President Smatresk failed the UNT community in wake of Trump Jr. speech

[Skipper]

You were probably expecting our editorial this week to be focused on criticism surrounding Donald Trump Jr.’s speech through UNT’s Kuehne Speaker Series. Well, we’ve been there and done that.

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[GTWT]

The university should be a haven for free speech - even if the speech is by Donald Trump, Jr.  Don't like Trump or his father?  That's fine.  Ignore the man or protest him but don't pretend you have the right to shut him up.

[UNTLifer]

1 hour ago, GTWT said:

The university should be a haven for free speech - even if the speech is by Donald Trump, Jr.  Don't like Trump or his father?  That's fine.  Ignore the man or protest him but don't pretend you have the right to shut him up.

AMEN.

Good job President Smatresk.  As noted above, free speech doesn't mean you will always agree.  Why is it that the "stereotypical" left yells for free speech they really mean shut up?

[SteaminWillieBeamin]

6 hours ago, GTWT said:

The university should be a haven for free speech - even if the speech is by Donald Trump, Jr.  Don't like Trump or his father?  That's fine.  Ignore the man or protest him but don't pretend you have the right to shut him up.

There is a big ole difference between someone showing up to talk (aka Free Speech) and a university paying someone to come and talk. 
I don't care about some kook on campus rambling about abortion or god. Never did. I listened and argued back -- back when I felt like my opinion matters. I do care about my university, that I invest a lot of time and money, PAYING a dude to come and bad mouth institutions like the one I love. Trump Jr. is not an intellectual, he is almost admittedly an anti-intellectual. 

But alas -- setup these strawman arguments about not paying him to speak is akin to being anti-speech and no one can argue the contrary in good faith. 

 

Edit: I know you will say this was not UNT paying him, but it was. They did pay something for him to come. Not the whole fee, but other costs (per the rider released via FOA request). They also drag UNT's name through the press -- that costs something. 

Edited October 27, 2017 by SteaminWillieBeamin

[MeanGreenTexan]

1 hour ago, SteaminWillieBeamin said:

There is a big ole difference between someone showing up to talk (aka Free Speech) and a university paying someone to come and talk. 
I don't care about some kook on campus rambling about abortion or god. Never did. I listened and argued back -- back when I felt like my opinion matters. I do care about my university, that I invest a lot of time and money, PAYING a dude to come and bad mouth institutions like the one I love. Trump Jr. is not an intellectual, he is almost admittedly an anti-intellectual. 

But alas -- setup these strawman arguments about not paying him to speak is akin to being anti-speech and no one can argue the contrary in good faith. 

 

Edit: I know you will say this was not UNT paying him, but it was. They did pay something for him to come. Not the whole fee, but other costs (per the rider released via FOA request). They also drag UNT's name through the press -- that costs something. 

I genuinely hope a dollar amount comes out for how much scholarship money was raised from this.

if it's high, then the vocal people opposed need to sit down because a lot of kids are getting their school paid for whether they agree with him or not.  The funding for those students makes it worth the angst.

if it's low, everyone has to ask if this was worth the press it got (mostly bad), & maybe Ernie should consider different types of people in the future.

[UNTLifer]

3 hours ago, SteaminWillieBeamin said:

There is a big ole difference between someone showing up to talk (aka Free Speech) and a university paying someone to come and talk. 
I don't care about some kook on campus rambling about abortion or god. Never did. I listened and argued back -- back when I felt like my opinion matters. I do care about my university, that I invest a lot of time and money, PAYING a dude to come and bad mouth institutions like the one I love. Trump Jr. is not an intellectual, he is almost admittedly an anti-intellectual. 

But alas -- setup these strawman arguments about not paying him to speak is akin to being anti-speech and no one can argue the contrary in good faith. 

 

Edit: I know you will say this was not UNT paying him, but it was. They did pay something for him to come. Not the whole fee, but other costs (per the rider released via FOA request). They also drag UNT's name through the press -- that costs something. 

His fee was paid by a donor, not the university.  At least, that is how I understand it.

[SteaminWillieBeamin]

12 hours ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

I genuinely hope a dollar amount comes out for how much scholarship money was raised from this.

Where do you gather this was a fund raiser for the school scholarship fund? (Genuinely curious)

[MeanGreenTexan]

2 hours ago, SteaminWillieBeamin said:

Where do you gather this was a fund raiser for the school scholarship fund? (Genuinely curious)

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/donald-trump-1/2017/10/04/untpresident-opposed-donald-trumpjrs-speech-donors-prevailed

Quote

 

While many UNT speakers are brought to campus by and for students, the university has marketed Trump’s lecture on Oct. 24 to conservatives and business leaders as a place to network while raising scholarship money. Table sponsorships for the lecture series start at $5,000 and go as high as $100,000. Sponsorship payments are eligible for a federal tax deduction.

In past years, the series has netted between $18,000 and $235,000, according to school documents. As of mid-September, the school projected that the series this year would net $13,000, according to documents reviewed by The News. UNT said the number could change because fundraising is continuing.

 

If that forecasted $13k is anywhere NEAR accurate... this is an embarrassment, and not worth all of the political mud-slinging our University had to endure to put this show on.    Not to mention, a complete letdown for GBR as he financed the $100k, and EK as this is likely his scholarship fund.

If they were to somehow drum up an amount closer to the $235k, then that is a LOT of money for students (who otherwise may not be able) to attend our University... students who may or may not agree with him at all... which I would call a rousing success, despite the press it received.

If there are any students who were outspoken about this that happen to receive a dime from whichever scholarship endowment this thing poured into, they need to return that money (you know... principles) or stop being hypocritical.

[KRAM1]

4 hours ago, SteaminWillieBeamin said:

Where do you gather this was a fund raiser for the school scholarship fund? (Genuinely curious)

Entire speaker series was set up by donors...and paid for by donors (yes, the University paid a small amount...very small) to raise scholarship dollars for Merit Scholars at UNT.  The first scholarships will be awarded this coming year.  Dollars had to build to endow the scholarships I suppose.  Figures from $13,000 to $100,000 have been thrown around as to the amount raised from this one event with Donald Trump, Jr.  I don't suppose anyone knows, as yet, the real dollar amount.  I heard Brit Ryan mention $100,000 and I have heard some of the event's detractors mention $13,000 total for the series this year.  I did hear Brit Ryan and President Smatresk disputing that low dollar figure and mentioning $200,000, but, again, nothing official at all as yet.  But, bottom line, the series is raising scholarship dollars as is one of its stated purposes.  If anyone at the University feels the level of dollars raised is not adequate, they are free to refuse any scholarship dollars should they be offered same.

And, by the way...the earth was still spinning on its axis Thursday morning after the talk, the sun was shining and the University was open for business as usual.  Imagine that!