Bill Ayers, a former member of the Weather Underground, is slotted to speak at Penn State on a panel.

Senator slams Penn State plan for Weather Underground speech

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) – Penn State’s president should cancel plans to have a co-founder of the violent anti-war group the Weather Underground speak on campus next week, the state Senate’s presiding officer said Friday.

President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, a Jefferson County Republican, told university president Eric Barron in a letter he wants to know how much it is costing the university to host Bill Ayers next week.

“The decision to allow Mr. Ayers to address your students and faculty in light of his violent past is difficult for me to reconcile,” Scarnati wrote.

A university spokeswoman said the appearances were organized by student leaders with student activity fees and would not use state funds.

“They are free to sponsor programs and speakers, however controversial, without censorship by the university,” said Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers. “Of course, the presence of any speaker cannot be taken as an endorsement by the university of his/her views.”