Dean Skip Rutherford was on the campus of the University of Mississippi this week where he met with students, faculty and staff of the university.
Posted by DEAN SKIP RUTHERFORD –
*While “The Grove” is nationally known for its football tailgating, the buzz on the campus is the upcoming September 26th Presidential Debate. Preparations are underway in the impressive Ford Center for the Performing Arts where it will take place. An impressive large tent has been installed adjacent to the Ford Center and will serve both as the post debate “spin alley” and the media center. Ole Miss is raising $5 million in sponsorships to help offset costs. Most everyone on the campus is proud and excited about hosting this historic event, and I would be too.
* NBC’s Tom Brokaw will lecture on the campus the night before the debate. He will be just one of many media and political personalities on the campus.
*The new eight-story Inn at Ole Miss will host the campaign staffs and the national media. It’s a beautiful faciity in the heart of the campus. I stayed there along with many people who had evacuated from Louisiana because of Hurricane Gustav.
*It was good to see Clinton School alumnus (class one) Katie Snodgrass who is on the Ole Miss staff. Katie will once again be on the staff of the Clinton Global Initiative in New York later this month. She’s been involved in CGI since entering the Clinton School in 2005.
*Eighty-four Ole Miss freshmen are part of Chancellor Robert Khayat’s leadership group. In my discussions with them, they had great questions about the 2008 presidential campaign and the upcoming debate. About 25 said they were voting for John McCain; about eight for Barack Obama with the majority either undecided or didn’t want to reveal their preference. When asked who they thought would win in November, all but three said Obama.
*All but one of these 84 students have a Facebook profile and less than 10 percent of them read a daily newspaper. They keep up with the news via the internet. Some cited CNN.com as their favorite news source.
*I didn’t see a Dixie flag the entire time I was in Oxford.
*I didn’t see Ole Miss (and former Arkansas) football Coach Houston Nutt either but I heard many good comments abut him.
*The residence hall where former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott lived as an undergraduate has been converted into the Lott Center where publicy policy courses and discussions are held. I had an enjoyable lunch with a talented group of Lott Scholars and spoke to a public policy class.
*Oxford is one of America’s best college towns. If you haven’t been there, go.