It pays to be Dan Savage… literally… and quite well.
Last month, the University of Oregon forked over $24,000 to have the sex columnist talk to students about fisting, gorilla suit fetishes and gay marriage. Over 400 people turned out for the event, which was funded by taxpayers.
The Register-Guard recently obtained a copy of Savage’s contract with the university through a Freedom of Information Act request. According to the details of the contract, the university paid Savage $24,000 to come to campus and answer students’ questions about sex for an hour and a half.
Savage had to pay for his own travel, lodging and meal costs, though the university did shuttle him from the airport to his hotel, and then to the university and back.
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The visit was intended to promote the launch of the university’s new smartphone app, SexPositive. The app allows users to spin a wheel to link sexual positions and body parts with activities and objects — like “anal plug” and “stuffed animals.” The app also aims to educate users about safe-sex practices.
Officials said the app was downloaded over 4,000 times thanks to Savage’s endorsement.
“We are pleased with the activities to educate students about health,” said Keith Van Norman, marketing manager for the university health center, in a statement to the Register-Guard.
Van Norman also said the university believes Savage’s visit was well-worth the $24,000 price tag: “The return a university gets from sponsoring programs where students are exposed to nationally prominent people is in the form of sparking thought and considering new perspectives. This is part of the work of a university.”
Photo credit: Salon.
zrocqs
Losing respect for you, Mr. Savage.
wiredpup
@zrocqs: Just because you have no interest in any of the topics…LOL.
JennyFromdabloc
This article seems as if it were written by a Tea Party subset of the Log Cabin Republicans. The Pink Teacups perhaps?
MikeE
Oh for fu@k’s sake…
he wasn’t “paid to talk about fisting”.
he was paid to answer students’ questions about sex. blame the students if that topic came up, not Dan Savage.
and it’s FAR better to have someone answer them openly and honestly than to have some anal retentive teabagger tell them that “sex is nasty and disgusting”.
viveutvivas
I am not against Mr Savage, but it is indeed sad that universities pay these kinds of inflated fortunes to speakers instead of, for example, spending the money on starving teaching associated or student aid. Compare this to a visiting professor giving a talk who is lucky if he gets room and board, or a lecturer in Physics who gets paid much less than $24,000 per semester.
rand503
Oh please, universities pay for speakers all the time, and $24,000 is not considered high by any means. My alumni is paying for Hillary to come and speak, and you know she isn’t cheap.
viveutvivas
The fact that it happens all the time does not excuse it.
zrocqs
@wiredpup: @JennyFromdabloc: @MikeE: @rand503: Please have Dan Savage speak on any topic of interest to the students; honest dialog is vital. He had a series on MTV several months back that involved him going to colleges and engaging students, singly and en masse. He was frank, and I thought the show was great.
My problem is the outrageous stipend. If a private group wants to spend that much, great! More power to everyone involved. But $24,000 from the coffers of the University of Oregon for a single appearance is irresponsible.
oilburner
Dan Savage is annoying
aliciacarolyn
No one’s brain is bifurcated to only think in the classroom. Education happens in and out of the classroom, so it makes sense for colleges and universities to pay for provided educational opportunities in both places. Additionally, a variety of exciting opportunities at a college/university helps recruit students. Student tuition is a big driver of financial aid as is alumni giving and alumni giving is connected to positive memories. So in the end, this is connected to student’s being educated and students receiving aid. Fortunately or unfortunately, this is market rate.
viveutvivas
These are the same universities who cry poverty when cutting departments, courses, equipment, and teaching positions. It is unethical enough for them to offer and for someone like Dan Savage to accept this kind of money. It is especially obscene when a nillionaire like Hillary Clinton does it.
Charlie in Charge
I’m really not seeing the problem.
queerbec
@viveutvivas: As the corporate CEO’s say about their pay, that’s what the market is paying. Are you suggesting that gay people should willingly reduce their pay just because we should expect better from gay people? Should you march in tomorrow and ask for a cut in pay because what you think that what you are receiving is obscene? If we want equal rights, we should expect equal pay. Should Neil Patrick Harris reduce his per episode fee for How I Met Your Mother just because its close to $500,000 per? Should Ellen do her talk show for less than Katie Couric is getting just because the LGBT community feels that “their people” should know better. Such action keeps down pay and opportunities for all of us, obscene as you (and I) may think it to be. And I’ll be honest, as someone who’s was laid off four years ago and because of age and sexual identity have had a tough time getting a job, I’m jealous of such paychecks!
BlogZilla
Oh please. I can’t believe these fag bitch queens on here that get their panties in a bunch over silly stuff like this. Go back in your time warp and move to the 1950s.
Universities pay that and much more to a multitude of speakers. Thank God he answered the sexual questions like a real person instead of some stuffy politician
Dxley
Fisting? Is the anybody who really does that?
Dxley
Fisting? Is there anybody who really does that?
phishy2
I guess it is my responsibility to raise my hand and say yes, people do fist.
Been there, done that. And everything still functions fine, thank you!
Steve
jeff4justice
@queerbec: How is this a matter of “what the market is paying” is he got the money from the force of taxation?
Also, CEOs have bought and paid the 2-party system charade (something they can more easily do thanks to Citizen’s United brought to us by people like Ted Olson) so it’s no wonder their income is growing during this pre-economic-collapse.
When colleges pay for stupid things like a 24k speech in a generation where half a nation is in poverty it just shows how poor people are willing to put up with just about any BS – no wonder the failed 2-party system keeps winning despite record low approval ratings.
As an admitted person in poverty this stuff should piss you off.
jeff4justice
@queerbec: How is this a matter of “what the market is paying” is he got the money from the force of taxation?
Also, CEOs have bought and paid the 2-party system charade (something they can more easily do thanks to Citizen’s United brought to us by people like Ted Olson) so it’s no wonder their income is growing during this pre-economic-collapse.
When colleges pay for stupid things like a 24k speech in a generation where half a nation is in poverty it just shows how poor people are willing to put up with just about any BS – no wonder the failed 2-party system keeps winning despite record low approval ratings.
As an admitted person in poverty this stuff should piss you off regardless if the money is spent of a hetero or homosexual person. I do homeless outreach and have found students living out of cars who could use the help.
Remember kids, it gets better if you become another gay elite.
zappa123
I don’t get the anger in some of these posts. This guy is an ‘expert’. Schools pay experts to speak with students all the time. Sex educaiton is incredibly important! I am often shocked when speaking to young people by how misinformed they are. Investing $24,000 to give kids REAL sex information is a great investment. Good for Dan! And good on the school which hired him
zappa123
I don’t get the anger in some of these posts. This guy is an ‘expert’. Schools pay experts to speak with students all the time. Sex education is incredibly important! I am often shocked when speaking to young people by how misinformed they are. Investing $24,000 to give kids REAL sex information is a great investment. Good for Dan! And good on the school which hired him
krystalkleer
@Dxley: ummm i don’t but YES there are…take off yer muu-muu and Eva Gabor sunglasses kitten! it’s a BIG OL’ WOLRD of sexual appetites!
http://getoffmydress.blogspot.com/2013/11/whats-up-doc.html
sportyguy1983
I wonder how many supporters there would be if the University paid the same amount for the head of a gay conversion group.
tdx3fan
I would be pissed if I found out that my university spent that much money on a speaker of any sort. Much less Dan Savage who is so extremely polarizing. I have had times I liked the man and time I hated the man.
However, that aside, tuition dollars and tax money should be used to benefit the entire university, and I fail to see how that happens in this case. If a group of students wanted him there, they should have raised the money to pay his fee and brought him there without the university paying for it.