Herb Asher to be Commencement Speaker

HERB ASHER TO ADDRESS WINTER QUARTER COMMENCEMENT

COLUMBUS -- Commencement exercises for winter quarter 
graduates of The Ohio State University will be held March 15 in 
St. John Arena.  Some 1,400 degrees will be awarded in the 
ceremonies, which begin at 9:30 a.m.

The commencement speaker will be Herb Asher, professor 
emeritus of political science and former special assistant to the 
university president for state relations.

After 25 years of service to the university, including 
serving as an essential part of the administration of two 
presidents, Asher retired from Ohio State in July 1995. Asher 
served as the chief liaison between the university and state 
government.  He now works in a volunteer capacity on special 
projects for President E. Gordon Gee.  Among these projects is 
the coordination of the university's interactions with the Ohio 
Board of Regents on a variety of issues.  Asher will teach a 
course on Ohio politics spring quarter and will continue to work 
with students on independent studies, internships and 
dissertations.

Asher earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics from 
Bucknell University in 1966.  He received his master's and 
doctoral degrees in 1968 and 1970 from the University of 
Michigan, where he was a Woodrow Wilson Fellow in 1966-67.

Asher is the author, co-author or co-editor of six books.  
His most recent books are the fifth edition of Presidential 
Elections and American Politics: Voters, Candidates, and 
Campaigns since 1952, and the third edition of Polling and the 
Public: What Every Citizen Should Know.

Along with the two books he is currently working on, Ohio 
Politics and Government and Campaign Politics,  Asher has begun 
compiling anecdotes for a humorous book validating individuals' 
fear of flying.

Nationally known for his political expertise, Asher has 
given numerous talks before civic, professional and political 
groups, and has appeared on Columbus and national television as a 
political analyst, most often during elections.

He has been on a number of radio talk shows as a polling 
expert and said he enjoys doing this.

"There are more and more polls out there. Candidates and 
businesses use them not always neutrally.  They are sometimes 
used to influence the consumer to buy certain products or to 
believe a certain thing," he said.  "The public needs to 
understand what goes into a poll and what might affect the 
results."

Asher is committed to public service and serves as a member 
of the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees of Hillel, the 
United Way Public Policy Committee and the Columbus Area Chamber 
of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee.

                             #

Contact:  Tracy Turner, University Communications, (614)688-3682.


[Submitted by: Von Reid-Vargas (ereid@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
               
Fri, 9 Feb 1996 11:34:52 -0500]
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