<p>$32,000 to Snookie to “dish” on her gym-tanning-laundry lifestyle?? $30,000 to Toni Morrison for Commencement speech??</p>
<p>[Snooki</a> gets $32K to talk ‘GTL’ on Rutgers campus | accessAtlanta](<a href=“http://www.accessatlanta.com/celebrities-tv/snooki-gets-32k-to-894306.html?cxntlid=thbz_hm]Snooki”>http://www.accessatlanta.com/celebrities-tv/snooki-gets-32k-to-894306.html?cxntlid=thbz_hm)</p>
<p>When I saw the article this morning, I hoped that it was an April Fool’s joke. Sadly, it wasn’t.</p>
<p>Frankly I’m more annoyed they are paying for a commencement speaker than a student group bringing Snookie on campus. This is a bad precendent. The Newark Star-Ledger shares this opinion:</p>
<p>[Rutgers</a>’ $30,000 speaker fee sends wrong message | NJ.com](<a href=“http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2011/04/rutgers_30000_speaker_fee_send.html]Rutgers”>Rutgers' $30,000 speaker fee sends wrong message - nj.com)</p>
<p>Here’s the local article that notes there was a huge line to see Snookie:</p>
<p>[Snooki</a> of ‘Jersey Shore’ gets $2K more than author Toni Morrison to appear at Rutgers | NJ.com](<a href=“http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/snooki_of_jersey_shore_gets_2k.html]Snooki”>Snooki of 'Jersey Shore' gets $2K more than author Toni Morrison to appear at Rutgers - nj.com)</p>
<p>I didn’t realize that commencement speakers were not normally paid for their appearance. I agree completely with you, nj2011, it is a dangerous precedent. This is the kind of spending that colleges need to stop. Also, the student group used mandatory fees to pay the $32k to Snooki. I realize you can’t please all the people all the time, but some students are already struggling to pay madatory fees on top of tuition. Snooki nonsense is free on MTV for those who choose to watch. Rutgers is not alone in this stupidity - I just wish they would all STOP WASTING MONEY.</p>
<p>What the heck are they thinking? One would think that Rutgers in particular would not want to encourage the Jersey Shore stereotype.</p>
<p>^^^agree wholeheartedly!</p>
<p>I was very disturbed when I read this today. </p>
<p>I really wanted our son to attend this school, but he did end up at another school which has turned out to be a great fit. After reading this story, I have to admit that the part of me that still wished that he’d gone there, no longer feels that way. I’m so disappointed in my alma mater.</p>
<p>The Star-Ledger has a hatred for RU at every turn and never misses an opportunity to take a shot at RU.<br>
Many schools pay speakers–most that get the bigger names. I know mine is looking at that right now because it’s hard to get people for free. A name speaker is good PR and gets coverage in the national press. The head of the local Americam Legion gets you zip. And I always love when they trot out the old “if you are so hardup for money you should not spend on _____”. As Obama would say–it’s a false choice. $30K would not make a dent in RU’s money issues but it will make for a better graduation ceremony. </p>
<p>I am hoping my hardup for money university follows suit and makes graduation special. If that costs $30k fine with me.</p>
<p>barrons- all the NJ newspaper have a hatred for all of our public institutions. It is how they sell their newspapers- the limited amounts they sell.</p>
<p>NJ doesn’t deserve Rutgers.</p>
<p>This is the way college spend their budget.
Look at the giant stadium, do we really need that for college football? How much they spend for it?
I remember last summer when we tour a private college in PA, they spent $1M for two pine tress from Japan. For what? A nice landscaping in the campus?
Look at the Rutgers visit center, do we really need that big building for visitors? How much they spend?
This is the way colleges spend their money. The have big new buildings but the labs for engineering dept are in the basement, dark, w/o A/C, small tiny room…</p>
<p>If tax payer willing to pay for it, why not spend it? People only look at the outside, they don’t or could’t care about the inside. Give me the money, then I will build more building for you.</p>