University of Nevada - Artemisia Yearbook (Reno, NV)

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PRESIDENT REAGAN visits UNR President of the United States Ronald Reagan spoke at the University ' s Leadership Seminar Thursday, October 7. President Reagan ' s was the first Presidential visit to Reno since President Lyndon Johnson ' s visit in 1964 and the first ever to the University campus. Preparations for the President ' s visit began over a week before he arrived. Dozens of secret service agents flew in to decide what would be safest for the President. By Thursday, the day of the speech, over one hun- dred secret servicemen were on and around the campus, providing the most extensive security UNR had ever seen. The President ' s welcome was no less extensive. Many students had spent hours and days preparing to welcome the Presi- dent. The UNR marching band was lining up to get set up on the quad at 6:30 am, although they wouldn ' t play their welcome for the President for nearly five hours. Many ASUN senators and their friends were up even earlier. At 5am they began putting up the last of their posters and banners saluting the President. For several days these students had been stuffing napkins, and painting posters, and distributing tickets for the visit. Although the Presi- dent ' s speech was free and open to the public tickets were required at the gate. Tickets were available, howev- er, for nearly anyone who wanted one. Students who came in large groups (such as the Greek houses) were seated together. Several days before President Reagan arrived on campus, sorority and fraternity representa- tives, along with dorm students, attended a meeting with University officials in which they were briefed and given tickets for special seating. They were asked to distribute the tickets to their houses ' members, but especially to those who would cheer. Others could get tickets, but not in preferred seating. Anyone who wanted to protest the President ' s visit could, but, unlike the cheerers, he had to register with the Dean of Students. Two groups did register — The African Students Association and the Progressive Student Alliance — and were told when and where they could protest. They ended up in between the Student Union and Thompson Student Services, the 25

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equivalent of two blocks from the President and well-hidden. The day of the speech was crisp, but clear. Work- ers were on the quad at 5am. About 8 everyone was cleared from the area, and special teams covered every inch with dogs to insure that noth- ing was on the quad or nearby which could harm the President. Once they were satisfied it was safe, they opened the gates. Everyone who want- ed to see the President had to go through a metal detector at the North end of the quad. Everyth- ing else was roped off. People were requested to leave books, backpacks, purses, etc. at home. Cameras were allowed in, but even these were not considered safe. Every so often one of the secret servicemen would click off a couple of frames — just to make sure they weren ' t wired to explode or anything. The view from surround- ing buildings would have been great, but all those buildings were closed and sealed off. Local high schools sent busses to campus for the pre- sentation. Many high school bands and cheer- leaders also showed up adding to the festive at- mosphere. It was a good old-fashioned GOP rally. Many Republican notables shared the stage with President Reagan including Nevada ' s former governor, Senator Paul Laxalt. Hopefuls were also in attendance. — Governor Robert List, seeking re-election, Barbara Vucanovich, hoping to fill Nevada ' s new congressional seat, and Bri- an McKay, running for Attorney General. Elec- tions were less than a month away, and being seen with the President wasn ' t going to hurt any- one. (Elections ended with Vucanovich and McKay victorious.) The crowd was very excited by the time President Reagan ' s motorcade ar- rived about 11:45. The program had started about an hour before, hosted by local personality Pete Carothers. President Reagan ' s speech seemed to say I ' m only half-way through. Let me finish. He blamed much of the county ' s economic woes on his Democratic predecessors and urged people to elect representatives who would help the country continue on the road to economic recovery. The November elections were viewed across the country as a report card on REAGONOMICS. In Nevada, at least, election results suggest that he ' s passing. President Rea- gan ' s visit to UNR was extremely well received. Renoites, and especially the University, were proud to have our country ' s Chief Executive in our community. » ' ■ ' JIjF