SAC President E. Clarke Tucker ’03 adds that while there are more Democrats than Republicans on SAC, this simply reflects the school’s makeup as a whole.

Tucker says the IOP’s non-partisan mission makes it unique compared to political groups on other campuses.

“I felt I could be a part of the College Dems at any college in the country,” he says. “There’s really no other institution at any other college that compares to the IOP.”

Michael B. Firestone ’05, who is the campaign chair for the College Democrats, calls the IOP “a good space, where kids who are interested in government can get together and hang out, regardless of affiliation.”

“The College Democrats aren’t really interested in having Republicans at their events, and vice-versa,” Firestone adds.

But non-partisanship has its costs.

Though the IOP makes an effort to recruit politically and ethnically diverse speakers and fellows, Firestone says the carefully maintained neutrality can make speeches and discussions less “fiery.”

“It can stifle some more controversial issues,” Firestone says.

He notes that political figures speaking at the forum often veer from controversial topics to talk about political involvement in general.

For instance, former defense secretary Bill Cohen spoke yesterday at the ARCO Forum (see related story, page 3). Instead of addressing the packed crowd on the timely and contentious issue of military intervention in Iraq, he spoke on the topic of “Public Service in the Aftermath of 9/11.”

While members say that the IOP’s reluctance to take sides on issues can be frustrating, Kastner says the campus has room for both the IOP’s intellectual side and the Democrats and Republicans’ activist sides.

“Together, they make a complete package,” she says. “The IOP helps frame the issues for you, helps you decide.”

But the IOP’s efforts to beef up issue discussion this year may complicate efforts to walk the line of neutrality.

Warren says that whether policy groups created last spring to discuss and produce a brief on a specific political debate “can remain non-partisan is yet to be seen.”

From Sweat to Substance