Not everyone has heard of Tufts University. But those who have not heard of Tufts have heard of Al Gore, Billy Joel, and Colin Powell - all recent speakers at the University. And soon, former president Bill Clinton will be added to the list of prominent names.
So how do those big city names end up in Medford? Generally, the University's academic departments are responsible for arranging speakers. Former Vice President Al Gore's recent visit was arranged by Professor Rich Lerner and the Child Development department.
Special programs throughout the University also attract influential people to campus. One such program, Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship (EPIIC) conducts forums almost every year. Nobel laureates, distinguished academic scholars, journalists, and world leaders have all been brought to Tufts by EPIIC.
A recent EPIIC symposium in 1999 titled "Global Crime, Corruption, and Accountability," had speakers involved in their countries' struggles with justice and accountability. These speakers included: Wole Soyinka of Nigeria, Luis Moreno Ocampo of Argentina, and Gisela von Muhlenberg of Chile.
Program director Sherman Teichman feels fortunate to have had so many prominent and experienced people speak at EPIIC symposia. He believes that such speakers contribute to the creation of what he calls "a community of knowledge" between students and speakers.
"In all of the 18 years of our participation in bringing over 2,000 really distinguished people to campus through symposia... we've never paid a single dime of honorarium," Teichman said.
EPIIC does not pay any speaker fees and does not deal with speaker bureaus, contacting the individual directly, according to Teichman. This tradition, he says, comes from speakers' respect for education - they come for the "reality of these student conceived and student enacted programs."
"[The speakers come in the] context of continuity of leadership and inspiration and imparting of knowledge, Teichman said. "They come because of the student, [because of] the explicit student control of these programs."
Teichman praises the willingness of past speakers to connect with students after their speeches, which he says provide further educational "nourishment".
"These people [speakers] become our social change agents," Teichman said, mentioning how past speakers have helped students to find jobs and agreed to speak at other events.
Ultimately, Teichman believes that the University's prestige, not size, matters when it comes to attracting famous speakers.
"The core reality here is the recognition of this University," Teichman said. "The stature of this University, is not a question of its size, but of its prestige... They know they are going to a school that is well-informed... where students are curious."
The Fares Lecture Series from the Fares Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies, which sponsored Powell last year, also brings speakers to campus. Last spring, the Fares Lecture Series brought professors from other universities, such as Dr. John Esposito, a professor at Georgetown for a lecture titled "The Future of Islam," and the director of the Konrad Adenauer Institute in Morocco, Dr. Wilfried Buchta, with his lecture entitled "Iran: the struggle for the succession to Khomeini."
As far as public relations are concerned, Tufts does indeed receive some of the spotlight that comes with famous speakers.
"I think sometimes we do get good press when high profile people come here," Craig LeMoult from Tufts Public Relations said. He adds that this is not always the case as there was no media allowed at the Al Gore event, which was kept small and intimate at his request.
"The main purpose [of speakers] is really for the students," LeMoult said. "Sometimes we do get publicity like if someone gives a major address, the press goes in favor of the speaker as well, and sometimes its good for [the speakers] as well."
However, while the University does benefit from the names of such famous speakers, some of its students do not.
"I guess it means a great deal to the University to have high caliber speakers come, but unfortunately most of us normal students are unable to go and see them," sophomore Robyn Bornstein said.
The money issue is one that concerns sophomore Branden Yee.
"I'm excited when I hear that such influential people are said to be speaking on campus, but a little disappointed with the lack of opportunities for people to attend," Yee said. "It would disappoint me further if I knew that these speakers and performers were being paid ludicrous amounts of money because in my mind there are so many other small improvements around campus that should be attended to first."
Yee referred specifically to campus issues such as dorm maintenance and late night study spaces.
"If not many people are going to benefit from the speaker because of limited availability or space and we're paying a lot of money maybe we should use the money to benefit a lot of people for facilities and other things on campus," junior Lorraine Sensenig said. Sensenig was able to attend the Powell lecture last year.
Sensenig also mentions that advertising for special speakers is not always apparent; by the time a student hears about the speakers, it is too late to get tickets or sign up to attend the lecture.
However, the money that goes toward speakers does not necessarily come from tuition, and might not have been spent on the undergraduate campus anyway. The Fares Lecture series, for example, is sponsored by Trustee Issam M. Fares, who also funds the Fares Center for Middle Eastern studies.
Advertising on campus can be tricky, according to junior Robby Borton, a member of EPIIC. Not all students look at posters, which can cause what Borton calls a "gap in knowledge" in terms of awareness of who will be speaking on campus. Still, Borton believes that these names are a fundamental part of the Tufts experience.
"I think generally it's great to have a speaker come whose main focus is his own field of work and who can devote his speech to a specific issue he has explored in depth," Borton said. "I think its an important part of education."
In the past five years, political heavyweights Al Gore, Michael Dukakis, Colin Powell, Bill Bradley, Margaret Thatcher, and Stephen Hawking have spoken at Tufts. Entertainers such as Jay Mohr and Billy Joel have recently graced the Cohen Auditorium stage.
