It takes the efforts of the entire University community working together to make an event like a presidential debate a success.
No one knows that more than Steve Givens.
Givens, assistant to the chancellor, once again served as chair of the Presidential Debate Steering Committee. He worked tirelessly for months to bring together all facets of the debate preparation.
By serving as liaison between the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) and the University, Givens made sure that WUSTL was doing everything necessary to host a successful debate.
He is quick to credit the entire University for the well-orchestrated event.
“In my mind, the work that goes toward hosting a presidential debate is the perfect analogy to the overall success of the University,” Givens said. “It’s a microcosm of what goes on here day after day, year after year.
“The success of the debate is all about the entire community pulling together to make it possible.”
The hard work, the long days and the weekends put in by many University staff members paid off. Behind the scenes, staff members helped out in many ways — planning and assisting with security, arranging parking, transforming the Field House from an athletic venue to a debate site, printing banners and signs, organizing student volunteers, and assisting the major networks and other media in attendance.
“What I have heard consistently from the media, the campaign staffs and the Commission on Presidential Debates is that they love being here,” Givens said. “I hear continuous comments about the friendliness, effectiveness and professionalism of our staff and student volunteers from these people. From those who helped credential the media to those who outfitted the Athletic Complex and turned it into a television studio, to our police department and public affairs office, we are considered to be the gold standard by which all other debates are measured.
“That’s a credit to the whole community.”
Security was a hot topic surrounding this year’s debates. University Police Chief Don Strom and his team, in conjunction with area police forces, the FBI and the Secret Service, met the challenge head on.
“I don’t think there are any drastic changes between this debate and the one in 2000,” Strom said. “If anything, we are better prepared, having been through it four years ago.
“We’ve had a great partnership with the St. Louis County Police Department and law enforcement throughout the region, and I think we are all better prepared by the experience of having been through it, not only in 2000, but in planning for the 1992 and 1996 debates as well.”
The staff of Facilities Planning and Management contributed much to preparing the Athletic Complex for the debate, working closely with the athletic department and a host of other University departments.
“We hired all the contractors who had to modify the HVAC, build the many platforms for the media, prepare the media center and carpet the debate hall and campaign work spaces,” said Ralph Thaman, associate vice chancellor of facilities planning and management. “We also assisted with power generators, miles of wiring throughout the building and made sure all the systems worked perfectly.”
The entire department pitched in.
“We manned the receiving area of the Athletic Complex to be certain of what was delivered and what was shipped out,” Thaman said. “Although we used many contractors, the University maintenance workers completely wired the media filing center with telephone and high-speed Internet lines.”
The Athletic Complex closed Sept. 30 as debate preparations heated up. In order to accommodate the construction and wiring, many varsity sports were rescheduled. John M. Schael, athletics director, and T.J. Shelton, assistant athletics director, helped coordinate that effort.
A volleyball tournament was moved to Fontbonne University, a soccer match was moved from Oct. 9 to Oct. 10, and the fitness center equipment was moved off campus. The football team’s travel plans were adjusted to accommodate security, and the football team lost its practice field to network vehicle parking and additional generators.
Fans and swim team members had to go through security measures to attend the swim meet the week before the debate.
Twenty staff members lost their offices the week of the debate so those spaces could accommodate the needs of CPD and campaign staff members.
“It was hard work, but we managed to get it all sorted out and it went very smoothly,” Shelton said.
Members of the public affairs staff worked around the clock to meet media needs such as preparing press kits, briefing reporters and managing the media filing center. They also promoted the University’s debate and political experts, fielded inquiries from hundreds of media outlets and documented the University’s role in the debate through photos and video.
In addition, the staff created and updated the debate Web site and media Web site; designed, produced and installed many signs and banners around campus and at the Athletic Complex; and oversaw student designers in the creation of debate posters, T-shirts, pins and other items.
“There’s no way to begin a list of the key contributors without the fear of leaving someone off,” Givens said. “There are just too many people who have given their time, energy and talent to making this debate a success.”
He said the key administrative leaders were Thaman; Steven G. Rackers, manager of capital projects in facilities planning; M. Fredric Volkmann, vice chancellor for public affairs; Judy Jasper Leicht, associate vice chancellor and executive director of University communications; Schael; and Strom.
Givens said there were also many key, but perhaps unsung, people who were extremely important to the success of the debate, including Mary Ellen Benson, assistant vice chancellor and executive director of publications; Mike Eaton, zone manager in maintenance administration;
Linda Specker, accounting manager; Alan Kuebler, executive director of resource management; Craig Hager, manager of IT communications services; Steve Wiese, network systems engineering manager;
Stephanie Kurtzman, coordinator for community service and women’s programs; Sue Hosack, director of the Office of Student Records; Elizabeth Lukas, information specialist in The Career Center; Gloria Richman, executive assistant in the chancellor’s office;
Sue Nickrent-McMurtry, director of common space management in events services; Barbara Rea, director of major events and special projects; and Lisa Underwood, manager of parking and transportation services.
“My role is simple because of all these people,” Givens said.
Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton applauded the effort of all involved.
“This debate was a wonderful opportunity for our students, faculty and alumni,” Wrighton said. “I’m very grateful for the efforts of student and faculty volunteers and staff members who helped make it such a successful event.”