The past two months have seen significant inquiry into the Distinguished Speakers Series. Specifically, questions have been raised concerning how and why we receive UPAC funding when we do, how speakers are selected, and the committee appointment process. These are important concerns that need to be addressed.
The Distinguished Speakers Series receives a "lump sum" allocation from the University Park Allocation Committee in the spring for two major reasons. First, contracting speakers to come speak on campus is a lengthy and exhaustive process. High caliber, big name speakers are busy, and their schedules reflect months of commitments and obligations. In order to ensure that these big name speakers are available for our series, we need to begin negotiations as early as possible. Second, the DSS strives to present a well-balanced, cohesive speaker line-up each year. In order to maintain this balance, it is important to plan the entire series at one time. Working on a speaker-by-speaker basis would not ensure a diversity of viewpoints and topics across an academic year. This commitment to making speakers available to the diverse interests of the student body is the main duty of DSS.
It is also important to remember that DSS applies for funding just like any other group, but because of having to plan a series of speakers, we must apply for an allocation in a shorter time frame. This past spring, our budget request totaled more than 25 pages (whereas regular allocation requests total about 4), and our allocation hearing lasted more than 90 minutes (the average being about 10 minutes). We have never been handed an allocation and given free reign. Additionally, the committee must go under even more scrutiny than other organizations applying for funds because of the amount we request and the method in which we select speakers. We comprehensively document all expenditures and present this report to UPAC. Every cent is accounted for.
In formulating a speaker series, the DSS strives to present speakers whom Penn State students want to hear. Every speaker on our line-up this year came from student suggestions. Each spring we host a brainstorming session in which any member of the Penn State community is invited to voice his or her suggestions for next year's series. From this session, a list of about 200 possible speakers is compiled. After the committee has identified certain gaps in our series, we refer to the brainstorming list to see which speakers would fit these gaps. For example, the DSS has never presented an Asian speaker. Lisa Ling was suggested at the brainstorming session, and her participation in the series would address this certain gap. To this end, the committee added her to the line-up. It is in this fashion that the final line-up is determined, so that students have a final say in what speakers they want to hear.
The Distinguished Speaker Series is a standing university committee, similar to UPAC and the University Concert Committee. Eleven students make up the committee, both undergraduate and graduate, with an advisor and a staff assistant. The appointment process is a combination of paper application and interview, and all appointment decisions are made only by the students. The advisors do not play a direct role in deciding who is appointed to the committee, and do not cast votes in the decision making process. Similarly, the committee is not run by the advisor or the administration, but by the students, who participate in all aspects of planning and running the events.
The past three years have seen an increase in attendance at DSS events by more than 100 percent. This demonstrates a clear desire by Penn State students to continue bringing big name speakers to campus. The DSS continually works to improve the dynamic and worth of its series by promoting professional and distinguished speakers in an open forum where ideas, wisdom and knowledge can be effectively communicated. Without DSS, Penn State may never see such a diverse array of large-caliber speakers. There is no other organization committed to bringing a wide variety of speakers that would appeal to such a diverse population of students on this campus. The UPAC allocation allows DSS to bring these speakers in, and most likely this allocation, if not renewed, would not serve the same purpose of bringing a distinguished roster of big name speakers to this campus.
