Jordan Driggers
Jackson
Jour 271
13 February 2012
This fall will mark four years since the University of Mississippi
was chosen by
the Commission on Presidential Debates to be one of the campuses
was chosen by
the Commission on Presidential Debates to be one of the campuses
to host the
debate. Unfortunately this fall will contain no such reoccurrence of the debate
being on campus. Instead in 2012 the Commission on Presidential Debates has
elected to travel to the University of Denver, Hofstra University and Lynn
University.
Since its establishment in 1987 the Commission on Presidential Debates has
picked a total of 17 schools to hold the debates. The University of Mississippi
has hosted the event only once, while a school like Washington University have
hosted debates four times since 1987. There have also been numerous schools
that have applied to be under consideration for hosting the debates but have
came up short like Saint Mary’s College of California.
While the advantages of hosting the debate are likely monetary along
with great publicity for the school. The event could have a deeper more
profound effect on the inner programs inside the school. Hosting the
Presidential debate could inspire a lot of undecided seniors in high school or
freshman in college and motivate them to pursue a career in political science.
Even if the debate didn’t reach students on a level that deep, it could still
possibly encourage intelligent voting and being active in local and national
governments.
An Ole Miss graduate Beau Windham who majored in political science was
asked his thoughts on the Presidential debate returning to Ole Miss.
“I really wish the debate would return, I was a freshman when Obama and
McCain traveled here and the atmosphere was unlike any other. It was cool to
see so many people on campus without a sporting event taking place.”
Windham’s opinion on the debate attracting more Political Science majors.
“I don’t know whether it actually draws in Political science majors but it
definitely gives Ole Miss alot of coverage. Its drawing students one major or another.”
The Presidential debate seems beneficial to a university in multiple ways. It is
clear that universities are able to host the event multiple times. We are too late
for this years debate but as a campus and a community we can prepare for the
debates to come.
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