SAN MARCOS, Calif. - Mission Federal Credit Union is mum on itsdecision to pull out of a lecture series at Cal StateUniversity-San Marcos, but the school claims there were someconcerns on past speakers. After three years of being a majorcontributor to the intercultural speaker series, the universitygave back Mission FCU's $10,000 contribution after the credit uniondecided in July not to contribute to the series. According to aSept. 30 article in the North County Times, Jonathan Poullard, theschool's dean, said Mission FCU decided to cease contributions"because credit union representatives had received a number ofcalls of `consternation' regarding speakers that the series hadbrought to campus over the last three years." One-time CommunistParty vice president candidate Angela Davis, now a professor at UCSanta Cruz, spoke in 2001 and Jonathan Kozol, who writes aboutinequalities in the nation's school districts, spoke in 2002. Anappearance in 2003 by controversial filmmaker Michael Moore wascanceled because of the October wildfires that year. "I think theythought maybe this isn't the program for us, and they weren't quitesure they wanted to continue to support this particular program,"Poullard told the newspaper. Despite several calls to the creditunion, no one responded. On Mission FCU's Web site, officialsprovided a response to members who had questions about Moore'sappearance before it was canceled. "A number of our members havewanted to know how Mission Fed financially supports San Diego'seducational community," the site reads. "We have also invested inliterally thousands of initiatives over the years that havedirectly supported the educational community, as part of ourcommitment to San Diego's extended community and measured by oursocial performance." Listing the more than $130,000 incontributions to scholarships and schools for the homeless amongother projects, Mission FCU said "our efforts stand up to the moststringent of scrutiny, typically without the controversy andpolarization of the Michael Moore speaking event." The credit uniongoes on to say "as for politics, regardless of our personalviewpoints that differ and are as diverse as our members, we simplydon't go there institutionally. Our federal charter, and non-profitstructure, prohibits the credit union from supporting any politicalcampaigns. The one place we can be sure to agree, politicallyspeaking, however, is to encourage each and every one of you tovote!" Poullard said the university is still hopeful it cancontinue a relationship with Mission FCU. [email protected]