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Snooki Of 'Jersey Shore' Paid $32,000 To Speak At Rutgers University

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - Call it the price of the pouf.

Rutgers University students paid Nicole Polizzi, better known as Snooki from MTV's "Jersey Shore," $32,000 to speak to them.

For comparison, Nobel-prize winning novelist Toni Morrison, who wrote "Beloved," "Song Of Solomon" and more is being paid $30,000 by the university to speak at the commencement there in May.

In 2006, The New York Times Book Review named Morrison's "Beloved" the best American novel of the past 25 years.

In fairness, Polizzi is also a writer, having released her debut novel "A Shore Thing" in January. Polizzi's book has reportedly sold roughly 9,000 copies as of January.

Morrison was booked by Rutgers, whereas a student-run committee booked Polizzi.

Polizzi spoke at the university Thursday night. The New Jersey Star Ledger reports she spent an hour answering questions and teaching students how to fist pump. Her words of wisdom for the students: "Study hard, but party harder."

Is Snooki worth it? Was this money well spent or a huge waste of cash? Sound off in our comments section.

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