Discussions may be in the works to bring filmmaker Michael Moore to the University as part of his "Slacker Uprising Tour," according to Alex Thurber, University Programs Council speakers committee chair.
Thurber said one of Moore's agents contacted her last week with the date that the filmmaker was available to come to Charlottesville -- Oct. 29.
"An agent contacted us and asked if [Moore] could come and if we could make him an offer, and we haven't gotten back to him yet," she said. "He is interested in coming here and [the agent] wanted to see what our thoughts were."
Until recently, Moore's Web site had a list of cities that he was slated to visit on his tour. The list included Charlottesville and Fairfax as Virginia tour locations.
According to Thurber, financial, logistical and political issues could prevent Moore from speaking at the University.
Although UPC typically pays between $10,000 and $20,000 for its highest-profile speakers, Moore's agent requested $50,000 for the filmmaker's visit. Thurber said such a bid would require UPC to receive sponsorship aid from other student organizations.
"As of now, we can't come anywhere near that," she said. "We would have to co-sponsor if we did bring him."
Thurber said she plans to e-mail other student organizations later this week in an effort to gauge possible support or opposition to a visit by Moore.
Thurber also cited logistical factors that could be problematic for arranging a possible visit by Moore.
"The specific date, Oct. 29, makes it hard for us," Thurber said. "In order to find a venue in that little time -- it is going to be difficult to get it all together."
Sarah Davis, out-going UPC speakers committee chair, said UPC will consider the educational value of Moore's program before deciding if investing funds in a visit is appropriate.
"We are here to provide programs for students," Davis said. "We would be as open to bringing Michael Moore as we would to bringing Bill O'Reilly."
Moore's tour is an attempt to rally voter support against President Bush, so all tour dates are slated for before the presidential election on Nov. 2. Thurber said bringing Moore to the University might be controversial.
"It would be definitely something we would look into," she said. "I think just right now it would be extremely controversial."
A Newcomb Hall screening of Moore's film, "Farhenheit 9/11" was cancelled on the anniversary of Sept. 11, one of four showings for that weekend, because UPC members feared the film's controversial subject matter could have been viewed as offensive on that day.
Earlier this month, Karen Haynes, the president of California State University, San Marcos, decided to postpone Moore's visit to the university until after the elections, arguing that the use of state funds to host the filmmaker would be a "partisan political activity" and therefore illegal, according to an article in The San Diego Union-Tribune.
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