternoon.

But the graduation speaker might agree to speak at only one ceremony, leaving the university in search of a second speaker, Hunter said.

"I don't see that as a problem now," he said. "Most people would agree to do both (ceremonies) if they can."

After Voinovich declined, the council approached Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, but he could not accept because of scheduling conflicts with the court, Harrison said.

The council only invites one person at a time.

"The trouble is some people can't respond until the last minute and if you send three or four at once, they all could accept," he said.

For that reason, the university waits for a decline before inviting others.

Another setback the university faces is its choice not to pay graduation speakers, but instead sometimes offering them honorary degrees, said Richard Harrison.

"A lot of students would like to have Bill Cosby or Oprah Winfrey speak, but those entertainers come with a price tag," he said.

The process takes time, depending on whom the council invites and how long that person takes to respond.

"We don't want to lower our standards and get a no-name speaker," Hunter said. "With those standards, it takes time to hear back."