Wow- Although I respect most of the comments of the posters, few-if any- have ever been a Rabbi outside of New York (or Lakewood and Monsey) and so have very little idea how difficult it may be to follow the chumros you can follow in the New York area. It is easy to be cavalier about other people when you live in a protected environment. Actually, the best thing would have been for “writer-at heart” to say yes , so as not to shame the Rabbi and then- when invited- find some excuse why not to go.
I don’t know where this university is located but couldn’t the poster do some research on the people of the community?