Ford Visits V.U. This Afternoon

Presdient Ford will visit the Villanova University campus on Wednesday, October 27 it was announced today by university officials. The president’s visit was confirmed by the White House Friday.

Invitations were extended to both presidential candidates by Villanova’s president, the Rev. John M. Driscoll, O.S.A., to visit the campus if their schedules would permit.

On Monday, October 18, the White House indicated a tentative acceptance of the invitation and on Friday, presidential aides notified the university of Mr. Ford’s decision to come to Villanova. He is expected to be on campus for about two hours.

Villanova’s Political Union, a group of approximately 80 politically active students who represent all three elements of political thought – conservative, moderate and liberal – is the host organization for the presidential visit.

President Ford is expected to arrive at Villanova shortly after 1:30 p.m. and to deliver an address in the university Field House which seats 5,000 people at 2:30 p.m. He is expected to speak for about twenty minutes.

The Chief Executive will later meet with student leaders in a private question-and-answer session devoted to campaign issues.

Mr. Ford is the first president to visit the Villanova campus since 1910 when William Howard Taft spoke at commencement exercises. President Kennedy was a Villanova visitor shortly before his election in 1960.

Grover Cleveland was also a visitor to the Main Line campus in 1902, as an ex-president.

An advance team of White House planners including Secret Service personnel began arriving on the campus late Friday to help prepare for the presidential visit.