Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates ''More Clicks, Fewer Bricks: The Lecture Hall Is Obsolete'' In Partnership With Columbia University's Richman Center, April 2nd

Intelligence Squared U.S., the provocative debate series that has branched out to events in Philadelphia, Boston, DC, Chicago, Aspen, and Southern California in the recent past, will host their first debate at Columbia University's Miller Theatre on April 2 - their fourth partnership with the Richard Paul Richman Center for Business, Law, and Public Policy, a joint venture of Columbia Business School and Columbia Law School. The motion to be debated is "More Clicks, Fewer Bricks: The Lecture Hall Is Obsolete" in front of a live audience. Four education authorities with a broad range of backgrounds will explore questions like: Is the college of the future online or is a campus-based college experience still necessary?

Arguing for the motion:
· Anant Agarwal, MIT professor and President of Harvard and MIT's online learning destination edX
· Ben Nelson, Founder and CEO of Minerva Project, a reinvented university experience backed by Larry Summers among others

Arguing against the motion:
· Jonathan Cole, Provost and Dean Emeritus at Columbia University whose most recent book defended 'The Great American University'
· Rebecca Schuman, a columnist at the Chronicle of Higher Education and Slate.

With the popularity of MOOCs (massive open online courses) and the availability of online degree programs at a fraction of their on-campus price, are we experiencing an exciting experiment in higher education? Does the traditional classroom stand a chance? Will online education be the great equalizer?

Before the debate, audience members will vote on the motion; afterward, the audience votes again. The team that moves the most voters to its side will be the winning team in the debate. People can also weigh in online here.

WHAT: Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates "More Clicks, Fewer Bricks: The Lecture Hall Is Obsolete"
WHEN: Wednesday, April 2, 2014 / Debate 6:45-8:15 PM
WHERE: Miller Theatre at Columbia University / Broadway at 116th Street
TICKETS: $25 for public, $15 for Columbia alumni, $5 for students w/ ID, $5 for faculty/staff. To purchase, visit http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/

ABOUT INTELLIGENCE SQUARED U.S. DEBATES (IQ2US)
Winner of the 2013 Silver Radio Award for Best Public Affairs Program and named one of the "Five Podcasts that Will Change the Way You Think" by Forbes, Intelligence Squared U.S. was founded in New York City in 2006 by Robert Rosenkranz, and has grown into an internationally syndicated series heard and watched by millions. The debates have attracted some of the world's top thinkers, including Steven Forbes, Dr. Neal Barnard, Paul Krugman, Karl Rove, Malcolm Gladwell, and Arianna Huffington. With over 80 debates, Intelligence Squared U.S. has encouraged the public to "think twice" on a wide range of provocative topics. Author and ABC News correspondent John Donvan has moderated IQ2US since 2008. The executive producer is Dana Wolfe.