College to host four nights of viewing and discussion on 2008 U.S. presidential debates

The State University of New York at New Paltz will host four nights of viewing and discussion for each of the 2008 U.S. presidential and vice presidential debates beginning at 8:45 p.m. on the following dates and locations on the New Paltz campus:

• Friday, Sept. 26, Student Union Building, Hawk Lounge (Presidential debate with foreign policy focus).
• Thursday, Oct. 2, Student Union Building, Multi-Purpose Room (Vice Presidential debate).
• Tuesday, Oct. 7, Student Union Building, Multi-Purpose Room (Presidential debate in a town hall format).
• Wednesday, Oct. 15, Lecture Center, Room 100 (Presidential debate with domestic policy focus).

The Commission on Presidential Debates (www.debates.org) facilitates DebateWatch, which is a project designed to promote civic participation and public discussion. At each debate, citizens gather together to watch the presidential and vice presidential debates and then discuss their impressions of them. Data from citizen feedback on the debates will then be channeled back to the commission, and used to improve future debates.

This fall, Mary Kahl, associate professor of Communication and Media, is teaching a special topics class called Presidential Debate Communication. She and her students will facilitate at the DebateWatch sessions.

Other co-sponsors include the League of Women Voters; the Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach (CRREO); the Communication and Media Society; and Lambda Pi Eta, the communication honor society.

The events are free and open to the public.

For more information call Kahl at (914) 213-7615 or kahlm@newpaltz.edu.