(CNN) Condoleezza Rice, former US secretary of state announced on Facebook Saturday that she would not be speaking at the Rutgers University commencement this year, following student protests against her appearance.
The students made accusations against her in connection with the war in Iraq.
“Commencement should be a time of joyous celebration for the graduates and their families,” Rice wrote.
“Rutgers’ invitation to me to speak has become a distraction for the university community at this very special time.”
In an open letter to the president of the school, printed in the student paper The Daily Targum on April 30th, “Rutgers Student Protestors” cited “destruction” in Iraq “at the hands of the Bush administration.”
“Rice signed off to give the CIA authority to conduct their torture tactics for gathering information from detainees as well,” the letter continues. “These are clearly human rights issues. By inviting her to speak and awarding her an honorary degree, we are encouraging and perpetuating a world that justifies torture and debases humanity.”
In 2009, a Senate intelligence report said that Rice approved waterboarding in the questioning of a suspected al Qaeda leader. Rice was National Security Adviser at the time.
