From Deseret News archives:

Suit over Moore visit dropped

Dismissal comes after student officer quits post

Published: Friday, Dec. 10, 2004 11:48 p.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
OREM — A lawsuit that claimed Utah Valley State College student leaders violated school rules when they agreed to pay Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore some $50,000 to speak at the school in October was dismissed Friday.

Orem resident Kay Anderson, who filed the suit with UVSC student Dan Garcia, said he decided to drop the lawsuit when he learned Joe Vogel had resigned Thursday from his elected post as vice president of the college's student association.

Vogel was primarily responsible for bringing Moore to campus.

"I feel bad for Mr. Vogel — but clearly what we're seeing now is some accountability," Anderson said.

Fourth District Judge Guy Burningham, who dismissed the case, called the lawsuit "interesting" and encouraged UVSC student leaders to look at their own rules.

He urged student leaders to make meetings more public and devise ways for all students to have more input on how student-fee money is spent.

Bob Rasmussen, UVSC dean of students, said those changes are already being discussed.

According to Anderson and Garcia, Vogel and other student leaders violated the school's constitution when they agreed to pay Moore more than $50,000 — including travel expenses — to speak at UVSC's McKay Events Center.

Story continues below
School rules forbid the student government to "incur any single expense or liability in excess of $50,000" without meeting several requirements, including a majority vote by UVSC students.

But UVSC administrators contended that the total cost of Moore's visit represented several smaller fees, none of which exceeded $50,000.

Vogel is working on a book about the controversy the Moore visit generated, which is why he was asked to resign.

Vogel, an English major, said he's drafted about 80 pages and plans to finish his book next month. Moore's own publishing company, Reagan Books, has expressed interest in distributing the book, but no contract has been finalized.

Jim Bassi, president of UVSC's student association, asked Vogel to step down.

"I asked him to resign after an agreement could not be made concerning Vogel's responsibilities as an elected official versus those as a private citizen," Bassi said at a UVSC Board of Trustees meeting Thursday.

UVSC spokesman Derek Hall said that no administrators were involved in the decision.

Applications are being taken to fill Vogel's position.

"I don't regret my decisions," Vogel said. "It's been a hard semester — to have to resign, to endure personal attacks. I've lost friends. But my good friends have stood by me," he said.

Anderson said he was standing up for "moral values" when he filed the lawsuit. He said student leaders had disrespected the community by inviting someone who didn't share its values.

And even though the Moore controversy is over, Anderson vowed he won't stop monitoring the school's activities.

"I wake up every morning with my eye on UVSC," he said. "It's in my back yard."


Contributing: Laura Warner; E-mail: jhyde@desnews.com

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

Gifts for gamers

There are some games I love not on your list. Arkham Asylum for one.

Daughter: Mitchell fed me my pet

Our parents made my brothers help kill and clean our rabbits before we ate...

Why would you keep it open? I would understand if there was a lot of amazing...

The government will run our health care well? Read Reader's Digest, November...

BCS stable at top, Y. up to 14

TCU stomped on the MWC so they are naturally ready to crush Florida, Alabama...

Jazz win 6th in 7 games

could you understand Dave Locke any more than my mom does and she is not even...

Notre Dame fires Weis

Attending the ND/BYU game 3 years ago in south bend, a couple of things stuck...

I missed the game, actually i heard a little bit of Locke on the radio (man...

Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal

quotes were good: Article was dumb and unnecessary.

Understanding translation process

I believe the art depicting Joseph looking at the plates may possibly be...

Advertisements