Fee no Moore than usual

OREM — She's the president's mother. He's a filmmaker known for attacks on her son.

But former first lady Barbara Bush and controversial "Fahrenheit 9/11" director Michael Moore have something in common — getting $40,000 from Utah Valley State College to speak to its students.

According to college documents obtained by the Deseret Morning News, UVSC paid GOP favorite Barbara Bush $40,000 in 1996 to speak at the McKay Events Center.

That's the same amount UVSC's student government is paying Moore to address students on Oct. 20, which has prompted a public outcry, including threats by state legislators and major donors to pull funding from the state college.

In addition, a petition is circulating to recall the decision to invite Moore and the student government officers responsible for inviting him.

But the Bush matriarch didn't cause such a stir when she came to UVSC, a college located in the most conservative county in one of the country's most conservative states, said former UVSC professor Gary Wixom.

"There was no controversy at all," said Wixom, who now serves as assistant commissioner for the State Board of Regents, which oversees public higher education in Utah. "The amount of interest generated by this current situation dwarfs the interest in that activity."

Although no additional travel or security fees were required for Barbara Bush's visit to UVSC — corporate jet service was donated and Secret Service agents accompanied her — other speakers have cost UVSC a hefty sum just to shuttle in and out of Utah.

The Dalai Lama, who visited UVSC in 2001 and is a close relative of a former staff member at the college, didn't charge for his speaking engagement. But UVSC spent more than $30,000 on travel, security and facility costs for the spiritual leader.

Deseret Morning News graphic UVSC speakers Requires Adobe Acrobat.

Transportation costs for Larry King, who received an honorary degree from UVSC in 2003, totaled $15,000.

All expenses are generally covered for Utah's political leaders. Elected officials such as Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett, both R-Utah, do not charge when they appear on campus — but they don't draw huge crowds, either.

"With most speakers, if there's not extra credit offered by professors, then it's a crap shoot if you get 50 or 100 students," said Bob Rasmussen, UVSC's dean of students.

"We brought in Gov. Olene Walker, and there were 25 students. And they were mostly student government officers."

But all the seats will be filled when Moore comes to the sold-out McKay Events Center next month, thanks to his controversial reputation, Rasmussen said.