University of Minnesota affiliates will pay $10,500 in speaker fees for commencement addresses this spring.
Former Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak will get a $4,000 honorarium for his May 15 speech at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
The U’s medical school will pay $5,000 to Michael Collins, a construction worker turned orthopedic surgeon and author who lives in Illinois.
And Susan Scrimshaw, president of the Sage Colleges in New York, will get $1,500 for addressing the School of Public Health.
Some high-profile Minnesotans, including Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar, will give commencement addresses, too, but are not receiving speaker fees, according to the university’s public relations office.
However, the colleges and universities do generally reimburse commencement speakers for travel and similar expenses, university spokeswoman Emmalynn Bauer said.
Michael Kim, the medical school’s assistant dean for student affairs, said the school spends around $5,000 on a commencement speaker every year. Students in the graduating class choose the speaker, who typically is a physician with a national profile.
“The students have had four years in medical school plus more before that. It’s a big event for them,” he said.
Kim said the students considered four different speakers this year and Collins was the only one willing to do it on the medical school’s budget. In addition to the honorarium, the school will provide Collins with coach airfare and $460 for lodging and meals.
Collins did not answer a request for comment.
Rybak, executive director of Generation Next and soon to be CEO of the Minneapolis Foundation, said by email that he wasn’t aware Morris was going to pay him.
He said he gave six commencement addresses in 2014, the year he left office, including perhaps four for University of Minnesota schools.
“I don’t recall being paid for any,” he said. “I have given 120 speeches over the past two years and almost none paid. Sometimes people do and I appreciate it.”
Morris invited Rybak in an Oct. 16 letter, which said an honorarium would be offered. Bauer said the dollar amount was later agreed upon by phone.
Scrimshaw, too, said she didn’t know she would be paid for her speech.
“I was not aware that speaking at Commencement included an honorarium, although, this is customary at many colleges and universities,” she said by email. “I plan to donate my honorarium to a biological field research station in Panama that serves students from both the U.S. and Central America.”
The public health school’s Dec. 15 invitation to Scrimshaw said she would be paid $1,500 plus travel expenses.
The honorariums are modest compared with those paid to some high-profile speakers in other states, such as the $135,000 that actor Matthew McConaughey received from the University of Houston last year. This year, Houston booked astronaut Scott Kelly for $35,000.
Spokespeople for Metropolitan State University and the state universities in Bemidji, Mankato, St. Cloud and Marshall said they are not paying their graduation speakers, who are either students, donors or others connected to the university or MnSCU system.
Winona State University and Minnesota State University, Moorhead did not immediately respond to a request for information.
Schedule of University of Minnesota commencement ceremonies and speakers
Sen. Amy Klobuchar: 10 a.m. May 14 at Northrop Auditorium with deputy assistant attorney general Vanita Gupta for the Law School; and 2 p.m. May 15 at Northrop for the School of Nursing
Sen. Al Franken: 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. May 7 for the University of Minnesota, Duluth
R.T. Rybak, former Minneapolis mayor: 7 p.m. May 5 at Northrop for the U honors program; and 1:30 p.m. May 15 at the campus mall for the University of Minnesota, Morris
Michael Collins, medical doctor and author: 2 p.m. May 6 at Northrop for the Medical School
Susan Scrimshaw, Sage Colleges president: 5 p.m. May 16 at Northrop for the School of Public Health
Eric Kaler, U of M president: 3 p.m. May 14 at Northrop for the College of Design
Patrick Bajari, Amazon chief economist and vice president: April 29 for Arts, Sciences and Engineering graduate students
Mary Wagner, Starbucks senior vice president of research and development: 1 p.m. May 6 at the St. Paul Student Center for College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences (CFANS) graduate students
Mehmood Khan, PepsiCo vice chairman and chief scientific officer for global research and development: 7 p.m. May 15 at Northrop for CFANS undergrads
Mee Moua, former state senator: 4 p.m. May 15 at Ted Mann Concert Hall for the Humphrey School of Public Affairs
Pam Edstrom, WE Communications co-founder: 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. May 15 at Mariucci Arena for the College of Liberal Arts
Barbara Mowry, GoreCreek Advisors CEO: 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. May 16 at Mariucci for the Carlson School of Management
Katie Clark Sieben, former DEED commissioner: 10 a.m. May 7 at Northrop for the College of Continuing Education
Sarah Hobbie, professor: 7:30 p.m. May 14 at Northrop for College of Biological Sciences undergrads
Justine Lee, VETgirl founder: 10 a.m. May 7 at Ted Mann Concert Hall for the College of Veterinary Medicine
Michael Lehan, Osseo High School principal: 1 p.m. May 12 at Mariucci for College of Education and Human Development graduate students
Carmen Campbell, former kindergarten teacher: 5:30 p.m. May 12 at Mariucci Arena for College of Education and Human Development undergrads
Leon Assael, dean: 10 a.m. May 13 at Northrop for the School of Dentistry
Molly J. Eckstrand, pharmacist: 2 p.m. May 7 at Northrop for the College of Pharmacy
Danielle George, vice dean: 7 p.m. May 13 at Mariucci for College of Science and Engineering undergrads
Elona Street-Stewart, former St. Paul school board member: 7 p.m. May 6 at Ted Mann Concert Hall for a multicultural celebration of achievement
Peiying Shi, outreach coordinator in the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Programs Office: May 2 for the lavender celebration
Mandy Uhrich, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources extension specialist: 2 p.m. May 7 at Lysaker Gymnasium for the University of Minnesota Crookston
Andrew Petzold, assistant professor: 2 p.m. May 15 at Mayo Civic Center for the University of Minnesota Rochester