Staff report

Ohio University Southern students, faculty, staff and the public will gather in the Bowman Auditorium in the Collins Center on OUS campus to watch the upcoming, nationally televised debates between the vice presidential candidates and the presidential candidates.

“We have arranged to have the broadcast put up on our giant screen in the Bowman and we plan to analyze the messages, techniques and rhetoric of the various debaters. This will be an exercise in listening and analysis rather than shouting political logos or epitaphs,” said David Lucas, associate professor of communication studies at Ohio University Southern.

The first debate, the vice presidential debate, will occur on Thursday. Participants will gather in the Bowman Auditorium at 8:30 p.m. The topic for the first debate involves domestic and foreign policy. Students from across the disciplines will be in attendance. Dr. V. Patrick Bell, another communication instructor commented, “We anticipate interested parties to join our communication classes in the auditorium for a stimulating evening of message and rhetoric.”

The second presidential debate will occur on Tuesday. and employ a town-hall format. The debaters will cover issues raised by the audience members in attendance at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee and by Internet participants. Dr. Lucas injected, “Students will bring their laptops to the debate and submit questions via the Internet during the debate. We hope they read one of our student’s questions.” The audience will meet together at 8:30 p.m. on this night also.

“Another interesting element to be employed during these two debate events,” declared Lucas, “will be the electronic clickers we will use in the audience to gauge immediate reaction. With these electronic gadgets,” explained Lucas, “we can monitor the feedback and responses of the audience participants and gather important perception data.” Both events will be held in the Bowman Auditorium.

Ohio University Southern requests that political partisanship be kept more personal during this event and that attendees refrain from wearing partisan t-shirts and avoid audible chants, cheers or slogans. Signs and posters are prohibited on the University property. “We welcome the public,” commented Lucas, “but we ask that everyone remember we’re approaching this as an academic learning experience.”

For more information call Dr. David Lucas at (740) 533-4577 or e-mail lucasd@ohio.edu