Here it is in The Associated Press.
How funny that Associate Dean of Students Neil Gerard mentions the visit of Clinton with that of Gonzales. Does he read the blog?The former attorney general's pricey speaking fee so far has deterred at least one potential customer. Students at liberal arts school Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., considered inviting Gonzales to speak on campus next spring but could not afford paying the $30,000 to $40,000 he requested.
"He has a rather substantial speaking fee," Pomona associate dean of students Neil Gerard said. "I believe that's dead in the water."
The controversy surrounding Gonzales does have an up side: It ensures he'll remain a well-known name and help bolster his appeal as a speaker.
"He was the attorney general and was a big name, and he's in the news," said Gerard, adding that Pomona students became interested in hearing Gonzales after being approached by a speaking firm working on his behalf.
"President Clinton spoke on our campus last year," Gerard said. "And I'm not equating those two people, but I think there is an interest in big name speakers."
But more importantly, Pomona -- a school with a billion dollar plus endowment -- can't afford a $40,000 speaker?
Something tells me that some back room deals were cut. Let this just be an example that Pomona is unwilling to pay a $30,000 to $40,000 stipend. Any speaker that goes higher than that can not be invited to Pomona, lest they want to remain consistent.
Let me just say I doubt it. Something tells me that they are worried post-Minute man and Open Borders fiasco that they'll get protests. Too bad.
10 comments:
students that shout down speakers are shameful, especially at schools that we like to think of as the best of the best, like Emory University (protesting David Horowitz, or controversy at Pomona). Even if you dont agree, let em speak! I cannot however, second guess Pomona too much, since $30-$40k is a lot even for a billion dollar plus endowment, since Pomona might not want to set a precedent of inviting speakers that pricey.
Your last statement is logically fallacious: Pomona's unwillingness to pay say, Charles Johnson $40,000 to speak on-campus doesn't mean it would be inconsistent to pay somebody else $40,000, if the college deemed that that person was more valuable. You--who consistenly praise the free market--should be the last one to criticize Pomona for deciding that Mr. Gonzales is not worth what he says he is worth.
Fair enough, Peter. But now they will work extra hard to justify it. Or ought to.
president clinton spoke on their campus last year... but pomona students weren't allowed in
True Peter, but a free market has many buyers and sellers. In this case, there is a monopsony, i.e. single buyer - Pomona College. Therefore, the criteria to value a speaker should be based purely on the utility it brings to the college, i.e. does the student body and community want to hear a speaker. So if the latter is fulfilled then a 30-40k stipend is really nothing.
And since the student body did want Gonzales to speak, then that sets his worth in this monopsony. If the college had an upper limit for their funding, an absolute barrier, then their refusal is justified. But I doubt 40,000 is that boundary.
Was there a shady deal at the back? I don't know. There's no way to find out. But if there was, I think we all know whose behind it.
I don't think I follow your argument, O confused one. You're right in that there is no market mechanism to set a "market price" for the product "Gonzales hates on human rights at Pomona College". However, in the absence of such a market, it is the job of the college to judge the cost/utility trade-off for a speaker. If, lets say 4 people want to hear Gonzales, that doesn't mean that their demand justifies potentially unlimited expenditure on the part of the college. To reiterate my first post, Pomona can justify a higher expense for someone else, while at the same time denying Gonzales.
PS: I am confident that you will keep them on their toes, Charles.
Well Peter, I actually do not follow your argument. A market mechanism does not necessarily refer to perfect competition or free markets. As I mentioned earlier, a Monopsony is a market type with single buyer and multiple sellers.
I am pretty sure that there are more than 4 people that want to hear Gonzales speak.
Right you are about the utility-cost trade off, but on what basis should the college valuate utility? The general sentiments of a student population wanting the speaker to come to Pomona? An angry professor who vehemently voices here disgust? It is definitely not an easy decision to take. But when the sum being considered is 30,000, refusing on the grounds of financial restraints will obviously raise suspicion.
I never said that their 'demand' (i was actually talking about utility, but anyways) justified potentially unlimited expenditure. I am all in favor of having these upper boundaries, but 30,000? Come on, seriously! The problem here is not excessive expenditure on Gonzales, but an influence that desperately tried to prove the disutility of bringing Gonzales.
(Wasn't 40,000 the regular stipend for Gonzales. He always charged this amount. It is understandable if he suddenly threw a 200% increase in the fee last minute, but I believe that this was his standard fee. I might be wrong on this one. But, strange that the administration realized the 40,000 figure only after such intense debate)
Also, If I remember correctly, this was a student-led initiative. That could be an indication of what the student body wants.
Allright, I see where you're going with that. It would be unfortunate if a precedent was set whereby professors could overrule student desires to see controversial speakers come to the college.
And you're right, this was probably not an issue of Gonzales being too expensive. More likely the administration was too cowardly to stir up trouble by taking a stand. Still gauging the post-'08 political climate, I guess...
PS: "O confused one" sounded really funny to me at 2:30 AM, but I can see that it probably just seemed rude. Sorry bout that...
Don't worry about it. I can't help what my parents named me ;)
That's what happens when you let parents name their kids just any old thing! In Norway, on the other hand... :P
Post a Comment