IOP Gets Ready To HYPE Elections

The Institute of Politics (IOP) is planning what it hopes will be the single largest political event at Harvard in recent memory.

Timed to coincide with the IOP's 30th anniversary, this September's HYPE '96 will be a political festival designed to reach out to the entire campus.

The event will take on an almost carnival-like atmosphere with booths, speakers, food, live music, raffles and games--all designed to "get Harvard psyched about the elections in November," said Projects Chair of the IOP Student Advisory Committee Eric P. Christofferson '98, who is heading up the event.

While the final list of speakers and bands is not yet confirmed for the September 21 festival, Christofferson said the program will likely include either the candidates themselves or representatives from the Massachusetts Senatorial race, representatives from the presidential race and various celebrities.

A number of Harvard bands will play at the event, he said. The IOP is also working with the Undergraduate Council to line up professional bands to headline the program.

Christofferson said he hopes to involve dozens of student groups on campus who may have a political message. Between 30 and 35 groups have already confirmed that they will set up booths to talk to students and hand out information.

"We're asking the groups to come up with an idea for a booth, an issue that's most important to them as a group," Christofferson said. "The Harvard Democrats might talk about the minimum wage or the Hillel might talk about Jewish involvement in politics. There have been a whole range of groups invited."

There will also be voter-registration efforts at the event, aided by local sponsors and, Christofferson said he hopes, the national Rock the Vote group.

According to Rudd W. Coffey '97, a former Undergraduate Council executive, the council's expertise in organizing large events was enlisted by the IOP. Coffey said he is working with the IOP and agents the council has used in the past to bring bands to campus.

Speakers and bands will have their travel and lodging expenses paid but will not be compensated for their performances, Coffey said.

Due to the size of the event, however, Coffey said he is trying to land a major act such as Tori Amos or Bob Dylan.

The event is a major change from previous IOP efforts, Christofferson said. The vast majority of IOP-sponsored events are academic in nature, he said, but unfortunately, not all students are attracted by the traditional fare of speakers, forums and study groups.

"We decided we wanted to use the energy of an election year, which is always bigger than in other years, and channel it into Harvard," he said.

Simply, the IOP hopes to bring its message to a different audience, Christofferson said.

"We want to get some people down here that might not be all that enthused about politics," he said. "Then we can slip in some politics, slip in some voter registration and slip in some excitement about the election in 96.

There will also be voter-registration efforts at the event, aided by local sponsors and, Christofferson said he hopes, the national Rock the Vote group.

According to Rudd W. Coffey '97, a former Undergraduate Council executive, the council's expertise in organizing large events was enlisted by the IOP. Coffey said he is working with the IOP and agents the council has used in the past to bring bands to campus.

Speakers and bands will have their travel and lodging expenses paid but will not be compensated for their performances, Coffey said.

Due to the size of the event, however, Coffey said he is trying to land a major act such as Tori Amos or Bob Dylan.

The event is a major change from previous IOP efforts, Christofferson said. The vast majority of IOP-sponsored events are academic in nature, he said, but unfortunately, not all students are attracted by the traditional fare of speakers, forums and study groups.

"We decided we wanted to use the energy of an election year, which is always bigger than in other years, and channel it into Harvard," he said.

Simply, the IOP hopes to bring its message to a different audience, Christofferson said.

"We want to get some people down here that might not be all that enthused about politics," he said. "Then we can slip in some politics, slip in some voter registration and slip in some excitement about the election in 96.