Sarah Palin at CSU-Stanislaus: A Call for an Investigation…, by Whitney Farmer – Un Pop Culture

April 14, 2010 Whitney Farmer 0 Comments

One of the first casualties in a war against a representative government tends to be education.  This is what happened in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge. This is why once upon a dark time ago some institutions of higher learning in America used to require assessments that revealed certain indicators of culture and ethnicity: The Ivy League wanted to ration education to…selected types of people. Failing to establish an educational infrastructure was America’s error after forming an alliance with the Taliban in their fight against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.  After empowering the Freedom Fighters with the modern weaponry needed to overcome the invading armies from the north, the U.S. failed to take the one small step of educating the near majority, teenaged population that was left alive in that ancient country. This allowed a regressive theocracy to sink roots into a passionate and brave but ignorant population. What could have been avoided after that time if terrorists hadn’t ever found safe haven…

Knowledge is power, even if we fail to rev our mental engines in lieu of bad T.V. A key to nation building is a strong educational system.  The CSU system in California has in the past been a flagship in this mission. Through its 23 campuses, more degrees are granted in the fields of agriculture, education, business, computer science, media, and technology than from all California-based colleges and universities combined.  It has been a marvel of affordable education for citizens without regard to race, ethnic or religious affiliation, or any other reason that is no one’s business. One of the heartbreaks of the financial crisis that our state is facing has been the debilitating cuts that have hit higher education, the CSU system included.  That door of opportunity has closed for many.

This crisis has been a battle cry for philanthropists to use their power to bridge the gap and save the vision.  What might be a disturbing exception to this ideal appears to have surfaced.

On April 13^th, the Contra Costa Times published a story by Steven Harmon reporting that documents describing the terms of a CSU-Stanislaus Foundation speaking engagement keynote address by Sarah Palin had been recovered after being partially shredded and placed in a dumpster while Foundation offices were closed.

Comparing her terms from contract riders that I am regularly required to fulfill in my job, Ms. Palin must be described ironically as more aristocratic than a rock star. There is no resemblance to the common folk that she imitates to gather power. She required a Lear jet and all photos by a professional photographer. No personal cameras or autographs were allowed nor were unauthorized tapings. Guest lists had to be submitted to her representatives prior to the event. Her requirements of carefully placed still water that is to be opened by staff at an appointed time, bendable straws, a chauffeured SUV or towncar from the airport, and flattering lighting are all conditions that I would expect from a celebrity. That a public image is carefully crafted is very common.

The ramifications of this situation are more troubling than an aspiring politician who might not be able to handle the unknown but still might be handed power. These documents were removed from Foundation offices during a furlough day. Furlough days are a new nasty reality in California which doesn’t have enough money to run essential services.  State employees are required to take unpaid days off.  Many government offices are closed at least every other Friday in order to save money. These documents — along with many that were shredded – had been discarded during a pending investigation spearheaded by the Attorney General on a furlough day, when no one was supposed to be around. It is suspected that there was something to hide, an assertion further supported by a contractual clause discovered in the recovered documents. It read, “…The Parties further acknowledge that disclosure of any confidential information would cause irreparable harm to WSB (Washington Speakers Bureau) and to the Speaker (Palin); the Customer (CSU-Stanislaus Foundation) shall therefore exercise its best efforts to avoid any disclosure of any confidential information…The Customer … shall reasonably cooperate with WSB so that, prior to any disclosure, WSB may seek appropriate protective order(s) and/or make redactions …”

Could a redaction include how to justify in the press an exorbitant honorarium from a nonprofit’s funds that had been provided by donors to advance higher education for some of our society’s most disadvantaged?  The description of “exorbitant” can be justified for any amount more than $-0- USD, which is the sum both Former President Bill Clinton received for addressing UC Berkley and First Lady Michelle Obama received for addressing UC Merced. According to the CSU system website, every $1 invested into the CSU system contributes $4.41 into the economy.  That being the case, if Ms. Palin received her typical speaking fee of $100,000 from the University’s Foundation, those funds could have instead generated $441,000 in direct and indirect benefits if assigned in a manner closer to its IRS-approved charter.  That’s a painfully high cost to pay.

Ms. Palin’s celebrity hospitality rider for her engagement demonstrates issues of character which might provoke concerns.  However, the deeper issues of institutional accountability, subterfuge, and misallocation of precious resources that could have been used to champion the next doctors and artists and engineers and teachers strike at the founding principles that have allowed our republic to do some good in this world.

Quote of the Blog from the California State University System website: “A college education changes lives.”

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Whitney runs a rock music club in L.A. She has an MBA and no one cares.