Governors’ race comes to campus

Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick spoke to a crowd of Boston University and Boston-area college students at the Photonics Center Monday night in a town hall-style discussion sponsored by the student group BU for Deval Patrick.

The event attracted more than 75 students, many from area schools including Northeastern University, Wellesley College and Tufts University.

Patrick, if elected Nov. 7, 2006, would be Massachusetts’ first black governor. He opened the meeting on his campaign’s three primary concerns – the ability of Massachusetts citizens to get and keep jobs, the education of families and the importance of a sustainable health care system.

The town-hall session included questions from audience members on various issues.

Wellesley junior Anna Marie Farr, who was hearing Patrick for the second time, said she was impressed with the questions posed by the audience. She said the crowd at a Wellesley house party was more diverse, but this audience “asked some really tough questions.”

“I was really impressed with the caliber of the questions,” she said. “I think he was, too.”

Among the questions posed was the issue of job prospects for students who want to work in Massachusetts after graduation.

“Massachusetts is the only state to have lost population this year, partially due to the large number of young people leaving,” Patrick said.

He posed possible solutions to this problem, including providing incentives to companies to build and stay in Massachusetts while supporting investment in public university research facilities, stimulating jobs and further education.

The discussion also included the use of renewable energy. Though Patrick expressed that his decision to support Cape Wind’s Nantucket Sound Project was not made lightly, he said if the state can become a major provider of renewable energy, “the world is our customer.”

He said these types of policies would create jobs and improve the state’s economic status.

College of Arts and Sciences senior Megan Jacobs said she was “impressed with the intelligence of the conversation and Deval’s frankness.”

Though some students were unable to have their questions answered during the discussion, Patrick stayed to answer remaining questions with students after he had left the podium.

Patrick called the audience’s response positive.

“The vibe here is very strong and very important to the campaign and to me as a person,” he said. “I’m trying to get across how important it is to reengage and how important for young people today to know that it was young people yesterday who made the way.”

BU was not the first university on Patrick’s campus stops, which included American International College in Springfield, Clark University and five schools in the University of Massachusetts system.

BU for Deval Patrick co-Chairman Daniel Rhodes said he thinks Patrick appeals to college students “because of the diverse array of backgrounds that are seen at any university, especially BU.

“I think Deval Patrick coming to BU shows that he is interested in college students’ concerns and questions,” the CAS junior said. “And that is an opportunity his opponents have failed to capitalize on.”

Co-Chairwoman Kaitlyn Patia said Patrick’s interaction with college students reflects his attitude of involving students.

“I believe he genuinely wants to hear what students have to say and wants students to be involved in their government,” the CAS freshman said.

CAS junior Cory Kalanick, who saw Patrick for the first time and does not endorse a particular gubernatorial candidate, said he thought that while Patrick had “a strong vision for Massachusetts, particularly for higher education on campus,” he was “very excited to see the number of people here.

“Especially with Political Awareness week,” he said, “it shows that students really are interested in politics.”