Many students are making their voices heard by signing a petition to stop Sen. Mitch McConnell R-Ky., from speaking at graduation May 11.

McConnell is scheduled to deliver the commencement address at graduation.

The petition is called Ditch Mitch, and currently has more than 600 signatures from students, faculty and staff members and has grown daily.

The Ditch Mitch petition was started after several students spoke of concerns about what having McConnell speak at the commencement ceremony would mean for the students of Murray State.

The cause has been promoted on social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. The Facebook group Ditch Mitch that Murray State has started and has been shared by numerous students.

The group currently has more than 670 supporters and has served as an outlet for many students to speak of their concerns about McConnell.

Devin Griggs, senior from Benton, Ky., and president of the College Democrats, said his main concern with McConnell speaking at graduation is his voting record on issues that have affected students directly.

“He has consistently voted against students and education,” Griggs said. “He voted against keeping student loan interest rates low, against expanding pell grants and voted against aide to teachers.”

Griggs said he would prefer to see a speaker he felt better represented students’ interests and was a better representation of all people in Kentucky.

McConnell is a member of the Republican Party and has been the Senate Minority Leader since 2007. He is currently campaigning for re-election in 2014.

He is the longest serving U.S. Senator in the history of Kentucky.

There are approximately 1,400 undergraduate and graduate students that are degree candidates for next month.

Staff Report.