Report: UVA declined request to host Obama campaign event

The University of Virginia (UVA) turned down a request from President Obama’s campaign to hold a rally on campus next week.

Officials from the university met with campaign officials and eventually “declined” the request, saying it would be too disruptive for students attending classes, according to a report from local station NBC29.

UVA spokesperson Carol Wood confirmed to the station that Obama would not speak on campus next week.

Wood’s statement said that allowing the event to proceed on Aug. 29 would have forced the university to close buildings adjacent to the chosen site. The report says the campaign sought the use of either the campus amphitheater or the Harrison-Small library plaza.

Additionally, the campus would have had to bear the cost of security.

The UVA Communications Office said an alternate site, the John Paul Jones Arena was offered but was declined by the Obama campaign as “not academic enough.”

The Obama campaign said they respected the decision and would hold an event at the Charlottesville Pavilion in the city’s downtown.

The Charlottesville visit is the latest stop in the president’s tour of college towns in key swing-states.

Last Tuesday, Obama hit Romney on his education policies in stops at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, saying the presumptive GOP nominee would cut investments in education and funds for Head Start and Pell grants.

White House deputy communications director Jen Psaki said Romney’s plan to “slash funding” for education would prevent 1 million students from receiving scholarships and cut financial aid for an additional 10 million.

The Romney campaign hit back, arguing that the president had done little to help graduating students find jobs and pay back student loans.

“Under this president, too many young Americans are suffering from higher college costs, more debt, and a lack of good jobs when they graduate,” said Romney spokesperson Amanda Henneberg, in a statement.

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