While some students like Mark McGinley call conservative pundit Ann Coulter a "crackpot," others, like Justin Lindsey, are more excited for Coulter's speech than for Barack Obama's or Bill Clinton's.
Coulter will face critics and fans alike at 7 p.m. today in HUB Alumni Hall when she gives a free speech to students and community members. A.J. Fluehr, spokesman for Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), which is sponsoring Coulter's speech, said he expects her to speak about the current presidential election.
"Our club likes to court controversy to encourage debate on campus. It seems to be one-sided towards the leftists point-of-view; it is stagnant," Fluehr said. "To bring in a speaker like Ann Coulter will enflame a lot of passions."
Fluehr said he expects there to be standing room only at the speech.
After Coulter's speech, there will be a short question-and-answer session followed by a book signing. Coulter's latest book, If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd Be Republicans, will be available for sale at the event.
Penn State students have a variety of opinions regarding Coulter's often-controversial views. She has said in the past that America would be a better country if women were not allowed to vote.
Jack Vickrey, vice chairman of the College Republicans, said the group has no specific stance on Coulter but thinks the event will be more of an educational experience than a talk filled with hate speech.
"She will play devil's advocate no matter what students say," Vickrey (senior-agribusiness management) said.
McGinley (sophomore-mechanical and industrial engineering) said he will not attend the event and thinks Coulter's messages are "divisive and inflammatory."
"I think she gives a bad name to the conservative people at Penn State," McGinley said.
However, Lindsey (senior-marketing) said Coulter's viewpoints match up with his own political beliefs.
"It's only the students' faults if they get riled up over talking; it's not her fault if they get riled up over what she says when she is just speaking her mind," Lindsey said.
Jen Epp (junior-public relations) said she will not attend the speech, partly because it is Penn State's Pride Week for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and partly because she said she would not enjoy it.
Coulter has been the subject of controversy in the past for making anti-gay remarks and has consistently been opposed to gay marriage.
"This is the time to have the campus embrace them. It's like she is raining on their parade," Epp said, referring to Penn State's LGBT community.
Samantha Miller, College Democrats spokeswoman, said the group will not give any type of reaction to Coulter.
"She says a lot of controversial things, but we are not going to give her a fiery reaction because that's what she feeds off of," Miller (sophomore-political science) said.
Miller also said Coulter will not bring any new ideas to the campus.
"Everyone knows ... she is going to make very hateful remarks, so I don't think that is going to open anyone's mind," Miller said.
Coulter is a New York Times best-selling author who has appeared on shows such as the Today Show and Late Night with David Leno, according to her Web site, anncoulter.com.
The fee to bring Coulter to campus was not disclosed but is being supplemented with $10,000 from the $68 per-student activity fee by the University Park Allocation Committee (UPAC), UPAC Chairman Dan Green (senior-supply chain and information systems) said.
Whether students love or hate her, Fluehr said he hopes everyone will be respectful.
"There is a history of liberal groups at Penn State not treating guest speakers with respect," Fluehr said. "But I do hope that people listen to what she has to say."
