John Ashcroft to speak at WSU Vancouver

Former Attorney General John Ashcroft will speak at  WSU Vancouver’s Fourth Annual Public Affairs Distinguished Lecture Series Wednesday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m.

The purpose of the lecture series is to bring nationally recognized speakers to WSU Vancouver and Southwest Washington to speak on issues of the day. WSU Vancouver alternates the partisan background of the selected speakers in order to accommodate a variety of political views.

Ashcroft’s appearance at Skyview High School, 1300 NW 139th Street, is sponsored by the Associated Students of Washington State University Vancouver and the Thomas Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service. A reception, with Attorney General Ashcroft in attendance, will immediately follow in the Student Center. Ashcroft is scheduled to speak on “National Security and Civil Liberties in the 21st century.”

“We are very pleased to once again bring a nationally recognized speaker to campus, said Carolyn Long, associate professor of Political Science and director of Public Affairs at WSU Vancouver. “Last year, Governor Howard Dean spoke to a sold-out crowd, and we expect Attorney General Ashcroft to also fill the auditorium. This topic is tremendously important to all Americans.”

A panel discussion on balancing national security and civil liberties in a post 9/11 world will be held from 12-2 p.m. on the WSU Vancouver campus prior to the evening lecture.

Past speakers for the Annual Public Affairs Distinguished Lecture Series include the current chair of the Democratic National Committee and Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, former New Hampshire Governor John Sununu and University of Maryland Professor Benjamin R. Barber.

ASWSUV is the student governing body for WSU Vancouver. Each year it supports a variety of student activities, including public lectures. “Bringing U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft to WSU Vancouver offers our students and community a unique opportunity to hear about issues of security and civil liberties from one of the most influential policy makers of this decade,” said Casey Watters, ASWSUV Student Body president.

The Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service was established at WSU in 1995 to foster civic education, public service and public policy research in a nonpartisan, cross-disciplinary setting.

For more information about the lecture series or the panel presentation, contact Long at (360) 546-9737 or long@vancouver.wsu.edu.

Tickets are available to the public beginning March 1 for $10 + fees through all TicketsWest outlets. Tickets can be charged by phone: Portland 503-224-TIXX, all other areas 800-992-TIXX, or on the Web at www.ticketswest.com.

WSU Vancouver offers 15 bachelor’s and nine master’s degrees in over 35 fields of study. The campus is located at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave., east of the 134th Street exit from either I-5 or I-205.