IOP Forum Too Small for Presidential Debate

The Institute of Politics (IOP) has hosted presidents, news-making conferences, heads of state and Chris Matthews' Hardball, but never a presidential debate.

Chances are that it never will.

The size of available facilities, inconvenience to students and lack of organizer interest are all factors that have helped Harvard shy away from the grand-daddy of them all.

On Sept. 14 campaign representatives of Governor George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore '69 agreed to four debates--all at institutions of higher learning--as scheduled by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD). The first will be held next Tuesday at the University of Massachusetts-Boston.

Twelve colleges and universities had presented the CPD with detailed proposals.

Harvard never even made an overture.

Size Matters

Four years ago, however, they were interested.

In 1996, IOP Executive Director Catherine McLaughlin spoke informally with the head of the debate commission, Janet Brown. when she was at Harvard for an event.

Brown told the IOP that the Forum space was far too small to accommodate the production equipment and journalists that accompany a debate.

"Our facility just isn't large enough for it," McLaughlin said.

The site requirements laid out by the Commission on Presidential Debates are clear: one debate hall of over 17,000 square feet and an adjacent or nearby press hall of the same size. The ARCO Forum's space totals less than 6,000 square feet.

At U-Mass, the basketball gymnasium and the hockey rink are being used for the debate, said U-Mass spokesperson John Hoey.

McLaughlin said the IOP has not considered the Harvard athletic facilities--which are comparable in size--as an option.

"If we did it, we would want to do it in the Forum," she said, adding that it was the only space over which the IOP has full control. However, McLaughin said that if there was cooperation from the University or the College, the athletic facilities might work s a potential location.

But University officials cited other reasons for Harvard's lack of hosting enthusiasm, as well.

During this election cycle, the school's connection to one of the candidates--Al Gore graduated with an A.B. in government in 1969--would have posed a problem.

"It wouldn't make sense…with Gore being an alum," McLaughlin said.

University officials also said they were concerned by the impact that hosting the debate might have on student life.

"One of the bottom lines on one of these big events is whether it disrupts the life of students," said Sally A. Baker, a Faculty spokesperson. "But, I do think that a certain amount of inconvenience would be tolerated," she added.

Baker said that Memorial Hall and Sanders Theater would not be a likely possibility because of the disruption to first-year students. It is also unlikely that this space would meet CPD requirements.

University spokesperson Joe Wrinn said that just the one-hour visit by Chinese president Jiang Zemin caused a substantial disruption, particularly because over 300 journalists covered the event.

"[A debate] would probably affect the campus more than we would want it to," Wrinn said.

Hosting a debate is also a costly proposition. Host schools must pay the commission $550,000, normally covered through sponsorships and donations, although McLaughlin said she did not think cost was a consideration in Harvard's decision.

Why They Do It

But where Harvard sees a hassle, some other schools saw an opportunity to put their campus in the spotlight and provide a unique educational experience.

"[Students] get to see what it takes to put on a major political event," said Kevin P. Cox, a spokesperson for Wake Forest University, the host of one of this year's presidential debates. "That's something you wouldn't see on the television screen."

As vice president of University of Richmond, John Roush saw first-hand the impact that hosting a national debate -as Richmond did in 1992--could have on a school. When he became president of Centre College, Roush decided that Centre should try to host the debates.

"I knew…when it was all over the college and the city of Danville would be forever changed and forever better," he said.

With an enrollment of just over 1,000 and a non-urban location in Kentucky, the school has not received the recognition it deserves, said Patsi Barnes Trollinger, a Centre College spokesperson.

"A secondary purpose was to give the institution a larger sense of self," she said.

Trollinger said that Harvard would have a place in the vice-presidential debate's media packet, mentioned as the loser of a 1921 football contest again Centre--considered a huge upset at the time.

Jason T. Sauer '02, chair of the IOP Forum advisory committee, lives in Owensboro, Kentucky, less than two hours away from Centre College. He said he has friends at the school who have worked hard on the debate effort.

"There were representatives from Centre at the Democratic convention handing out buttons and shirts. I think [desire] has a big appeal for the commission," he said.

Sauer said he understands why the University has not made a push for the debates in the past.

"Harvard has heads of state, senators, and even presidential candidates here all the time," he said. "It doesn't mean as much to us."