Gerald Ford statue unveiled in Capitol building

First, congratulations for both getting into and completing the GRFSPP program.  It is a fine accomplishment, and I wish you the best of luck in the future.

Now, about  that recognition.....

Please help me to understand which of GRF's accomplishments you believe deserve recognition.  Could it be the Nixon pardon?  Maybe the fact that he's the only US President never to have been elected to the office of president or vice president?  Perhaps it was an utterly undistinguished multi-decade career as a US representative particularly notable, if memory serves, as having passed without GRF having introduced a single piece of legislation?

Sorry to piss in your cheerios on this one, but we honor GRF because he was a US President (if only for two years) and a U-M alum.  I realize you weren't alive to remember, but GRF became president specifically because of his lack of accomplishments.  GRF never did anything and, consequently, never did anything to piss anyone off.  He was a great team player, so you could always count on him to do what he was told.  And this is specifically why Nixon chose him to replace Agnew (at least it's "specifically why" not counting the speculation in the next paragraph).  Easily confirmed, non-confrontational, not controversial.

The Watergate break-in occurred in Jun 1972.  Nixon kept Agnew as his VP (despite his widely-reported preference for Connolly) and they were re-elected in Nov 1972.  Agnew resigned in disgrace in Oct 1973, leading to GRF's appointment.  Why GRF and not Connolly, Nixon's presumed hand-picked successor?  Well, some speculate that Nixon wanted a VP in place who would pardon him if Watergate went further south, and Connolly might not have been that guy.  Watergate did go further south, and Nixon resigned in Aug 1974.  GRF didn't disappoint and pardoned Nixon a month later in Sep 1974.   

There are many of us who lived through that time that consider the Nixon pardon as one of our country's darkest days.  It raised fears that the president is, practically speaking, above the law.  Echos of GRF's decision can be seen in the Reagan, GHWB, Clinton, and W administrations, and the reverberations will be felt for a long time to come.

Yes, GRF's presidency should be remembered - so that his most important decision can be undone at the first opportunity and never repeated.  Recognized or honored?  Not so much.

I wouldn't have taken the time for the historical summary if you weren't so young.  (Hey, my oldest daughter is a 2011 U-M grad.  That's young, to me.)  And please note that this is not a red state/blue state issue.  It's about "the process".  If you've carefully studied GRF's career and conclude that he was a great man worthy of recognition, I'll respect your position and respectfully disagree.  But please understand that many of us worry about knee-jerk reactions that can be summarized as:  "Yea, U-M alum", "Yea, President", "USA, USA", etc.  The absence of information, study, and critical thought pushes us closer to........Ohio.  :-)