Wash U. students seek to ramp up civic involvement

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Washington University students who were disappointed that the administration rebuffed attempts to bring Sen. Barack Obama to campus for a presidential campaign appearance are among those seeking to encourage more civic involvement at the school.

Ten students have written to the university's chancellor with a plan called the Student Civic Initiative. They want a new policy allowing candidates for federal, state or local office to be allowed to speak on campus. The policy would not allow fundraising, but would require informing other candidates about their opponent's appearance.

The university had no immediate response to the plan.