After nearly a week of speculation, a White House official confirmed Thursday that President Bill Clinton will visit the SIUC campus Sept. 11.

White House Spokeswoman Laura Schwartz said Clinton will visit the campus to discuss cuts in federal financial aid programs such as the Democrat-sponsored Direct Student Loan program.

The announcement has caused a flurry of enthusiasm from SIUC officials and local politicians.

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In a statement released to the press, Congressman Jerry Costello, D-Belleville, said This is obviously a great boost for SIU and a very appropriate location for a speech on student aid and higher education.

Jack Dyer, executive director of University Relations, said he is thrilled about the visit and feels this will be an opportunity for SIUC to gain national attention.

I’m delighted, he said. The President travels with a press core, and because of this, people who have never heard of SIUC will find out about us.

SIUC President John Guyon was out of town and unavailable for comment, as was SIU Chancellor Ted Sanders. But Sanders released a statement through Dyer, saying Obviously this is a great opportunity that will put SIU in the national and international spotlight, Sanders said.

It will show what a great university SIUC is as well as what it does for Southern Illinois, he said.

David Carle, a spokesman for Sen. Paul Simon, D-Ill, said the timing of Clinton’s visit is important because Congress is debating the student aid issue now and will come to a decision soon.

The Direct Student Loan Program is the big reason Clinton is coming to SIUC, Carle said. General cuts in student aid will be decided by Congress in December.

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Carle said Simon, who wrote the legislation creating the Direct Student Loan Program, will accompany Clinton during his visit.

SIUC Financial Aid Director Pam Britton said there is a great deal of concern right now about the cuts to the Direct Student Loan Program.

Britton said Clinton believes federal student aid is an investment in America’s future. The SIUC student population is a good example for the president to observe, she said, because we are financially needy and extremely dependent on federal financial aid.

Clinton’s visit comes 47 years to the month after the last presidential visit, when President Harry S. Truman visited the campus in September 1948 during a cross-country campaign trip.