From Bush to Whoopi, graduations command star power

HACKENSACK, N.J. — Commencement season has commenced and, like most everything else about college life, competition has gotten more intense as schools vie for high-profile speakers.

Former White House press secretary Tony Snow will deliver an address today at Seton Hall University's graduation. Quincy Jones, the distinguished musician, composer, producer, arranger and conductor, will be the University of Washington commencement speaker June 14 in Husky Stadium. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff will be at Fairleigh Dickinson University's ceremonies next week, and Mikhail Baryshnikov and New Jersey Gov. John Corzine will speak at Montclair State University's commencement on Friday.

A generation ago, the commencement speaker might have been the college president or an alumnus. But that's hardly the case these days. Now, students and their families expect a little more glitz from college life — from fancy dorms to high-profile speakers at graduation.

"You can't just do what you used to do 20 years ago, and trot just anybody out," said Peter Mercer, president of Ramapo College in Mahwah, N.J., where Newark Mayor Cory Booker will speak to the graduates Friday.

The 39-year-old mayor, who spoke at William Paterson University last year, "was an easy choice," Mercer said. "He's a good speaker and an intriguing figure. And he's young — that resonates with our students."

Montclair State is not exactly star-struck. But after previous commencement speakers such as Bruce Willis (an MSU alumnus) and Whoopi Goldberg, expectations of star power have risen a bit, said Frank Schwartz, who helps coordinate the selection process.

"Getting Whoopi, that was a bit of a coup," Schwartz said. "It's not like, 'Let's top this,' but it does raise expectations."

Baryshnikov will receive an honorary degree for his appearance, as will other speakers at local colleges. They will not be paid for their speeches. But nationally, commencement speaking has become its own cottage industry, with some orators commanding fees upward of $50,000.

"It's big business," said Maureen Brooks, founder of Brooks International, a speakers bureau in Denver. "Schools always look for a lot of political and media people. They never choose somebody the kids would like to hear, but rather who the school thinks they should hear."

Brooks represents such high-profile speakers as former President George H.W. Bush, who will speak at Bryant University in Rhode Island. His son, the president, is scheduled to deliver the address at Furman University in Greenville, S.C.

Elected officials generally don't accept speaking fees but tend to cash in when they are out of office, she said.

Arnold Speert, the president of William Paterson University, said the school gave up on using paid-speakers bureaus in 1976. That year, civil-rights leader Julian Bond couldn't make his scheduled appearance, so his agency attempted to send one of its other clients: sitcom star and comedian J.J. "Dy-NO-mite" Walker.

"We haven't paid since," Speert said.

At Montclair this year, Baryshnikov and Corzine will be joined by Jane Holl Lute, an alumna who is an undersecretary general of the United Nations.

"Alumni are a plus because they are a good example," said MSU's Schwartz.

Montclair and other schools generally solicit speaker suggestions from faculty, staff members and students over the course of many months. The process can be lengthy; in September, Rutgers will begin planning commencement 2010.