As announced in the fall, Lafayette was selected by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) to host the U.S. Vice Presidential debate for the first time. On June 24, the CPD announced that it is officially canceling its debates, a first for the CPD since it was founded in 1987. It decided to do so in light of the plans the presumed nominees for the two major parties have made with TV networks to hold debates without the CPD. Lafayette respects the decision of the CPD and appreciates that it has enjoyed national and international media attention over the last several months as a result of the CPD’s having chosen the College as its VP debate location.
The College still plans to host a variety of civic and artistic events that were slated to occur on campus around the time of the VP debate. Details on these events will be shared as plans are adjusted and finalized in light of the CPD’s decision. The College learned a great deal through the nine months of working to prepare for the VP debate event and is well-positioned to host events of considerable scale and complexity in the years to come.