Speaking Fees

It's always been a scam. Ex-President gets $400,000 for delivering a 45-minute speech (which is equivalent to his Presidential yearly salary) or travels around the country speaking for $150,000 a pop. Schools try to garner the best people they can: diplomats, statesmen, artists, people who think and deliver the goods. The goal of landing a big speaker is usually to boost alumni donations and add to the university's endowments. The criteria usually include a lifetime of work and achievement, like what Bill Cosby has done or any number of Presidents.

And then you have Snooki, famous for a different kind of endowment, willing to donate pretty much anything to pretty much anyone.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The pouf is mightier than the pen when it comes to speaking fees at New Jersey's largest university. The Rutgers University Programming Association paid Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi of the reality TV show "Jersey Shore" $32,000 Thursday to dish on her hairstyle, fist pumps, as well as the GTL — gym, tanning, laundry — lifestyle. That's $2,000 more than the $30,000 the university is paying Nobel-winning novelist Toni Morrison to deliver Rutgers' commencement address in May. Money for Polizzi's appearance came from the mandatory student activity fee.

Public University. Mandatory student activity fee. GTL lifestyle. More money than the commencement speaker, Toni Morrison. I guess it's okay if your purpose is to emphasize the role of women in today's society.

OMG indeed.