University Forensics working
to remain one of nation’s best
By Andrew Lamar
Of th* FjuriM
Well-dressed men and
women wielding formidable at*
tache cases Invaded the EMU
last weekend to compete in this
year's first major Northwest
Forensics Conference
tournament.
The University team debated
its way to place first overall out
of the 55 schools that competed
in the tournament. Three NFC
designated competitions remain
for this year. The conference,
which is one of nine such tour
naments in the country, will
cover Alaska, Washington,
Idaho and Oregon.
The performance of this
year's team is nothing new for
the University, however, which
has a well-known reputation for
its forensics program. In fact,
the first intercollegiate debate
in the United States was bet
ween the University and
Willamette University, located
in Salem, in
David Frank
Since then forensics has
flourished . at .the. University,
which has been recognized na
. tionally for its program In 1909
the University's forensic - team
had the distinction of being the
number one overall ranked team
in the. nation.. . , .
■' In a recent*rating.of forensic
programs published last spring,
the University ranked 32nd out
of more than BOO schools.
"I think we’re better than
that,” says David Frank, direc
tor of the University forensics
program, “it's very hard to
compare peaches and oranges.”
he says.
The forensic team has more
than 40 members and is one of
the largest programs in the na
tion, One of the main reasons so
many peo» 'e are Involved in the
program is because of its reputa
tion, says David Long, a
member of the debate team who
finished fourth at the national
debate tournament held last
spring in Reno. Nov.
“I'd say first of all. its
because of the quality of the
program that it is successful
Ixmg says "Second of all, I
think it is because the program
has a reputation for what I call
openness, a sort of ‘anyone can
come and we'll all have a good
learning experience together'
attitude
long says other programs can
bo very elitist and can take an
attitude of “either win or get
out,” He says this is not the case
at the University.
°“Many directors of forensics
and others from outside the pro
gram have said that David Frank
has managed to strike the
perfect balance between the dif
ferent events and the em*
p basis," says Rick Peaeor.
Long’s debate partner. • '
Frank even encourages com-.,
plate novices of forensic com
petition to get involved aiid.be a
part of the University's team.
Peaeor says. •' •
Novices begin at the inex
perienced level and may then
move up to the intermediate, or
championship levels of <k>l
legiate competition
In forensics there are two
separate types of competition:
individual Events and Oregon
Cross-Examination debating.
The Individual Events encom
pass 10 different categories of
competition ranging from im
promptu to persuasive
speaking.
Oregon Cross-Examination
debating is a style of debate
developed at the University
more than too years ago and us
ed nationwide for debate com
petition. This type of debating
involves four people, two on
each team.
One team is assigned the affir
mative side of an issue and the
other team is assigned the
negative side of the issue. Each
speaker then delivers an eight
minute speech, which is follow
ed by an opponent’s cross
examination and a four minute
rebuttal.
The issue debated is chosen
Rick Peacor
by the Cross-Examination'
Debate Association; the govern
ing body for debate in the na
tion' The same, issue -is used-na
tionwide for all debate.' •
Thisfall the issue is whether
or not the government should
place restrictions on U;S. triedi'a
coverage of terrorist activities.
A ruiw debate topic will hr:
assigned in January, which will
lie used for w inter arid spri tig.
Any forensic competition at
the collegiate level requires
dedication, but cross
examination debating requires
almost a fanatical commitment.
After CERA announced this
fall's debate topic, members of
the debate team could be found
in the library practically any
hour of the day. researching the
topic.
Mike Sistrom. a member of
the debate team, says most
debaters spent about six hours a
day researching the topic before
their first tournament, which
was held the first weekend of
Continued on Page 16
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