Grand Rapids, Mich. ? President Bush’s appearance at Calvin College on Saturday was as much about politics as it was about his speech urging the graduates of this Christian college to commit themselves to community service.

“This isn’t a Democratic idea. This isn’t a Republican idea. This is an American idea,” Bush told the students, hoping to send a bipartisan message despite protests about his appearance.

“As your generation takes its place in the world, all of you must make this decision: Will you be a spectator or a citizen?” Bush asked about 900 graduating seniors.

The students cheered him warmly before he spoke, but Bush’s visit was not warmly received by everyone.

A third of the college’s faculty members signed a letter protesting his visit. The letter, published Saturday in a half-page ad in the Grand Rapids Press, said: “As Christians, we are called to be peacemakers and to initiate war only as a last resort. We believe your administration has launched an unjust and unjustified war in Iraq.”

Another letter of protest appeared in a full-page ad in the paper on Friday.

“In our view, the policies and actions of your administration, both domestically and internationally over the past four years, violate many deeply held principles of Calvin College,” that ad said.

Calvin College administrators say they were thrilled when the White House asked if Bush could speak at the commencement – his third trip this year to Michigan, which he narrowly lost to Democrat John Kerry in last year’s election.

Bush’s speech here is one of only two commencement addresses he’s giving this year. Next Friday, he speaks at the U.S. Naval Academy.