SHERYL CROW WON'T BE AT SOUTHEAST GRADUATION

A scheduling conflict will keep singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow from commencement exercises Saturday at Southeast Missouri State University.

Crow was slated to receive an honorary degree from the university May 5 but now won't be able to attend the ceremonies.

The Grammy Award winner was to receive the degree for her accomplishments as a songwriter and performer. The university will be issuing the degree at a later date.

University officials are expecting a letter from Crow today that will outline why she cannot attend. "We believe it is a scheduling conflict," said Ann Hayes of the university's news bureau.

As the university develops its River Campus for the performing arts, Crow seemed a natural selection for an honorary degree. In December, jazz trumpeter Clark Terry received an honorary degree.

Crow, a native of Kennett, Mo., is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia. She performed a benefit concert Dec. 2 before nearly 3,000 fans.

That performance at the Show Me Center raised money for two scholarships: Sheryl Crow School of Visual and Performing Arts Scholarship and another for the Kennett Area Higher Education Center.

Crow previously performed benefit concerts in Kennett in 1996 and 1997 that raised money for the Kennett Education Foundation and other civic organizations.