It hit the news on July 19, 2016, that Wright State University in Ohio bowed out of having the first presidential debate there on September 26, 2016. This is also the day that Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York announced that they will now be the alternative location. Hofstra, early on, had agreed to be an alternative site for the debate. Wright State University decided to bow out of holding the debates due to, “citing cost and safety concerns,” states Newsday, the primary news source for Long Island and New York City. With Wright State University no longer hosting the event, Hofstra has been given a huge responsibility, but also an honor.
Hofstra University also held presidential debates in both the 2008 and 2012 campaigns. The president of Hofstra, Stuart Rabinowitz, states, “This is an extraordinary privilege and responsibility. We greatly appreciate the faith shown in us by the Commission on Presidential Debates, and we have begun preparations for a very successful debate.”
“Hofstra — Long Island’s largest private university, with about 11,000 students — will become the first school to host presidential debates in three consecutive presidential election cycles.”
It is stated many times that the Commission on Presidential Debates is looking forward to working with Hofstra again.
David R. Hopkins, the president of Wright State University, told Newsday that the decision of not hosting the debate was “very difficult.” These difficulties were along the lines of, “a growing crescendo of concern about what it would take to guarantee the safety and security of the campus and the community. The expense would be daunting,” Hopkins explains.
It was estimated that Wright State would have to push out up to $8 million just to host this debate. This is seen as a huge hurdle to the university that has approximately 17,000 students enrolled and had already given $1.9 million towards the debate to host it. Newsday states that “it was unclear [July 19] if the school would recoup any of that.”
Now, at this point many people may be wondering, why is this girl dishing us out details that we could go and find anywhere on the internet? Well, here’s why.
I’m a current student at Hofstra University. I am so proud that my school has decided to be the alternative location for the first presidential debate in this election. I am also a journalism major there. This is a huge thing to be happening, and with that being my major, I definitely have a reason to be excited. I’m not saying only communication majors are happy about this. We all are, especially business majors, political science majors, and many many others. Who am I kidding? We’re all pretty proud, despite our majors and minors. Our university has a huge responsibility upon its shoulders, and we as a student body also have to represent how we want it to be viewed. On Tuesday, all of the students were on Facebook posting about it and sharing it with friends from all over. Now, it is nearly a week later, and it is finally starting to sink in.
Our university is hosting the debate and one of the biggest things that I’ve been asked about when I brought it up was, “What about the security?” Now, I’m not saying that didn’t cross my mind, but when you’re school just announced that they’re holding the debate it’s not usually the first thing to pop into your head.
After I got questioned about that, I did start to wonder. Hofstra has had two years of trial and error for what worked and didn’t work during these presidential debates, so I want to say they’ve got it down pat, but we all know things change, and especially with all of the things going on lately it can be seen as to why so many people are worried about stepping up the security.
Edward Mangano, the Nassau County Executive, said that the county’s, “well-trained officers are prepared to work with federal law enforcement to provide a secure venue for the candidates to share their plans for our future.”
Lieutenant Richard LeBrun, the Nassau Police spokesman, said, as stated in Newsday, “the department will work with federal, state, and local authorities to secure a safe environment for the visitors and residents of the county.”
With these two statements it’s safe to say that they have the experience from the two previous debates, but also have the training if anything is to arise. As a current student, safety is something to worry about. One, it’s in New York, which many people are weary about, and two, it’s a national presidential debate. It causes eyes to look at one certain area. It also causes uproars in people that do not agree with debates and that is something that many people worry about. Many people look at the people on the outside of the venue, but not too often they look at the people on the inside. What if something were to arise there? Now, I’m not saying that the Nassau County police force doesn’t, but it’s just a broad idea that many people overlook.
Hofstra University already has great security, and with the amped up security for the Sept. 26 debate, it is sure to be a safe environment for everyone involved.
According to The Washington Post, it also seems important to state that the switch of locations also means that the presidential debate will now be held in the home state of candidates, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.
I know many of my classmates have been wondering, “How can we get a ticket to the debate?” Well, it has been officially decided according to News at Hofstra, that, “all tickets allocated to Hofstra University from the Commission will be distributed via lottery to current students in the days before the debate.” It is stated that no tickets will be available from Hofstra University personnel, and tickets are not available in any way at this time.
President and CEO of the Long Island Association tells Hofstra, “Congratulations to Hofstra University and its President Stuart Rabinowitz for securing a presidential debate which will boost the local economy and promote the region.”
Hofstra University has a huge responsibility of holding the first presidential debate for 2016, but also for being the first school to ever hold three consecutive presidential debates.
Students and alum of Hofstra University are proud of our school in locking in this event. We are all very excited as well. We also know, to settle all the people that have been asking, that the university and county are in good hands with the police force that includes all federal, state, and local authorities. Hofstra University can’t wait to hold a successful presidential debate.
The second presidential debate is scheduled for Oct. 9 at Washington University in St. Louis. The University of Nevada in Las Vegas is to hold the third debate on Oct. 19.
Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia, will host the vice presidential debate for 2016.
The 2016 presidential election is on Nov. 8.
You can read the full article from Newsday here.
You can also read updates about Hofstra University offering 15 Wright State University students tickets to the debate here.
The words right from Hofstra University regarding the debate can be read here.
