Karl Rove, deputy chief and senior adviser under President George W. Bush, will speak at 7 p.m. in John R. Emens Auditorium about "The Importance of Midterm Elections."
Rove was a primary contributor to the president's 2000 and 2004 campaigns. At the White House, he oversaw the offices of Strategic Initiatives, Political Affairs, Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Mitch Isaacs, associate director of the Office of Student Life, said it was looking for a speaker who could get students interested in the 2010 election.
"People, I think, are talking about Rove," Isaacs said. "I see small indicators that students are looking forward to this year's elections."
With the event open to Ball State students and Muncie residents, Isaacs is hoping for a good turnout.
"Our primary focus is to be of service to students and to the community," he said. "I hope a lot of people come, but it's like predicting the weather. We can look at past patterns and from there try to predict how it will look the next day."
Rove, a controversial figure because of his political ideals, has caused protests at several events. On June 1, students from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, held a peaceful protest when Rove made a visit to the campus, according to the university's newpaper.
As of Friday evening, the Office of Student Life had not received any requests for protests.
According to Ball State's Expressive Activities Policy, a demonstration must be scheduled with the Student Center Reservation Office at least three business days prior and has to be approved by the assistant vice president for Student Affairs or the director of Student Life.
Isaacs said although he did not see requests for demonstrations, he is always eager to see students "exercise their thoughts and ideas."
"No matter how people feel about Rove, I hope people come to hear," Isaacs said. "He has the knowledge and it's a great opportunity to get other perspectives to consider. What [students] can't deny is he has an informed and educated point of view. College should be about listening and, based off of that, making your own decisions."
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