The Truthiness Learnatorium

If Nate Bagley’s plan succeeds, Stephen Colbert, America’s favorite Republican conservative, may find a home on campus.

While spending time in the new library, Bagley, a communications student and longtime Colbert fan, noticed that the rooms need names. Naming a room after Colbert is an obvious choice, Bagley thinks, because the comedian stands for what the college generation believes politically.

“My ultimate goal is to get the library named after him,” said Bagley. “Everyone has been really excited about it so far, but they have to be excited enough to act.”

The price tag for naming a room starts at $5,000 and goes up to millions for naming the entire building. Bagley has contacted Colbert’s publicist, hoping to have Colbert mention the naming efforts on “The Colbert Report.” With high cable audience ratings, the mention may prove to get the money needed to name not only one room but also the entire library.

In order to ask for donations from the student body, Bagley must seek sponsorship from an organization on campus. Once Bagley is sponsored, he plans to set up booths on campus to collect donations and to excite people about being part of the unconventional naming.

“So far, I am the only student that has looked into getting a room named. All the other interested people have been private donors,” said Bagley, who has not selected a specific room to name.

Bagley has set up a Web site to track donations at www.EasySponsorship.com/sponsor/Bags/Stephen-Colbert-Room. He has also created a non-party inspired T-shirt, with all funds from the T-shirt sales going to the naming fund. The T-shirts are available through www.cafepress.com/bigbags.

“I want to make my aspirations a reality,” said Bagley.