Students will have a chance to voice their views on affirmative action tonight during a debate on campus between two prominent black leaders.

In an event presented by the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, conservative talk-show host Reginald Jones and George Curry, editor in chief of the National Newspapers Publishing Association, will debate for an hour to an hour and a half about the merits of affirmative action in employment and university admissions.

Debra Simpson-Buchanan, assistant director at the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, said she decided to organize the debate after students expressed interest in the topic.

Simpson-Buchanan said she wanted to make sure students heard true information about affirmative action.

"I think a lot of the issues get muddy when you don't sit down and talk about the issues," she said. "We want to have a clear discussion about what affirmative action is."

Simpson-Buchanan said views from both sides would be presented. She said a pamphlet would be available at the debate from Americans for a Fair Chance.

Possible discussion topics would include whether America should be a colorblind society, how America could keep its workforce diverse and what the future of affirmative action should look like, Simpson-Buchanan said. She said the debate would focus on national issues, not issues specific to Penn State.

Simpson-Buchanan said Jones and Curry would begin the debate with opening statements, and an open student forum will follow. She said students could ask questions at a microphone or write them on an index card to be read.

She said Roy Brooks, the law professor who was originally scheduled to debate Jones, was replaced because of personal issues that will prevent him from attending.

Alex Smith, president of the College Democrats, said some members of the club would go tos the debate. "I feel like affirmative action is a necessary thing that we certainly need to have," he said.

Shauna Moser, president of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), said the club had brought Jones to campus twice. Moser said some members of the club would be attending the debate.

"More than anything, we feel that [affirmative action is] an insulting program to minorities because it implies that they can't get ahead on their own," she said.

Vicky Cangelosi, president of the College Republicans, said the debate falls during the club's weekly meeting time. However, she said she would mention it to club members.

Calls to Black Caucus and the Black Graduate Student Association were not returned yesterday by press time.

Terrell Jones, Penn State vice president for educational equity, said Penn State did not have a quota system for admissions, but it still tries to encourage minority students to attend the university. "I think it's still important we provide opportunities for all of our students," he said.

Jones said minorities make up a growing percentage of Pennsylvania's youth, and recruiting them is critical to maintaining enrollment.

"This is not affirmative action -- this is a business imperative," he said.

Ken Lehrman, director of the Office of Affirmative Action, said Penn State tries to ensure that it has a diverse recruiting pool for new jobs. However, he said affirmative action policies do not affect which candidate is hired.

"There are no quotas. There are no set asides," he said. "The prime directive is that the employer is supposed to hire the best qualified candidate for the position."