OSU withdraws bid for presidential debate

Ohio State University decided yesterday to withdraw its name from consideration for one of the 2008 presidential debates. The school was among 19 contenders, which also included the University of Cincinnati.

Here's what OSU vice president Curt Steiner wrote in an e-mail sent Thursday to community leaders and the Commission on Presidential Debates:

For several reasons outlined below, I am moving to withdraw Ohio State from consideration as a site for a 2008 U.S. general election presidential debate.

As you know, Ohio State is one of 18 applicants to the Commission on Presidential Debates to host a nationally televised debate. In late February, NPR/PBS approached the university to partner in an application and committed to contributing two-thirds of the $1.35 million Presidential Debate Commission fee. The deadline for submitting a detailed proposal was March 31. The final choice of debate sites will be released in October.

This would be a significant event in Columbus, attracting the presidential candidates and their staff and thousands of members of the media. With the partnership of NPR/PBS, Columbus would be in the spotlight immediately before and during the event. In addition to the economic impact on the community, campus would be the center of excitement and debate-related educational opportunities.

Because time was short in which to develop a detailed proposal to the Commission, extensive conversation with community and university leadership up front was impossible. However, initial reactions were positive enough to justify moving forward. We submitted an application, cautioning NPR/PBS that it would be difficult to make a final commitment without having a university president in place, as a significant amount of money would have to be raised in the community to cover the total cost of the event—estimated at $3.5-4 million.

We have had good reason to think that Ohio State would be considered a top contender as a debate site because of its partnership with NPR/PBS (the only application with a major media partner), its high profile as a major research university, its excellent facilities for the event, and the focus on Ohio and Columbus as major battlegrounds in the presidential race. The Commission plans a site visit to Ohio State and Columbus on July 12.

That is a pivotal date in this process, when Ohio State must demonstrate that it has the capacity to hold a national debate and that it has the level of enthusiasm and community commitment that will put its application ahead of the pack. We do have the capacity, and my conversations with faculty and students have elicited real enthusiasm for the idea.

As we look at the July 12 visit, however, significant concerns remain. Ohio State is soon to embark on a leadership transition. Community leaders are positive and supportive, but with reservations. There is a sense that community fund-raising priorities should be in areas that will have a more lasting and permanent impact on the community. Some also express the view that even without the expense of a debate Columbus will remain a focus for presidential candidates and media.

Another consideration is that the University of Cincinnati also has applied to host a debate, has enlisted community support, and is very eager to win the opportunity. Neither school was aware of the other’s application, but the coincidence sets up an unfortunate competition among two Ohio public universities that I am sure we wish were not the case.

Timing is important in this process, and in several ways the timing does not support our going forward with a debate application this year. It will be very difficult to have a successful site visit without being able to produce fully committed university and community leadership, which is not presently in place. I recommend therefore that we withdraw, regretfully, and possibly consider a re-application in 2012, during the bicentennial of Columbus.

I want to commend the hard work and support of those who developed the detailed application to the Commission, including the university space planning team of Xen Riggs and Vicki Chorman; Paul Astleford of Experience Columbus; and Susan Feeney of NPR. What we learned about hosting this event and the application equirements—and about working together effectively on this project—will be invaluable should we reapply in 2012.