Too much
Controversial novelist Salman Rushdie is a sound speaker selection.
But he does not warrant the $35,000 price tag.
Rushdie, whose work has garnered everything from critical praise to death threats, will bring to CMU a wealth of experience and insight.
However, the Speaker Series committee has procured more prominent speakers, such as last year's pick, Ret. Gen. Wesley Clark, without nearly doubling its budget.
Clark, a national figure whom many were urging to run for president, certainly is a more recognizable name among college students than Rushdie, whose most well-known work, "The Satanic Verses," was released before many of us could read. And Clark cost less, exceeding the series' $20,000 budget by only $5,000.
It's not that Rushdie is a poor pick. It's that he's a poor value, charging too much for too little relevance among students.
The committee should have either continued to negotiate with Rushdie, who is charging a comparatively exorbitant amount, or kept shopping. Perhaps the likelihood of another Clark is slim, but surely there are other better-known, less expensive speakers available.
It may seem like nitpicking after several departments stepped up to foot the extra cost, but this money, a substantial amount culled from many units, could have gone to better use.
The university is in dire financial straits. Spending this much on Rushdie, about whom students know relatively little, is foolish.
The Speaker Series needs to be careful in its picks. It should provide speakers about whom students care - an additional stipulation of campus relevance on top of educational value.
That said, students still should take advantage of the speaker's presence.
Clark, during his visit last year, made nearly a campus tour, holding a Q-and-A with a handful of students.
This sort of discussion highlights the value of having renowned figures on campus. It provides something that cannot be gleaned from a book, and the Speaker Series should take all available steps to provide similar activities this year.
And if students are not familiar with Rushdie's work, there is plenty of time to look into it, whether it's as in-depth as reading an entire novel or as quick as checking his Wikipedia profile.
Rushdie is a fascinating person from a variety of angles, and should not be met with apathy. Get the most out of this speaker - there is much to be had.
