UNLV Student Senate votes to bring Moore to campus

Eric Leake

Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004 | 9:22 a.m.

Lisa Soldano asked during Wednesday's UNLV Student Senate meeting if anybody in the audience was opposed to controversial filmmaker Michael Moore's planned visit.

Nobody raised a hand.

Soldano and her fellow senators went on to approve, with only one dissenting vote, spending $30,500 of student money to bring Moore to campus.

Sherrelle Blood, the student director in charge of booking speakers, said, however, that Moore's planned visit didn't please everyone.

She said some students had complained and that promotional posters had been defaced and spit upon. But, she said, some controversy is good for the school.

"We have an apathetic campus," Blood said. "He brings controversy and sparks political discussion, which we hardly ever have on campus."

Sen. Daly Sorvongsavanh said she would rather spend the money on an event that would appeal to the entire student body, though she ultimately voted for approval.

Moore brings interest, she said. "But in my opinion, it's $30,000 for an opinion, and it's $30,000 for an event that's one-sided."

Moore is charging $12,500 for his appearance. Booking the Thomas & Mack Center venue costs an additional $18,000. Blood said local unions and another sponsor had agreed to contribute $9,000 to help cover expenses.

Tickets cost $6 at the box office, $5 of which are returned to student government until costs are recouped. And 1,000 tickets are available free to UNLV students.

Moore's 9 p.m. appearance Friday is part of his national "Slacker Uprising Tour" and will include a speech by Moore, a question and answer session, and additional scenes from his film "Fahrenheit 9/11."

Sen. Kevin Mullinax agreed that Moore is controversial but said he is also an Academy Award-winning director who may interest a variety of students.

He pointed to his immediate surroundings as evidence of the controversy Moore brings.

"When was the last time we had someone come and we had cameras here and UNLV Police in the back?" Mullinax said of the special Student Senate meeting.

Student President Henry Schuck said organizers are trying to bring a speaker with a conservative viewpoint to campus, but that speakers such as Bill O'Reilly charge at least $100,000.

Tickets to see Moore are available at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office or at unlvtickets.com.