Posted on 09/25/2004 8:29:13 AM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
OREM — Tom Heal's phone has been ringing off the hook for more than a week.
Like other officials at Utah Valley State College, the board of trustees member has been fielding angry phone calls and e-mails regarding the student government's decision to pay $40,000 from student fees to have liberal filmmaker Michael Moore speak to the student body on Oct. 20.
But these callers aren't just outraged students and perturbed parents.
"Many of the people that I have met with and talked to have their names on the sides of the building (at UVSC)," Heal said. "They are substantial donors."
And their displeasure over Moore's appearance isn't just heated talk. It could amount to the loss of "millions of dollars" in donations over the next few years, he said.
"This is not a political issue for most of these folks, it's a moral issue," Heal said. "They recognize that the students have the right to invite people to come to campus and freedom of speech and intellectual freedom, but they believe it is inappropriate to bring Michael Moore to campus at this time (so close to the national election)."
That moral dilemma is now Heal's problem, though he places the blame on the student government — not just for its decision to bring the "Fahrenheit 9/11" director to campus, but for its failure to consult with college officials about the possible financial repercussions.
"I think it's been a real learning experience for them to realize all the ramifications that come from making the decision to bring a controversial speaker to campus," board of trustees member Mike Mower said.
"But under our form of student government, the student leaders have the right to do what they did and how they did it."
That could change soon, Heal said, if UVSC officials or the state Legislature decide to limit the power of the student government association.
Currently, UVSC's student government oversees more than $6 million in student fees — $50,000 of which goes toward a speaker series.
Under the student constitution drafted by the college, student body vice president Joe Vogel said that he is allowed to select speakers after consulting with the student senate.
Knowing that Moore's appearance would be controversial, Vogel asked the senate to vote on the issue, but it stalemated.
Vogel took the matter to his adviser and student body president Jim Bassi — both of whom supported his decision to sign Moore.
"We have a lot of autonomy here," Vogel admitted. "They really value students here at this school."
Other Utah universities also give their student government oversight when selecting speakers but require that the administration be involved in the process.
At the University of Utah, the student government must pass its speaker recommendation through an advisory board, which weighs educational benefits with any possible ramifications.
"We have very close communication with the administration," chief of staff Patrick Barnes said.
"They are always informed. They give us advice, they counsel us on repercussions, but they are very quick to support what the students want to happen."
At Brigham Young University there is no student government association and no students fees. The private university, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has BYUSA, a service organization that provides service opportunities for students and works with university officials to discuss student concerns.
BYU officials must approve any speakers, who generally come for free to BYUSA forums, said Heather Jacques, vice president of the student advisory council.
"We work with the administration almost like advisers or counselors with them," Dan Swiss, vice president of public relations, said.
"It's not an adversarial relationship. It's more like a partnership."
While the extensive freedom given to UVSC's student government landed it on the cover of Student Leader magazine last fall, it is now being questioned by some college officials who want a say in speaker selection in the future.
"I've heard some of the students themselves say that they want to implement some kind of guidelines so that a few people are not able to make commitments to large sums of money without some kind of overview," Heal said.
Heal said he did meet with the student senate on Monday to discuss the financial implications of the decision to host Moore, but the Senate voted 17-3 to allow the filmmaker to come.
While Heal said he respects that conclusion, he wishes donors would be a higher priority in student government's decision-making — especially since UVSC receives only 47 percent of its funding from the state. Tuition and donations make up the rest.
"If we start losing those donations, the students are going to have to make up donations," he said. "I doubt that the state will."
Mower, who worked with GOP gubernatorial candidate Jon Huntsman Jr. to bring conservative talk show host Sean Hannity to campus on Oct. 11 to balance out Moore's view, said he hopes "donors will appreciate that the student leaders worked hard to make sure that both sides are represented."
"We're optimistic that they realize that a college is not just one event," he said.
The domino effect in action....perhaps Moore will donate a couple million to make up for the losses.
Hmmmmm.....
You have to love liberal hypocrites like Michael Moore. He wants to desperately to spread the word about Bush that he charges $40,000 to speak. Another capitalist like Soros who makes money using "the system" then rails against it.
$40,000 could buy 40,000 McDonalds hamburgers. Or 40,000 White Castle burgers. Or 40 lunches for Kerry and Edwards.
Huh. So Freedom Of Speech also applies to people who don't like Michael Moore. Interesting.
Somehow this will be twisted into: "If you don't give millions of your own dollars to support something you think is morally wrong, that is CENSORSHIP!"
But of course! Haven't you been listening to the Hollywierds lately? Then again I wouldn't blame you if you hadn't.
attiontion alumni:
MOORE IS THE NORM AT YOUR ALMA MATER!
YOUR MONEY FEEDS THE COMMIES THAT CONTROL THE IVORY TOWER.
The same thing happened to the University of Oklahoma Law school after the Dean backed Anita Hill. Donations dried up. It got so bad that the dean sent out a letter practically begging for forgivness. Hill ultimately left but the alumni didn't forget. It did not get any better until the dean quit. The school is now doing great.
I find that hard to believe. M Moore is nothing more than a propagandist, our colleges are in more trouble than we think. If I had a child in that school I would force a transfer immediately period.
Did they use student fees to do this?
As one of the "idiot", "scumbag" members of the "vast right wing conspiracy", it makes me feel good to see that the "intellectuals" who run an institution of "higher" learning receive a reminder from the " stupid" and "greedy" "running dog capitalists" that there exists another world outside the insular, close-minded and provincial world of academia. This other world loves America, sees the threat from terror and, surprise , surprise, values demonstrable truth over the prevarications and propaganda of liberalism's Goebbels, Michael Moore.
Asked rhetorically, of course :)
Who in their right mind would pay $5 bucks to listen to this pig speak, much less $40,000? It's all I can do the change the channel quick enough when he is on television spewing for free.
Interesting thing that happens - when a liberal outrages the right, conservatives threaten to vote with their own dollars.
When a conservative riles the left, they get all outraged, and threaten to vote with someone ELSE's dollars.
Alumni can have a voice on how their money is spent and in controlling the direction of colleges.
Check out www.goacta.org
I go to UVSC. The biggest issue most have is the fact that the students only allot 50K for speakers per year. Moore, is taking up up most of the speakers fees in one shot. My issue is this piece of dung will desecrate a pretty good institution. I spend a lot of money in out of state tuition and I am disapointed in the choice of Moore. Not to mention that Utah is a pretty conservative state, most people there firmly back Bush and recoil at some of the charges leveled by Moore. At least the ones I have met..
Not for long if UVSC's alumni association has anything to say about it (and I'll wager that they do).
The whole idea of "student government" should be scrapped. In reality, it is just a mean for a small minority of kooks to fund their weird desires.
Indeed they can. I'll go look at the site. My question was that if there are students who oppose Moore having their student fees used against their wishes, was the same budget used for Hannity? Or did they not need $40,000 to bring him to the campus?
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