Debate a boon, bust for UNLV - depends whom you ask

By Charlotte Hsu (contact)

Sunday, Nov. 18, 2007 | 1:16 a.m.

UNLV, home to one of the country's top-ranked hotel management colleges, had readied for months to meet a major hospitality challenge of its own: hosting the Democratic debate broadcast on CNN on Thursday.

For the school, aspiring to become a respected research institution, Thursday was to be an opportunity to flaunt its stuff on the national stage. A night that would give students a behind-the-scenes, firsthand look at America's political machine.

But how the debate turned out for UNLV depends on whom you ask. CNN's foray onto campus left some people elated and others miffed.

School officials are thrilled with the recognition and educational opportunities the debate brought UNLV. Though many students agree, others think they and their peers were sidelined.

Nur Kausar, editor in chief of UNLV's student paper, and Ciara Turns, who leads the school's College Republicans group, were among the grumpy campus leaders who thought CNN could have done more to involve students. Instead of mingling with members of the campus community, Turns said, CNN staffers seemed content to park themselves by Cox Pavilion, where the debate took place.

An editorial in Kausar's Rebel Yell on debate day carried the subhead "UNLV students and staff aren't getting any damn respect from the CNN invaders" and accused CNN of being embarrassed by UNLV.

CNN disputed the Yell's claims through a spokeswoman, who wrote in an e-mail, "UNLV has been a wonderful host and we could not be more pleased with the working relationship over the last couple of months."

The network allocated 900 of about 2,500 seats in the pavilion to UNLV. The school reserved 300 of those for students. UNLV has about 28,000 students.

"It seems like (they're) shutting more people out than letting people in," Kausar said by phone.

A few dozen volunteers, some students, turned out for training Tuesday night only to go home unrewarded when no CNN representatives showed up, said Ardyth Sohn, director of UNLV's school of journalism and media studies.

Why hold a debate at a university instead of at a convention center, Sohn wondered, "if you're not going to fill the audience with students? If you're not going to be here, there and everywhere?"

Turns said she's not sure what the debate will mean for the university's reputation in the long run.

"I don't even know that the prestige is going to go up that much," she said. "We're still a fourth-tier university."

UNLV officials had touted educational opportunities for students as a major reason for hosting the debate. And those opportunities materialized, said Schyler Richards, vice president for community relations.

CNN crews attended student events such as a mock debate and set up shop for three days on North Field, allowing students to participate in activities such as answering political trivia questions.

Students who entered a seating lottery but didn't get a spot at Cox Pavilion were invited to a debate party elsewhere on campus. And more than 100 students volunteered during and before the debate, Richards said.

CNN "specifically asked for student volunteers because working behind the scenes on a nationally televised debate is a wonderful opportunity," she said.

Jonah Trout, a finance and economics student, learned about the political process by spending Thursday showing candidates to "green rooms" and hanging out with John Edwards' staff. Trout, a student ambassador who works closely with UNLV President David Ashley, said CNN and UNLV made every effort to engage students.

Leo Wells, a political science student, also volunteered, performing tasks such as moving equipment and registering attendees at the campus watch party. In an era in which university names have become brands, tying a presidential debate to the UNLV label is a smart move, he said.

"It brings huge recognition to our campus ... I'm pretty sure we're going to see more people applying to UNLV just because of this debate," he said.

Wells' and Trout's excitement was indicative of the buzz that had been building at UNLV. Over the past month and a half, Richards said, she and others held weekly conference calls with CNN to finalize plans.

"I love the excitement," she said. "I love seeing it come together in a really big way. This is a very significant event for UNLV."

As for how it turned out, Richards said she couldn't be happier.