Released: Oct. 13, 1999

Centre College becomes finalist to host presidential debate

DANVILLE, KY- Centre College is one of 12 finalists announced today as a potential site to host one of the presidential debates in the upcoming campaign. The Commission on Presidential Debates, which has sponsored the debates in the last three presidential elections, released the list at noon today in Washington, D.C.

The commission indicates that the final list of sites chosen to host the debates will be announced in January. Additional details, including dates and debate format, will be negotiated with the political parties and candidates after that date.

Centre was one of 10 colleges and universities on today's list of finalists. Wake Forest, Michigan State and Washington University were among the others. The Charlotte (N.C.) Chamber of Commerce and the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times newspaper were the only finalists that were not educational institutions.

In a press conference held today on campus concerning the list of debate sites, Centre President John A. Roush said the college's main reason for seeking the debate was to provide an extraordinary educational experience for students. "The students who are here would be changed forever by their proximity to a presidential debate," Roush said. "They would appreciate politics and the political process as never before."

Roush said that hosting a debate also would be an energizing experience for the community and the entire region. "We would set a new standard for ourselves after hosting a debate," Roush said. "I believe all of us would expect more of ourselves."

The complete list issued by the Commission on Presidential Debates is as follows:

Centre College, Danville, Ky.
Chamber of Commerce, Charlotte
John F. Kennedy Library and the University of Massachusetts, Boston
Michigan State University, East Lansing
Shenandoah University, Winchester, Va.
St. Petersburg Times, Fla.
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Portland, Ore.
University of Southern California, Los Angeles
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Wake Forest University and the Winston-Salem (NC) Convention and Visitors Bureau
Washington University, St. Louis, Mo.

The Commission on Presidential Debates sponsored and produced the presidential and vice presidential debates in 1988, 1992 and 1996. The CPD was established in 1987 as the result of two formal studies: one by the Commission on National Elections and another by the Twentieth Century Fund (Century Foundation). Both panels recommended the establishment of a permanent, independent debate sponsor. The nonpartisan, nonprofit CPD was created with a two-fold mandate: to sponsor general election presidential and vice presidential debates, and to undertake educational and research efforts related to the debates.

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Contacts:
Commission on Presidential Debates - John Scardino, telephone 202-737-7733
Centre College news service - Patsi Barnes Trollinger, 606-238-5719

Websites:
Centre College - www.centre.edu
Commission on Presidential Debates - www.debates.org

Communications Office
Centre College
600 W. Walnut Street
Danville, KY 40422

Coordinator of Public Information: Patsi Barnes Trollinger
Telephone 606-238-5719 · trllngrp@centre.edu