Gorbachev to give talk on campus

Gorbachev to speak at Irvine Auditorium Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev will speak at Irvine Auditorium on April 14 in a ceremony during which the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia will present him with its International Statesman of the Year Award. The event, scheduled to start at 6 p.m., is being co-sponsored by the University, but only 200 tickets will be available to University students. Assistant to the President Nicholas Constan said that while the upcoming event is "a big deal," it is not a University event. "It is a World Affairs Council event," Constan said, adding that he at one time was on the board of the organization. The World Affairs Council is selling tickets to the event for $20. According to Connaissance Chairperson Robyn Allen, the 200 tickets available for students were bought by an anonymous alumnus to be distributed to students in order to give them the chance to hear the world leader speak. Had the alumnus not bought the tickets for the students, College junior Allen said, it is uncertain whether students would have had any chance to hear Gorbachev speak on their own campus. Connaissance will distribute tickets to the student body on a first-come, first-serve basis at the request of the president's office, Allen said. Allen said that the coveted tickets for Gorbachev's speech will be available on Locust Walk at 12 noon on Thursday, April 8, and that students only will be able to get one ticket per PENNcard. University officials would not disclose the how much money Gorbachev is receiving for his speech or how much the University is contributing. "That's not an issue," said Secretary Barbara Stevens. World Affairs Council President Buntzie Ellis Churchill was unavailable for comment yesterday. Stevens added that the University is pleased to be co-sponsoring a talk by a man of Gorbachev's international stature. "This is a wonderful way that we can work together to bring this kind of international force to Philadelphia," Stevens said. Connaissance Vice Chairperson Guy Raviv said he is excited for the world leader's upcoming appearance, and that it is emblematic of the University's stature in the international community. "This is another major coup for the University," Raviv said last night. "First we got [Former British Prime Minister] Margaret Thatcher, then [exiled President Jean-Bertrand] Aristide of Haiti, and now, Gorbachev."