* Press release…
Today, as Bruce Rauner chooses to hit the campaign trail instead of working to pass a much-needed budget, Northeastern campus is shutting down again. This is the second time in three weeks that Northeastern Illinois University has had to shut down due to the two-year deadlock over a new state budget.
“Today, Bruce Rauner is once again choosing to put politics over doing his job as Governor,” said JB Pritzker. “While Rauner heads out on the campaign trail, our state still doesn’t have a budget and Northeastern campus is shutting down again. This is devastating. Illinois families have had enough of Bruce Rauner’s failed leadership and they are ready for a progressive leader who will fight for what’s right and actually get things done for our state.”
* Twitters…
* Sun-Times…
Three class days were cancelled to cut costs during the budget impasse, and union leaders are planning a rally to protest the school’s financial straits — but Northeastern Illinois University was planning to pay former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett $30,000 to speak at its commencement ceremony.
Those plans changed after a few university trustees objected — and the Sun-Times began asking questions. Northeastern said late Monday that a donor came forward to pay the five-figure speaking fee.
But at an April 6 board meeting, trustees approved an honorary degree for Jarrett — while learning that a contract had already been negotiated and signed to pay her $30,000 for her May 8 speech.
Just the day before, the school’s interim president said the university was in a “state of emergency” amid the 22-month budget impasse.
Hearing of Jarrett’s contract on April 6, at least one board member uttered “wow,” according to audio of the board’s meeting.
Click here for the trustee meeting audio and fast forward to about the 1:38:00 mark. It’s quite the discussion, with one trustee arguing that it was “classist” to oppose the speaking fee.
And ironically enough, the trustees discussed a statement on impending employee furloughs immediately after they finished talking about the speaking fee.
…Adding… I didn’t see this item at first…
Additionally, the university’s board last week approved an “expenditure recommendation” of $98,000 to executive search firm Greenwood/Asher & Associates to search for a new university president.
Asked for comment on that approval, the university said it couldn’t comment on the search for president or the $98,000 approval.
Sheesh.
*** UPDATE *** Sun-Times…
Valerie Jarrett won’t collect a speaking fee for her commencement speech at cash-strapped Northeastern Illinois University.
Jarrett has spoken with the university president and will not be taking a speaking fee, a Jarrett spokeswoman said Tuesday.
- Ravenswood Right Winger - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 9:58 am:
This is bizarre. “Classist” to oppose the speaking fee??? Paying Valerie Jarrett (or anyone else for that matter) $30,000 as a fee for speaking at the graduation?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:03 am:
Rauner keeps trying to say it’s not his intention to squeeze and destroy higher education here in Illinois.
Rauner donated and funded to both the Rauner Library and the Rauner dormitory at Dartmouth College, putting his name to both.
Rauner purposely vetoed higher education funding as a leverage point to force the destruction of Organized Labor, while using Social Services for that purpose too.
It would be quite foolish to think a governor does not own their veto, or even the mere choice of a veto, something only a governor can do.
It would also be quite foolish to think purposely donating to a college for a dormitory and library isn’t a choice.
Look at the actions.
- Anon - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:07 am:
=== $30,000 as a fee for speaking at the graduation?===
There’s a pretty well established circuit for public policy/public affairs speakers. Commencement is a popular time to bring folks in to speak, especially folks with a high profile.
While I agree that 30K is expensive, she might have had another offer, or the person from NEIU may not have any experience negotiating with an agent. 30k is probably a bit steep for someone with her resume, though. But who knows what else they asked her to attend and do with her time on campus.
- Blue dog dem - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:08 am:
Speaking fees. Scholarships for video games. Bass fishing teams. The gov better hustle and get that higher ed funding in place less things start falling apart.
- Deft Wing - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:10 am:
Talk about sending mixed messages and having a lack of priorites. Wow, that’s some Board NEIU has right there.
- Ravenswood Right Winger - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:13 am:
Jarrett now says she won’t accept a fee.
http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/valerie-jarrett-wont-charge-neiu-for-graduation-speech/
- Blue dog dem - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:16 am:
Good for VJ. Now fire the person who evrn thought of the idea.
- il annoyed - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:16 am:
Way to shoot yourself in the foot…can’t pay for classes, but there’s 100k to read resumes of lame administrators
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:19 am:
BD, better shut down that Pentagon, too, what with the $400 hammers and such.
You make perfect sense: any inappropriate or wasteful expense means the entire mission is illegitimate.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:23 am:
Valerie, you should be ashamed. NEIU, you too. what the heck?!?
- Oh Boy - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:26 am:
Some of these universities can’t get out of their own way. No wonder they find themselves at the bottom of the pile in this budget impasse.
Especially enjoyed the self-righteous person who argued the kids “deserve” to hear from Valerie Jarrett at their commencement. Academic Fantasy Land.
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:27 am:
===Talk about sending mixed messages and having a lack of priorites. Wow, that’s some Board NEIU has right there.===
Agreed. While I believe Rauner is intentionally squeezing higher ed it’s difficult to feel sympathy for a university that approves these types of expenditures while staff is furloughed.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:30 am:
Paying commencement speakers is a long-standing and common practice in the United States that should have been done away with long ago at Illinois public schools, for obvious reasons.
But it’s not license for the destruction of Rauner’s social Darwinism.
- Blue Bayou - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:32 am:
Nice to see all the uninformed right wingers out in this thread.
None of you know anything about commencement speakers or presidential-level searches, do you?
You might not like it, but that’s how universities hire presidents. It’s talent recruitment. It’s an investment in making universities better-run, more efficient. In the current climate this matters more than ever.
Having been on these committees, I know this for a fact.
As for the Boards of universities, that’s a different story: they are political appointees who often know very little about higher ed, or even the university itself.
- Last Bull Moose - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:32 am:
The trustees must not realize there is a crisis. So tone deaf.
They don’t have the money and she doesn’t need the money.
- allknowingmasterofracoondom - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:52 am:
Yes to expenditure for president recruitment.
Heck no to $30k for a speaker.
What the heck are they thinking?
- Stark - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 10:58 am:
I love how these people think it’s perfectly fine to cash in on a university that’s struggling and then act like everything is fine when they caught and have to reverse course. Pathetic.
- Blue dog dem - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 11:00 am:
Word. I just want someone to try and find a few cost cutting items before we stick it to us middle class folks. You know there out there. I do. But nobody seems to understand fhat all most of us want before the inevitable tax increase is some real expenditure reductions. Cant ya just get me a few? Please?
- JPC - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 11:11 am:
Sad to see Rich push the overspending narrative here without appropriate context.
Over each of the past two years, about 40 percent (maybe a little less on account of stop-gap funding) of NEIU’s operating funds were withheld on account of the absence of a budget. Nonetheless, the university must fulfill all of its institutional obligations–including finding new leadership and having graduation. To highlight these two contextless claims (what are typical speaking fees? How much do institutions usually spend on getting new leadership?) lends credence to the idea that its irresponsible public employees who are to blame for the present crisis.
- NoGifts - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 11:14 am:
I don’t think a commencement makes any lasting impact on graduating students. They’d be better off using 30K to sponsor an employment fair.
- Grand Avenue - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 11:24 am:
This is why you invite currently elected or appointed officials - they legally can’t charge a fee.
- Chucktownian - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 11:25 am:
Having been through a lot in the last couple of years here at EIU, it is interesting to watch the other universities trying to come to terms with what he had to come to terms with. Like us last year, they burned through their reserves and are in trouble. They’re now in the shape we were in before all of the awful things we did last year.
NEIU is really struggling because they burned through their reserves. The state did that not NEIU. SIUC is about $60M underwater right this very second and trying to right the ship. My understanding is WIU is trying to decide if they can stay open after commencement in May or will have to close for the summer.
It sure would be nice if someone would do something. You’d think this would be important to the folks in our government who claim they want to stop the trend of people (and students) leaving the state.
- Union Man - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 11:28 am:
Describing reconsideration of a speaking fee as “classist” reminded me of when FDR told us that it’s as bad to be governed by organized-money as it is to be governed by the organized mob. Folk at the top who deride wisdom as classist are just simply out of touch with the reality of the masses.
- BK Bro - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 11:33 am:
Starving broke and paying a 30k speaking. I get that this is populism-type of story, but NEIU needs a better PR game if they want to be successful in Illinois budget battles.
- Matt Belcher - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 11:36 am:
Better or worse than $166,000 for Matthew McConaughey and $110,000 for Katie Couric?
“Lawmakers in Illinois considered a bill last year that would have barred colleges from using public money on graduation speakers, although the proposal failed.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-commencement-speaker-costs-20160520-story.html
C.f. Bradley University
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 11:39 am:
Blue Bayou—-Please enlighten us all about commencement speakers.
- Jerry 101 - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 12:33 pm:
I don’t remember who spoke at my graduation.
- UIUC grad
- City Zen - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 12:37 pm:
$30,000 seems like a bargain considering that the CTA pays Val $36,000 not to speak.
- Sue - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 1:02 pm:
The better question is why did anyone believe Valerie Jarrett might have something to say which is worth 30000 dollars
- Soccermom - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 1:56 pm:
I don’t think this is Jarrett’s fault.
I think NEIU called her office and someone said, “Oh, CAA handles her speaking engagements.”
The CAA person - a junior staffer based in California, who doesn’t know NEIU from Northwestern, gave the NEIU person Jarrett’s standard quote (and $30,000 may be her non-profit fee, given her stature.)
The NEIU person gulped and said ok. Somebody put it on Jarrett’s schedule. And she probably hadn’t even started thinking about when all this fell on her head.
I give Jarrett credit for not throwing her staff or her reps under the bus, although I’m guessing there may have been some difficult telephone conversations over the past few days…
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 2:07 pm:
Soccermon—CAA would require an offer, in writing, that spelled out the group, amount offered, etc. and that offer would have been presented to VJ to say yes or no.
- City Zen - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 2:36 pm:
==who doesn’t know NEIU from Northwestern==
I can imagine that conversation:
CAA: Don’t you mean NorthWESTERN?
NEIU: No, NorthEASTERN Illinois
CAA: Oh, I remember you guys in the Orange Bowl a few years ago.
NEIU: No, that would be NORTHERN Illinois. We’re NorthEASTERN Illinois.
CAA: And you’re sure you’re an actual university?
NEIU: Sure are. We have the largest Social Justice Warrior program in northwest Chicago.
CAA: But I thought you said northeast…Whatever, just send a check.
- Dirty Red - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 2:53 pm:
Dear NEIU…seriously?
Dear Ms. Jarrett…how are you “not aware of the specific issues facing Northeastern Illinois University?” They aren’t unique.
- James - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 4:03 pm:
She’s not charismatic. She’s a quiet, intelligent lawyer with well-connected friends, who plays her cards close to the vest and knows how to gain and maintain power behind the scenes. I don’t see her winning any elections big enough to interest her–campaigning is not her skill set. Maybe it’s time to be supportive to other Democrats and look around for a job.
- Mockingjay - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 4:29 pm:
Jarrett won’t take $30K speaking fee….now that the fee was made public. Sheesh
- A guy - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 4:31 pm:
$30K for Valerie Jarrett. Pretty hefty. Long ago, Honoraria for Federal Seat Holders went the way of the Edsel. She probably wasn’t permitted to do this without Administration permission or for a fee while serving in the Obama Admin.
Looks like she’s making up for lost time. Travel expenses and $5K, I could see for a 15 minute speech. $30K? Hard to imagine that’s the market for her. Even harder to imagine NEIU thinks that’s the market they should be shopping in.
- ProfeX - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 4:45 pm:
Valerie Jarrett seems like a deal compared to some of the other “talent” that charges a similar rate. Anita Hill!? Eleanor Clift!?!
https://www.allamericanspeakers.com/category/Political-Speakers
And for the record, the “classist” comment came from the NEIU INTERIM president.
There are new board members at NEIU and this was their first meeting. There is now a bit of a special interest caucus and they are taking a page from Chicago State’s playbook and are going about it in an equally ham-handed way.
The irony/hypocrisy is that the board levied the complaint about the speaker’s fee, and the president became defensive, then the board said they wanted to move forward on hiring the $98,000 search firm and the president then said, how dare we spend that money in the midst of a financial crisis?
Much more to come I’m sure.
- City Zen - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 5:19 pm:
Someone should ask Colby College how much they paid Valerie last year to address the seniors the day before graduation. Colby did award her an “honorary doctor of laws degree” for her efforts, so watch out Baker and McKensie…
https://www.colby.edu/commencement/valerie-b-jarrett-senior-advisor-to-president-obama-to-speak-at-colby-college-commencement-weekend/
- blue dog dem - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 5:38 pm:
I, old Blue,.volunteer to do the commencement speech at NEIU. Not only will I not accept money, I will donate $100 for the honor. Rich, can you act as my booking agent? They better act fast, my calender is filling up quick.
- blue dog dem - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 5:46 pm:
Sorry folks, that ‘volunteer’ word was already used todaY.
- Jeff Parker - Tuesday, Apr 11, 17 @ 8:18 pm:
Sorry, folks, $30,000 isn’t in any way an exorbitant fee. http://time.com/money/3910856/commencement-speaker-fees/
- morningstar - Wednesday, Apr 12, 17 @ 8:48 am:
I’m appalled at the number of response here trashing the university. Wake up, people. Illinois is losing its educational system.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Apr 12, 17 @ 9:40 am:
Morningstar, very bad judgment on the part of the university to spend $30K for a speaker. If you can’t see that, well, can’t help you.
Jeff Parker, it is an exorbitant fee if the money isn’t available.
- morningstar - Wednesday, Apr 12, 17 @ 4:43 pm:
Anonymous: Sure, right. You’re technically correct. In the same way that a pedestrian standing in the crosswalk as a Mack truck speeds toward him is correct in saying pedestrians have the right of way. But you are missing the point.