CSUN Senate Trying for Perot Appearance

Not ones to shy away from the hot topics of the day, student representatives at California State University, Northridge, are in discussions with presidential candidate H. Ross Perot for an appearance on campus some time this month.

Student Senate members have approached the Reform Party candidate to give him a forum after he was locked out of official campaign debates between President Clinton and GOP candidate Bob Dole.

“We want to give him a chance to be heard,” said Phillip Leonard, director of political awareness.

Leonard stressed that no decision of when or where Perot will speak has been made but said Perot has given the student organization Oct. 17 as one date he is available.

He said the senate is unsure what form the event will take--whether a speech or question and answer session--but that it will probably be free to students.

Perot ran for the presidency in 1992 under his own Reform Party. He was shut out of the debates by the bipartisan organizing commission and has filed a lawsuit over the decision.

Perot’s invitation comes only weeks after the student senate was the target of controversy bringing ex-Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke to campus Sept. 25 to debate affirmative action with civil rights activist Joe Hicks. The event sparked angry demonstrations.