Rutgers University this week came under fire for paying Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi $32,000 to speak to a student group. New Jersey’s largest university admitted it paid the star of the hit reality show Jersey Shore $2,000 more than it is paying Nobel Prize–winning author Toni Morrison to deliver the school’s commencement address in May. “The students canvassed for who they wanted here and had the funds available,” said a spokesman for the university. Snooki’s advice to students: “Study hard, but party harder.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Critics' choice: 2025 James Beard Award winnersFeature Featuring a casually elegant restaurant, recipes nearly lost to war, and more
-
How will Trump's spending bill impact student loans?the explainer Here's what the Republicans' domestic policy bill means for current and former students
-
Can the US economy survive Trump's copper tariffs?Today's Big Question The price hike 'could upend' the costs of cars, houses and appliances
