As Election Day draws near, two University departments are teaming up to keep students informed about the election and political awareness through an upcoming political debate among University professors and one local professional.  

The departments of history and geography and government and social sciences will sponsor a political forum next week with panelists Allen Alexander, department head of interdisciplinary studies; Mathew Block, a lawyer from Block Law Firm in Thibodaux; Norbert Michel, associate professor of finance and economics; Rusty Thysell, professor of government; David Whitney, assistant professor of government; and Paul Wilson; department head and associate professor of history. The moderator will be Gene Richard.

 “It’s going to be a professional debate,” Wilson said. “We’re all friends and colleagues. We just happen to have different political beliefs. I think it’s important for students to realize that you can still maintain relationships with others and have different political beliefs.”

The area of primary interest will be centered on one question: should President Obama be re-elected? The event will start off with the panelists debating on this topic then discussing other subjects, such as foreign policy and the economy. A question and answer session for the audience will follow.

This political debate will be the eleventh forum that has been held at Nicholls, Wilson said, with the first held a couple of weeks after Sept. 11, 2001. Wilson said that the first forum was quickly put together and the goal was to explain to students the significance of the attacks. 

Past topics have also included the Iraq War, presidential elections and the Constitution. Wilson said the history and geography department continues to hold forums because they have received positive feedback from students and the community.

The United States Census Bureau states that voters between the ages of 18 and 25 hold one of the highest voting percentages. The University student population is comprised of mostly 18-to 25-year-olds, Wilson said. These forums provide a way to get students more involved and informed.

This particular forum will include three professors who think President Obama should be reelected and three professors who think the opposite. 

Whitney, on the conservative side, said the point of the forum is to be informative and good information will be provided from both sides. 

“Part of the idea is to get students engaged in politics and care about what is going on, regardless of what side they are on,” Whitney said.

The upcoming forum is not likely to be the last hosted by Nicholls faculty. Wilson said it is all about keeping students informed and helping them understand what is going on. As long as there are relevant topics and positive responses from students, the forums will continue to take place.

“We want them to be engaged in the process and realize that this stuff matters to them.” Whitney said. 

The event will be held Oct. 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Peltier Auditorium and is open to students, faculty, and the general public.