My tax dollars at work
 

RU, a state school where I went chooses to pay commencement speakers. As usual out of touch with the public. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/ny...1&ref=nyregion

Thirty K is a drop in the bucket compared to the 2 mil that Schiano is heisting from them every season.

Or not.

Spokesmen for the university said Ms. Morrison’s fee would not come out of money provided by the state or tuition paid by students, but from a vending contract with PepsiCo, though that is still money that could have gone into academic programs. At some colleges, speaking fees come from alumni gifts earmarked for that purpose.

Though regardless, it's not like $30K for someone like Toni Morrison is unheard of for any kind of speech...

there's worse ways to spend money.

http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-08-2...a-gajic-bruyea

I don't give a ****. That 30k could go towards a scholarship fund. And you are a douche of a person to accept money to speak at a graduation anyway, whoever the **** you are.

Well that's a good argument to make on its own merits.

"My tax dollars at work" is not.

Yeah but it is. You think schools can't hit up donors, of course they can. Where that money gets spent is easy. You simply say no to getting held up by an overrated writer or some other clown who needs pay to play.

Agreed.

So basically what I said last time. It has nothing to do with your tax dollars...which was my point to begin with. Nobody spent "[your] tax dollars on this," so the merits of her getting paid to speak are what's on debate, not your tax dollars.

Glad you agree.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201...09m_fares.html

RU has a $500+ million dollar endowment, 30 k is a drop in the bucket.

as usual you miss the point.

What point is that genius?

You complaining about everything just to complain?

I wasn't aware that one had to have a point to post fairly pertinent information but I suppose my point could be that RU has a large endowment and some poor student isn't going to go without because they paid a commencement speaker.

Of course the fact that it had already been pointed out that the money WAS NOT coming from your "tax dollars" seemed to have been missed by you.

Plus I should have realized that you wouldn't be familiar with large endowments...

:tro:

Randall, you better sit down before clicking on this link.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201...e_gets_2k.html

I know, I just read it at the Diner. Haha.

New Jersey's public universities would have to approve student events — like last week's appearance by "Jersey Shore" star Snooki at Rutgers University — under new legislation Sen. Joe Kyrillos is preparing to propose in the state Senate.

Kyrillos (R-Monmouth/Middlesex) said state colleges and universities should have to "opt in" to student-planned events that carry fees. Last week, Rutgers students paid Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi $32,000 to appear for two one-hour question-and-answer sessions on the Livingston campus in Piscataway. The students, who were not required to get approval from university officials, used a portion of the mandatory student fees they pay with their tuition to pay Snooki.

"Students ought not be forced to fund entertainment or events that they find objectionable," Kyrillos said. "There were a great deal of Rutgers students who I am certain were uninterested or flat out outraged by Ms. Polizzi's appearance on campus."

Kyrillos described Snooki as "a degenerate reality television star who offers neither useful advice nor any appreciable talents."

Like most colleges, Rutgers allows student committees to book speakers, concerts and other events funded by student fees. About 1,000 students attended the two free Snooki shows at Rutgers. Most students said they had a great time.

Under Kyrillos' legislation, public colleges would also be required to give students a choice of whether or not they want to contribute to a student activities fund when they pay their tuition.

"If students can make a case for continued fees then let's find a methodology for appropriate checks and balances so that money is not wasted," Kyrillos said.