Following two consecutive front-page stories in The Buffalo News last week, the possibility of former President Clinton speaking at UB, which university administrators quashed last March, has resurfaced.
Clinton spokeswoman Julia Payne told The News Clinton sometimes waives his speaking fee and "'would love to consider speaking [at UB].'" Student Association officials, excited by the report, have since resumed their quest to bring the ex-president to campus.
According to his spokesperson, Michael Keevers, Clinton "has been invited [by UB]," but "has not decided on whether he will be coming."
SA President Christian Oliver and SA Vice President Joshua Korman said administrators rejected a March SA proposal to include Clinton in the university's Distinguished Speaker series as he was "too controversial."
UB President William R. Greiner denied the claim, stating Clinton was not considered for the series due to the former president's high speaking fee. Officials said they were looking to bring Clinton to UB within two or three years, when he would have more to speak on and perhaps a lower fee.
Oliver said that waiting several years for Clinton to speak, as suggested by the administration, would be unwise.
"Personally, I believe having Clinton here in four years would do nothing for the students here now," said Oliver.
SA officials say UB could have afforded a visit from Clinton with additional support from SA, and that he was not booked for the series due to the administration's decision not to consider Clinton for a guest speaker.
"We looked at our finances to see if it would have been possible to come up with what was needed," said Oliver. He said SA was prepared to contribute from $35,000-40,000 toward Clinton's speaking fee, estimated between $125,000 and $150,000, and to assure the university a sold-out crowd by purchasing any unsold tickets.
Last year, SA contributed $10,000 to the series, bringing former astronaut and senator John Glenn to UB as the "student endorsed" speaker and obtaining a block of free tickets for students. After SA failed to sign Clinton or their second choice, Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, the administration added filmmaker Ken Burns to the series' lineup
The potential for UB to host a free Clinton speech did not arise until Buffalo News reporters investigated his fees.
Clinton, who declined previous invitations to speak at UB's commencement ceremonies, waives his fee when speaking on certain issues.
"The majority of the time, the president will speak on a pro bono basis on issues concerning his foundation," said his press secretary, Julia Payne. He spoke on a pro bono basis at Queen's College in Ireland and the University of Chicago, as well as at the dedication of the Rothermere American Institute at Oxford University.
When The Buffalo News printed Thursday's and Friday's stories on the matter, Greiner and Provost Elizabeth Capaldi were meeting in Washington with Western New York legislators.
"I find it hard believing it's a coincidence that Capaldi and Greiner were in Washington at the same time the stories came out," said Oliver. "The reason this issue is as big as it is," said Oliver, "is because The Buffalo News thought it would be."
Oliver added, "There was never any intention from [SA] to embarrass the administration."
