Allegheny College, the respected liberal arts school in Meadville, is striking a blow for what might be called democratic authenticity. It is rebelling against the notion that politicians should be able to stage a town hall meeting at a college that is all show and no campus-community participation.

In an age when spin doctors take pains to mold and protect candidates' images, public forums too often have become invitation-only theatrical productions for the political faithful. The organizers want the respectable platform provided by their host but without the troublesome questions that might come if democracy was really at work.

Allegheny College experienced firsthand the trouble with politically staged events. In 2004, the Bush-Cheney campaign rented the gymnasium for an event with the campaign controlling the tickets. Not surprisingly, the campaign's politically committed, not the curious or contrarian, got the tickets to see the vice president.

Although a free exchange of views is a core value of any college, the school found that it had lent its name to an event contrary to that ideal. Moreover, it had no real way of saying no, because its policy of accepting events had no provision about how tickets should be distributed.

No more. From now on, private groups wishing to appear on campus can reserve half their tickets but the other half must be made available to the general college community through a nonbiased distribution.

Every college and university in America would do well to follow this policy. As it happens, to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of pioneer investigative reporter Ida Tarbell, a graduate of the college's class of 1880 (she was the only woman), President Richard J. Cook this week launched a national campaign to enlist other institutions into the effort. The idea of the so-called Soapbox Alliance started with Professor Daniel Shea, the founder of Allegheny College's Center for Political Participation.

Phony politicking is an equal opportunity employer, and Democrats as well Republicans need to be kept honest. As students might say to politicians posing as friends of the public while practicing counterfeit democracy, you have to keep it real.