The student body president denied the request because he says it's simply too much money. But the republicans claim the decision was political, not financial.
Karl Rove, who recently attended a fundraiser in Fresno, is known as one of the most polarizing figures in politics. And now he's unwittingly at the center of a controversy at U.C. Merced.
"Essentially what we're trying to do is we're trying to bring Karl Rove to campus," U.C. Merced College Republicans Pres. Oliver Darcy said.
The U.C. Merced College Republicans say the former senior adviser for President Bush would help balance out visits by several prominent democrats.
"We've obviously had a very hard leaning left, political ideology that's been pervasive on campus," U.C. Merced College Republican Tom Stilson said.
They point to Michelle Obama's commencement address last year and a visit by former President Jimmy Carter next month as evidence.
"They brought several liberal speakers, spent well over a million dollars doing so, and we are asking the school to bring Karl Rove to balance the political dialogue," Darcy said.
But the president of the associated students of U.C. Merced says the $25,000 price tag is simply too much. And that's why the funding request was denied.
"Karl Rove's decision was totally financial. It's $25,000, way more than most of our clubs actually ask for. The average that our clubs ask for is in the 4-5 thousand range," A.S.U.C.M. President Juan Carmen said.
Juan Carmen points out that the visits by the first lady and Jimmy Carter were not funded through the association, which relies on student fees. And political science major Jose Godinez says claims that the funding was denied for ideological reasons are misleading.
"The whole rhetoric behind it, the whole us against them the campus really does support conservative opinions," Godinez said.
The college republicans say Rove normally charges about $60,000 for an appearance, but they were able to get a discount.
They've now started an online petition to get the funding for his visit added to the budget.
