The graduates of the University of California, Merced who will get their diplomas Saturday were trailblazers. They not only had to attend to their academic responsibilities, but also create a campus environment. UC Merced now has 100 clubs to serve the student body of about 2,700. UC Merced officials say the students have cultivated a "culture of social responsibility and civic engagement."
Not too bad for a campus that wasn't even completed when the trailblazing students arrived for their first classes in the fall of 2005. On this big day, first lady Michelle Obama will be the commencement speaker. Click here to read today's editorial about UC Merced's first full graduating class.
Reported cost for Mrs. Obama's appearance $700,000. Increase in student fees 10%. Who says you can't get blood out of a turnip? California can.
Maybe Mrs. Obama can give appearances via a live video feed, rather then spending money on security.
Since I am a computer works ignoramus, I can't tell whether I am being chided. (ha!)
Its ridiculous to spend that much to have her there. Cool maybe but I prefer the students give speeches. I would much rather her the successes of someone that has struggled in life finally accomplishing something that they can be proud of. Raising the fees is just going to make it where kids cant go to school. As they are our future I would like them to have an education. Its already far out of reach for many kids.
I agree Jackie, the expense for any presidential travel is measured in the millions,
Obama has been telling us from day 1 that everyone must suffer for the sins of Wall St.,...they should lead by example, and stay home in their bubble. $700,000 would buy alot of college education, it's not fair to shell out that kind of dough for a ten minute speech that nobody will remember the next day. The Obamas elitism is so twentieth century...
I don't get worked up ab out seeing famous people because uptimately they are the same as the rest off us just with perks. They get out of bed just like us on one side or another and put their pants on one leg at a time. They are not anymore beautiful than the rest of us without their makeup. We are all just people. No undue attention is necessary.
I disagree that the Obama (alleged) elitisms "is so twentieth century". It is timeless and very typical of the nouveau-riche. Right Jackie Krage; in the social structure, real "Class" spurns undue attention. Things are done without fanfare. But we must not underestimate the paparazzi. Modern electronics and morbid voyeurism by the broad masses is feeding those publicity pirates.
What a pathetic gaggle of crabbed intellects and pandering sycophants. If any of you or anyone at the Bee have ever been near a university of quality, then you have forgotten the animums for same -- open minds engaged in education and free exchange in the marketplace of ideas. None of that is immediately "profitable," so it is unwise to measure its significance in dollars and cents. It is my understanding that the monies to be expended are associated with security and with providing those who want to hear what is said with a means of doing so. Both goals are appropriate. Let these superior students get on with their day of celebration and their likely useful careers. You can return to your nasty little lives, counting your nasty little dollars, and leave the larger world to those of vision, youth and courage. Goodness knows the World will not long remember the nattering nabobs or the mean-spirited Valley Congressman who so insulted the University, the students and the First Lady.
I think there are a few things that some of you are missing here. The students launched a huge campaign for months throwing themselves at getting the First Lady to appear at their commencement. A tremendously hard accomplishment for a school that no one outside this state, and few outside this region, has heard of. That has taught the students that they can accomplish what they set their minds to. A lesson in life, and something they will always talk about.
Second, Jackie, you said:
"I would much rather her the successes of someone that has struggled in life finally accomplishing something that they can be proud of."
That is exactly what Michelle has accomplished, and her husband too for that matter. Who better to give inspiration?
Third, this puts UC Merced on the map now. Media from all over the country has descended into Merced for this. They gave a whole story about it this morning on NBC's Today Show. Lester Holt was here from New York putting the story together.
To the students of UC Merced, well done...and congratulations! You've reached for the stars and grabbed one. Don't let anything discourage you now.
Morbid voyeurs, broad masses, crabbed intellects, nasty little livers, and nattering nabobs"...brought to us by the tourette wing of the democrat party. No doubt the same masterminds who cooperated with Reps. Frank(D) and Dodd(D) causing a national housing market collapse, brought America to its economic knees, and infected the world financial system with worthless paper.
Oh my God! It was reaching for the stars to get Mrs. Obama to speak at Merced U. When have the Obamas been declared American gods? Anyone with a sense of reality and who is in touch with the English language knows now where the sycophants are. Reportedly, Mrs. Obama is what the students wanted. OK and she came. It is not her seven hundred thousand dollars. And it is not an insult not to like her. The Lawson vote was for President Obama. But the wife the kids the dog are incidental. Remember this is a democratic republic and not a monarchy with a divine ruler. Jackie Krage, I agree with your fiscal prudence....too much money for the value. Eleanor Roosevelt was no fashion plate by any means, but she was a bulwark for Democratic America. And I loved her tailored suits...hahaha!
...and let's not leave out the contributions of Sen. Biden on the credit-card-from-hell bubble, and Greenspan, Gietner, Bernake, Paulson et al presiding over the whole catastrophe in a fine show of transpartianship...I'm not anti-first-lady, I feel strongly that the White House should keep it austere and start modeling thrift and prudence, (the white house garden is an excellent example)...$700,000 raised, is indeed a testament to what can be achieved with enthusiasm and co-ordinated energy,...and then to blow it on a celebrity appearance?...
...kids these days...
Isabel, I'm confused, are you calling me a sycophant because I used a metaphor about reaching for the stars? Also, I'm not sure where anyone called the Obama's Gods. Where did you see that?
i am so very unhappy that the 5 congressmen are not attending the graduation of the first class of the university of calif. at merced. congratulation to the one democrat for his attendance, and supporting the students and instructors and that worked very hard for this achievement. not that it matters one way or the other, but vote is one that will be lost to cardoza or any of his followers. united we stand united we fall.
Blogger "Scot" Your confusion is your problem. Where did I say that you are a sycophant? I interpret reaching for the stars as the ultimate achievement to attain. And you interpret my metaphor about rulers and gods anyway you see fit. And don't start any crap with me again. THE END
"I am so very unhappy" that lives of young people are still lost in a war that was supposed to go away with the change of the guard in the White House and on Capital Hill. I am so very unhappy that all over the world millions of children are hungry, die of hunger, and are being killed and maimed. I am so so very unhappy about the new administration taking away from the older citizens to accommodate banks and mortgage companies. Taking away from the already inadequate healthcare for seniors. We have so many things to be very unhappy about. But not being overly impressed with the President's wife is not one of them. And that the young people graduated was the objective of the exercise of going to college. Or was it not? And not voting for a candidate because the candidate stayed away from an affair attended by the President's wife? Answer that one! Our national problems are not because of Democrats not because of Republicans. Our problems are a general deterioration of political vision for the nation. We are slipping into personality worshipping, something the founders of this Republic had eliminated. We have to revert back to the basics....Liberty, Justice , Pursuit of Happiness. Because that's where it's at.
Isabell, I asked a simple sincere question since you referred to what I said in your post. Then you turn around and accuse me of "starting crap"?
Ask yourself why you are the only one in here who seems to be fighting constantly with everyone. When people stop wanting to talk to you, you might want to start addressing why.
By the way, I'm curious how Obama has reduced health care for seniors and how has he taken away from older citizens to give to banks and mortgage companies? Can you elaborate?
Blogger Scot; read the Fresno Bee. As for your simple question, I give you simply no answer. Have a good life!
It was the students that wanted the First Lady to speak at their graduation. It is the students that made it happen. Ultimately when all is paid, none of the money will be coming out of tuitions nor the University general fund; the students planned it that way. I believe they would have asked the First Lady no matter who was in office. I also believe that not all would have come and am glad Mrs. Obama thought it was important enough to accept. Tax payers want the eyes of Washington D.C. on California and I think these students and Mrs. Obama did us a service in helping in that regard. The money paid for this event was a insignificant compared to the amount of money brought into the local economy, promotion of the UC Merced campus and the Central Valley and all we can do is bitch about it? Is the glass half empty or half full? It will never be half full for those who refuse to look.
Kim, I enjoy reading your posts. Usually voicing reason. Always non combative and never jumping to conclusions.
Yes, the students went through a lot of trouble to get her...and they did. They'll never forget that as long as they live.