Notre Dame Withdraws From Hosting Debate

The University of Notre Dame has withdrawn from hosting a presidential debate on Sept. 29.

The Reverend John I. Jenkins said in a statement that he made “this difficult decision because the necessary health precautions would have greatly diminished the educational value of hosting the debate on our campus.” In a letter to the Notre Dame community, Father Jenkins said that “the inevitable reduction in student attendance in the debate hall, volunteer opportunities and ancillary educational events undermined the primary benefit of hosting -- to provide our students with a meaningful opportunity to engage in the American political process.”