For the record, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft is not coming to campus.
But someone wanted people to think Ashcroft would be making an appearance, going to such lengths as postering around the Main Green and in campus buildings.
According to several signs around campus, Ashcroft would have been speaking in Smith-Buonanno 106 at 6 p.m. today. The signs stated that Ashcroft would be speaking "with a small group of federal, state and local law enforcement officers" about the Patriot Act.
But the posters are apparently a hoax.
According to Ricky Gresh, director of student activities, there is no indication that Ashcroft is coming.
"The (poster) says local and state law enforcement officers would be spoken to," but DPS was not contacted, he said. He added that the Secret Service would probably work with DPS to provide security if Ashcroft were actually visiting, but the agency had not contacted DPS.
The posters stated that the event was being sponsored by the "Brown Conservative Alliance," as well as the "P.P.S.O.M.A." and the "A.F.U." However, Gresh and leaders of Brown political groups had never heard of the organizations, which are not registered student groups, and no one had reserved Smith-Buonanno 106 for that time period.
The Brown Conservative Alliance's phone number on the poster is actually the number of the Transportation Office. The signs said the group would conduct a ticket lottery for the event and requested that students "call our office" to be entered in the lottery. Gresh said the Transportation Office "had been getting an inordinate amount of calls."
"I've never heard of the Brown Conservative Alliance," said Chris McAuliffe '05, president of the College Republicans. "If there is a conservative group on campus, I would know who it is."
Gresh directed facilities workers to take down the signs because they violated sign policy, since they were not put up by an existing student group.
Kelly Hall '06, legislative committee chair of the Brown Democrats, said when she first heard that Ashcroft was coming, she was excited and was planning on telling College Democrats to attend the lecture.
"I'm always excited by political debate on the campus," Hall said. "I was excited to question him and debate him and ask him intelligent questions."
