Officials to distribute tickets for Gore speech

In anticipation of Vice President Al Gore's speech commemorating ENIAC's 50th birthday, the ENIAC Committee is negotiating to provide University students, faculty and staff with the greatest number of tickets possible. According to Carol Scheman, vice president for Government, Community and Public Affairs, the committee met this morning with Gore representatives to discuss the specifics of ticket distribution. "I am working hard to be sure that more tickets are available," Scheman said, adding that the tickets for students, faculty and staff constitute the largest block going to any group. At least 500 tickets will be designated for this group, Scheman said, but "with the fluidity of the situation, it is hard to estimate an exact number." According to Connaissance Director Rich Archer, a Wharton junior, his organization will hold a raffle Monday for those students, faculty and staff interested in getting tickets for the speech. Approximately 2,000 raffle tickets will be distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis in front of Steinberg-Dietrich Hall from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Archer said he will not know the exact number of speech tickets available until Monday night, after the different organizations who have been offered tickets decide how many they will use. A list will be posted in front of Steinberg-Dietrich Tuesday naming the raffle ticket winners. Students, faculty and staff may exchange their winning raffle stubs for tickets to the speech between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m the same day, Archer said. Scheman said the remaining seats for the University have tentatively been designated as follows: 10 tickets for the deans of each of the 12 schools; 75 tickets for the ENIAC group; 100 tickets for the School of Engineering and Applied Science and fewer than 50 for the University's Boards of Trustees and Overseers. Tickets will also go to community and political leaders, those attending the ENIAC brunch and sponsors of the celebratory dinner. Additionally, due to a direct request by Gore, approximately 200 tickets will be given to local high school and middle school students. "Gore realizes that Penn isn't an island –– he wanted to invite the whole community," University spokesperson Barbara Beck said. She added that she has been inundated with calls about the ENIAC celebration, even before Gore announced he would speak. "The interest extends far beyond the Philadelphia area," Beck said. "I have talked to reporters ranging from USA Today to talk shows in South Africa and Quebec. "There is going to be a ton of media," she added. "I already know there will be 15 to 20 people from the Washington press, and an equal amount from the local press." The media attendance was one of the issues on the agenda at this morning's meeting, Scheman said. She added that Gore's office wants to install press platforms, but that would take space away from regular seating. The speech, scheduled for Wednesday, will take place in Irvine Auditorium from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The auditorium has a maximum capacity of 1800, Beck said. She added that students who cannot get into Irvine will be able to view the televised program in buildings across campus, including the Annenberg School for Communication and Alumni Hall. "This event marks a major technological milestone," Beck said. "It is not really about looking at the past –– it is about what our futures and our children's futures are going to be like."