Cochran visit canceled for fall semester
Attorney Johnnie Cochran will not speak at the UA this semester, and student officials are as mixed up as tainted DNA samples about the reasons why.
Whatever the case, ASUA plans to ask Cochran to visit campus next semester instead.
Justin Klump, Associated Students Speakers Board director, said Cochran, famous for his work in the O.J. Simpson trial, couldn't make it this semester but will probably come to the University of Arizona in the spring.
"The time didn't work out," Klump said. "We had conflicts with some of the days he wanted to come."
Klump would not elaborate on the scheduling "conflicts."
ASUA Administrative Vice President Ryan Rosensteel said yesterday that the plans "ended up falling through."
But Executive Vice President Cisco Aguilar said Cochran didn't respond to the UA's monetary bid before a predetermined deadline.
Klump responded by saying that Aguilar is wrong and "doesn't know what he's talking about."
The ASUA Senate approved $20,000 last month to bring Cochran to the UA, including a $17,500 speaker's fee and $2,000 for a first-class airline ticket.
"He's somebody who I think would bring a lot of publicity to our campus and would be an excellent speaker," Klump told senators at their September meeting.
But some senators disapproved of Cochran's high fee and were concerned about the implications of bringing a controversial figure to campus.
Sen. Dave Snyder said last month that he was unsure "Cochran is the image that we want to portray for the UA," and Sen. Ben Graff said he didn't know if the student body would approve of ASUA's plan.
Despite concerns, the Senate voted 6-3-1 to approve the budget for Cochran's visit, with Sen. Janet Rico abstaining and senators Marisa Hall, Graff and Snyder opposing.
Klump said Cochran will get the same amount of money if he comes next semester.
He also said the Speakers Board is trying to get Jan Schlichtmann to replace Cochran this semester. Schlichtmann, also an attorney, represented the families of three children who died from Leukemia after drinking from a contaminated water well.
Klump said ASUA will probably not pay Schlichtmann as much as Cochran for her speech.
David J. Cieslak can be reached via e-mail at David.J.Cieslak@wildcat.arizona.edu.
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