The 1995-96 Distinguished Speaker Series is presented by UB and the Don Davis Auto World Lectureship Fund. Key Bank is the series sponsor, and the Amherst Chamber of Commerce is the affiliate sponsor. Contributing sponsors are the Buffalo Marriott, UB Center for the Arts, Makin' Copies, UB Alumni Association and the James Fenton Lecture Foundation.

A senior advisor to former Presidents Nixon, Ford and Reagan, Gergen served between June 1993 and December 1994 in the Clinton Administration as counselor to the president and special advisor to Clinton and Secretary of State Warren Christopher.

Gergen recently returned to two posts he held prior to joining the Clinton administration: editor-at-large for U.S. News & World Report , a post he held from 1988-1993, and a contributor to PBS' "The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour," where he is interviewing authors on public-policy issues. From 1987-93, Gergen teamed on "The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour" with columnist Mark Shields to analyze events of the week. Their coverage of the 1988 Presidential campaign won them the title of "best pundits" of the year by the "Political Almanac."

Gergen also is a visiting professor at the Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy at Duke University, and a trustee and senior fellow of the Aspen Institute.

Gergen's lecture will be sponsored by the UB Office of Conferences and Special Events.

Delivering the remaining lectures in the 1995-96 Distinguished Speakers Series will be author Gail Sheehy, on March 14, and Howard Stringer, former president of CBS/Broadcast Group and internationally recognized expert on the "information superhighway," on April 25.

Tickets for Gergen's lecture range from $19-$25. Discounts are $3 for UB faculty, staff and alumni and senior citizens; $6 for students. A 10 percent discount is available for groups of 10 or more.

Tickets may be purchased at the Center for the Arts Ticket Office and at TicketMaster locations. Tickets also may be purchased through MasterCard and VISA by calling TicketMaster at 852-5000. Subject to availability, tickets for individual lectures may be purchased at the door.

Further ticket information may be obtained from the UB Office of Conferences and Special Events at 645-6147.