President Clinton to speak at Penn

The president will speak on the new global economy as part of a forum sponsored by alum Michael Granoff. After seven years in office, President Clinton has learned a thing or two about the world economy -- and he has decided to let Penn students in on a few secrets. Clinton will deliver an address on global economics to Penn students, faculty and local elected officials in Irvine Auditorium next Thursday. The president will speak on "The New Economy" to kick off the University's recently established Granoff Forum, a program designed and funded by Penn alumnus Michael Granoff to attract the most influential minds in global economics and international relations to speak at the University. "President Clinton's participation underscores our commitment to providing a broad perspective on the critical issues of the new century," University President Judith Rodin said in a statement released yesterday. White House spokesman Steve Boyd said last night that Clinton's address would focus on "the broad picture of the state of the U.S. economy? and the opportunities and challenges of the next century." According to University spokeswoman Phyllis Holtzman, approximately 400 undergraduate students will be asked to attend the invitation-only event. She added that the students will be "primarily chosen from International Relations, Economics and other programs directly linked to the forum." "The wish of the donor was to have as many College students as possible," Holtzman said, noting that Granoff himself is a former College student. Granoff graduated from the College in 1980 and is now the president, chief executive officer and founder of Pomona Capital, a venture capital group. School of Arts and Sciences faculty, local dignitaries and elected officials and guests of Clinton will also be invited to attend the event. School of Arts and Sciences Dean Samuel Preston explained that Granoff came to him with the idea for the forum last fall, and they began tossing around ideas for the first speaker in December. "We thought we'd start out by asking the single most important figure in the global economy to speak," Preston said. "And to our delight and surprise, he said yes." Preston added that the University has known of the president's tentative plans to come to the University since January, but could not release the information until plans were finalized and the White House made plans for the visit public. In preparation for Clinton's trip, Irvine Auditorium will have to be outfitted for the approximately 100 press expected to attend the event, Preston said. But according to Holtzman, the security details for hosting the president at Penn have not yet been finalized. "The University Police will be working very closely with the Secret Service," she said. This will be the president's first visit to the University since 1996 when he made a quick campaign stop while running for a second term in the Oval Office. Clinton also spoke on his economic vision at Penn while campaigning for the presidency in 1992.

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