Records show Lincoln University has avoided paying fees to commencement speakers over most of the last decade.
However, in the last two years, LU has paid $7,500 to those speakers - still a far cry from fees paid by some colleges and universities around the nation.
The Associated Press - based on records requests to 20 public universities with notable speakers in recent years - reported last week many colleges and universities "strive to put a celebrity behind the podium," a practice that "can bring prestige publicity (and) a steep bill" as well as criticism for paying hefty speaking fees.
As examples, the AP cited the University of Houston's paying astronaut Scott Kelly $35,000 this year, and $166,000 for actor Matthew McConaughey to speak last spring, including $9,500 for his airfare; and the University of Oklahoma paying $110,000 for broadcaster Katie Couric in 2006.
From 2005-14, LU paid no fee to 15 people who spoke at 18 ceremonies.
That changed last year, when Lincoln paid $2,500 to motivational speaker Patricia Russell-McCloud.
However, Cedric Kyles - known professionally as "Cedric the Entertainer," and whose parents attended LU - also played a role in the school's May 2015 graduation, but was paid no fee.
This year's LU graduation speaker, 1978 graduate Valerie Daniels-Carter, now a Milwaukee businesswoman, wasn't paid a fee.
However, actress and singer Jennifer Holliday, who gave the "charge" to the graduates, was paid a $5,000 fee.
"Commencement is the culmination of one's academic achievement," LU President Kevin Rome explained.
"Our current commencements are in-line with other universities, and our students are deserving and worthy of a commencement that celebrates such a profound accomplishment."
Graduation events are planned and directed by Provost Said Sewell and a planning committee.
"The planning committee was very mindful of cost," Sewell told the News Tribune. "However, due to our free market system which is totally out of our hands, everything costs more now than it did a few years ago."
He agreed with Rome about a graduation ceremony recognizing students' hard work.
"Our graduates, most of whom are the first in their families to even attend a university let alone graduate from one, deserved, like any other student graduating from a college/university, a ceremony befitting their hard work," Sewell added.
"We celebrate their determination and the fact that they did what others didn't - they went to class, they did the homework, they sacrificed a lot. Their determination and efforts in the classroom, farms, laboratory and studio saw them through a rigorous program of study."
Then-President Carolyn Mahoney was not paid an additional fee as a commencement speaker when she spoke in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Others who spoke for free included state Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, several LU graduates (like retired Army Maj. Gen. Hank Stratman), former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and Tonya Lewis Lee, a lawyer, health advocate and Spike Lee's wife.
Lincoln also has spent more than $55,000 in the last two years for the stage used in the graduation ceremonies at Dwight T. Reed Stadium.
LU records show, in 2015, the school paid B&M Stage Productions & MSA Lighting & Sound LLC $12,000 for sound, lighting, and the stage, plus $8,300 for flooring, for a total of $20,300.
This year, Klance Staging Inc. was paid $35,000 for the sound, lighting, stage and flooring.
From 2005-14, the graduation stage was erected by LU employees using school-owned platforms and materials, and no additional costs were calculated.
Over the years, LU has used Jason Gymnasium as the graduation site for the no-longer-observed winter ceremonies and during inclement weather for the spring ceremonies.
However, last year, the ceremonies continued outside even with rainy conditions.
"We are hopeful that the new Wellness Center will allow us to reduce the cost of commencement, if the committee decides to move the location," Rome told the News Tribune.
The Wellness Center, a shared project with Jefferson City's Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, is expected to be open by early next year, and will provide a larger space for an indoor ceremony than Jason Gymnasium offers.