"I'm excited to see Dick Cheney," said freshman Stefanie Tanner, from Seattle, Wash. "I think it's added a little excitement, more attention to commencement."

Tanner's parents traveled by airplane from Seattle to watch Tanner's brother, sister and sister-in-law graduate.

Tanner and her father, Gordon, were in line by 1:20 p.m. and said they were excited about the pre-commencement entertainment, which included Vocal Point, the Young Ambassadors and other BYU performance groups.

Each person who entered the Marriott Center was required to present a ticket, allow security to search purses and bags, walk through a metal detector and then be inspected by a security officer with a metal-detecting wand.

"It makes me feel safe," said Jared Carpenter, who came to support his wife, Toni, who is graduating. "Having such a high-profile person here, I think it's necessary."

Opposition to Cheney's visit has drawn national media attention because Utah Valley is a conservative stronghold where Republicans and unaffiliated registered voters who generally vote Republican outnumbered Democrats 21-to-1 at the November 2006 elections.

At least three demonstrations are targeting Cheney, and a student-organized alternative commencement featuring Ralph Nader will be held at Utah Valley State College at 7:30 p.m.

Nearly 4,000 people signed an online petition asking BYU and the church to withdraw the invitation to Cheney. The organizers of that petition said Wednesday they will present their list to the LDS Church's Public Affairs Department next week.

The announcement that BYU would award Cheney an honorary doctorate caused an additional stir on Wednesday with some faculty and students who oppose the vice president's politics and policies. Some said the degree adds a measure of endorsement for Cheney that made them uncomfortable and that BYU was wise not to announce the degree until late Tuesday.

"One does wonder what message BYU intends to send with this," political science professor Darren Hawkins said. "Honorary degrees are sometimes conferred by universities to proclaim their approval of the honoree's character and qualities, and if that's what BYU intends to do, I disagree wholeheartedly with the award of an honorary degree. I don't think BYU should be commending Vice President Cheney's character or actions to anyone.

"If they intend to acknowledge his long public service, then I have less of a problem with it because it is certainly true he has risen to a high office and has a long career of public service."

BYU and LDS Church spokesman maintained the school and church are politically neutral.

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Contributing: Josh Loftin, Joe Bauman, Deseret Morning News staff; Associated Press.

E-mail: twalch@desnews.com; sisraelsen@desnews.com