Republican gubernatorial candidate Sarah Palin's campaign told UAF on Thursday she would not be attending a debate on campus set for next week.

Joe Osterman, Palin's scheduling coordinator, told officials that Palin would love to participate in the Oct. 24 debate, except she has prior commitments. But her opponents say she's trying to avoid public forums that'd reveal her lack of understanding on the issues.

"The more Sarah shows up at these debates, the more it costs her," said independent candidate Andrew Halcro.

Democratic opponent Tony Knowles' campaign said Alaskans have a right to hear what candidates have to say, including Palin.

"We feel that's cheating people," said Patty Ginsburg, Knowles' spokeswoman.

Palin spokesman Curtis Smith said Palin's sorry she can't attend.

"I'd like to state for the record that she never agreed to do so," Smith said in an e-mail. "As you can imagine, her schedule is extremely packed. I told her she'll have to get used to visiting the UAF campus to present the Governor's Cup for the next four years."

Smith noted Palin's already attending a debate that same day at the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce.

"Unfortunately, she's got a packed schedule around that Fairbanks Chamber debate," Smith said.

But Halcro said it didn't make sense to skip the UAF debate if she's in town anyways.

"All three of us should be in town," he said. "The timing couldn't be any better."

The Knowles campaign criticized Palin's decision.

"Tony is very disappointed, but not surprised," Ginsburg said. "Unfortunately Ms. Palin seems to be making a pattern of this. This is an event that has been scheduled for quite a while."

Ginsburg said Palin is skipping this debate and others "because her lack of understanding of the complex issues of the day emerge in these forums, and she doesn't do well in them."

"There's a lot that she doesn't understand," Ginsburg said.

Jerry McBeath, a UAF political science professor, said usually the campus debates have all of the gubernatorial candidates. During the 2000 gubernatorial race, both Republican candidate Frank Murkowski and Democratic contender Fran Ulmer attended.

"This year we don't [have them all], and I thought that was a little odd," he said.

Still, McBeath noted Palin's currently the campaign front-runner, which means she's able to pick and choose more freely what debates she attends. She also declined a recent invitations to attend a debate by the the Alaska Professional Design Council.

"She's the front runner, and front runner's typically show a different attitude toward showing up to debates because there's always the risk of saying something stupid, and that has to be taken into account," McBeath said.

Polls show her in the lead. A David Dittman survey commissioned by Palin and conducted Sept. 23-27 found her polling at 49 percent. The poll of 507 people, reported on the Anchorage Daily News' campaign blog, found Knowles had 37 percent and Halcro had 4 percent. It had a margin of error of 4 percent.

But Ginsburg said skipping doesn't help her in the polls either.

"Everytime she skips something, she loses support," she said.

Jeff Stepp, director of student activities and a coordinator for the debate, said regardless of Palin's participation, the debate will still go on.

It's scheduled for Oct. 24 at 3:30 p.m. in the Wood Center Multi-Level Lounge. Knowles and Halcro have confirmed they will attend, he said.

Knowles will speak first, said Sunny Cha, ASUAF government relations director, with Halcro following. State legislators have also been invited, though not to speak, she said.

University coordinators are still trying to determine the format of the debate, Stepp said. Officials are describing it as a forum, though it might also be a debate, he said.

"Halcro seems like he's ambitious enough for anything," Stepp said. "The Knowles campaign wants to know more, and that's probably just to prepare."