Lipke Viewing Sparks Debate
University Communications
University Reporter
By
Jess Laborio
Not all the action on October 3 was happening in the debate hall or among the protesters outside on Morrissey Boulevard. Lipke Auditorium was set up for a special evening of pre-debate commentary followed by a viewing of the debate itself. A reception was held in McCormack Cafeteria for people who were invited to the event at the auditorium. Both events were organized with help of hard work from volunteers and university staff.
Most people in attendance at the reception, commentary, and viewing were students, faculty, and administrators. Many students were mailed tickets by the Office of Student Affairs because of their participation in the Honors Program and the Beacon Leadership Project.
One student who attended said, "Despite feeling like the debates are a sham because there is no significant difference between the candidates, it would be foolish to miss the opportunity to meet other politically active students. Students are portrayed as apathetic, but the truth is that we are overcomitted and busy. I wanted to dispel the myth of the apathetic student." Another student simply wanted to "see and hear for myself what the candidates had to say."
Possibly the most interesting part of the evening was a small focus group that met after the debate. Two representatives of the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) gathered about ten volunteers to give them feedback on the content and format of the debate.
The CPD representatives seemed to be looking specifically for what would attract people our age. Some students felt that their issues weren't being addressed and felt disconnected from the candidates and their perspectives. A number of students voiced concerns about the limited scope of the debate. One student said that the basic assumptions - that welfare reform, school testing, and a growing military budget were all something to boast about - were outrageous. About half the group wanted third party candidates to be invited to participate in the debates.
After almost forty-five minutes of feedback, one student ended by saying that she hoped the CPD would really hear what we said and take our perspectives and concerns into account.
Jess Laborio is an honors student at UMass Boston.