Anita Hill to speak on campus in April

To some, Anita Hill is a martyr for the fight against sexual harassment. To others, she is a political pawn who was used in an attempt to upset the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Regardless of Hill's motives, she will speak at Irvine Auditorium on April 4 at 5 p.m., Connaissance and the Women's Studies Program announced yesterday. "Whether or not she was telling the truth, she is an important speaker," former Connaissance Chairperson Richard Smith said last night. "And with the recent [William] Kennedy Smith and Mike Tyson trials, it is important for someone to talk about the issue of sexual harassment." Hill testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on live television in October after she alleged privately that Justice Thomas sexually harassed her 10 years ago when she worked for him at the Equal Employment Oportunities Commission. Hill is a contract law professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Law and a graduate of Yale Law School. According to Demie Kurz, co-director of the Women's Studies Program, Hill will receive $11,000 for her appearance. Kurz said the bill will be split between Connaissance and the Women's Studies Program's Judy Berkowitz Endowed Lectureship. U.S. Senators on the Judiciary Committee who cross-examined Hill, including Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), questioned her motives when she gave her testimony, and alleged that she was coming forward so that she could jump on the lecture circuit later. According to Smith, who booked Hill, she has agreed to speak at just three schools -- one of which is Yale University, Hill's alma mater. He added that if making money from speaking engagements were her motive she could charge a lot more and make five to six stops every week. "She is not doing the 'typical' college circuit," Smith said. "She is not charging the amount of money she could get given her name. Given the value of her time, it is only fair she be compensated." Smith said he thinks the price is appropriate considering the large number of University students he thinks will attend the speech. Irvine seats between 1,600 and 1,800 people. Connaissance has paid as much as $14,000 for speakers in the past, but Smith added that some speakers will appear for free. Kurz said Program Director Carroll Smith-Rosenberg spoke with Hill in early December about the possibility of her coming to the University. Both Women's Studies and Connaissance pursued her, and several private individuals wrote letters to Hill expressing interest, Kurz said. According to Kurz, the specific title of the speech has not been determined, but Hill is expected to address a variety of issues dealing with sexual harassment and civil rights. "I just think from our point of view she is a woman who spoke out very bravely about an issue that is difficult for women to speak out about, but is very prevalent in our society," Kurz said. "She has thought a lot about the issues of sexual harassment and civil rights in general." The speech will be followed by a question and answer session. Free tickets to attend the event will first be made available to University students, faculty and staff on Locust Walk from March 30 to April 2. Any remaining tickets will be made available to the general public on April 3 and at the door.

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