By Kristina Goetz
The Cincinnati Enquirer

University of Cincinnati officials are completing a contract that will bring Spike Lee - the influential filmmaker, producer and writer - to campus in February.

According to the unsigned agreement, Mr. Lee is scheduled to speak and take questions from 7-9 p.m. Feb. 28 in Zimmer Auditorium. The lecture will be open to UC students, faculty and staff first. If there is room, the public may attend.

"This past spring, we were visiting different campuses and got great reviews about Spike Lee," said student government president Darren Tolliver, a senior political science major from Toledo.

"He draws a huge crowd. He has a great story as far as making it in such a tough industry."

The school will pay Mr. Lee an honorarium of $25,000 that will come from student government, student activities and leadership development, Friday Night Live, which does alcohol alternative events, and Main Street, a funding arm of the student affairs department.

No topic if off limits, including the 2001 race riot that brought a Justice Department investigation of the police department.

"I hope he doesn't shy away from any racial problems in the city," Mr. Tolliver said. "We really want an open and honest dialogue."

E-mail kgoetz@enquirer.com