Vonnegut appearance marks changes to Lecture Series

This week's announcement that author Kurt Vonnegut will speak at Tufts on Nov. 5 marked changes in Lecture Series goals and operation. The student organization is working to heighten the level of prestige of its commissioned speakers and to broaden its membership.

Series members "hope that by bringing Mr. Vonnegut, we're upping the ante," Co-President Ayesha Choudhury said. His prestige as "a legendary author" and "an amazing speaker" will raise the bar for future Lecture Series speakers, she said.

Vonnegut's lecture will be the first of most likely two Series events this year, although no plans have been made public as to who the second speaker will be. Members decided to focus on one or two better-known figures this year rather than many lesser-known speakers. "One or two big speakers are generally more exciting and draw a larger audience," Choudhury said.

Limited funds often play a role in speaker selection, and price tags range from a few hundred dollars to as much as $350,000 for former President Bill Clinton, who appeared on campus on March 13 this year as part of the Issam M. Fares Lecture Series. Lecture Series members chose Vonnegut's higher price tag over arranging multiple speakers with lower demands because of the respect and prestige granted him by students and faculty.

Lecture Series has several options for dealing with increased speaker costs, one being to charge an entry fee. But members prefer to search for sponsorship within the Tufts community. Departments and clubs are often willing to sponsor speaker events, which in turn increases their visibility, Choudhury said.

The Series is also attempting to change the way it operates and move beyond its previously exclusive nature, Choudhury said. Previously, only two members participated in the decision-making process. Series membership and structure have expanded this year to include an executive board and about ten other students who consistently attend meetings and share in the decision-making process on possible speakers.

Another of the organization's major goals this year is to increase visibility. Vonnegut's upcoming lecture has generated significant interest, Choudhury said. "We hope above everything that people have a good time and enjoy watching an amazing speaker, but we would also like people to notice lecture series for what it is."

After brainstorming a list of possible speakers, the group contacts the speakers' agents. The University has a strong relationship with an agent who works with the lecture series.

Choudhury described the process by which Vonnegut's lecture was arranged as a "pretty typical process. We contacted his management and found available dates and negotiated prices," she said, after which the Series and the author's representation each signed contracts.

Kurt Vonnegut's lecture will take place Tuesday Nov. 5 at 9pm in Cohen Auditorium. Tickets will go on sale Oct. 29 and are $10 with Tufts ID. The title of his speech is "How to Get a Job Like Mine."