debate report f2015

SMU debate report fall semester 2015
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SMU Debate finishes strong on 2015
December 11, 2015 report
Coming off major awards such as top speaker in the nation for novice policy debate and third in
the nation at the Madison Cup in spring of this year. SMU debate continued with a strong fall
semester performance supported by the Meadows School of the Arts, the Provost office, and
Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences. Here are the major events and accomplishments
for fall 2015:
SMU hosted the Rwandan national debate team on campus during the
centennial of SMU. SMU debated the team on this year’s policy debate
topic with regard to whether the US should reduce its military
presence in the Greater Horn of Africa.
Jaden Warren finished second place and top speaker overall
at the TCU International Parliamentary debate tournament.
Jaden won first place in IPDA competition in Washington
state. Jaden is currently the #4 speaker world-wide in this type of debate.
SMU’s novice team of Katie Snyder and Noshin Kuraishi won
first place in the novice division at the KCCC tournament—
defeating 2015 national champions University of Northern Iowa.
The team was the top seed at the University of Central Oklahoma
tournament and took second overall in that competition. Kuraishi finished as
the #40 novice speaker in the nation. Snyder is presently the #57 speaker in
the nation. Kuraishi and Ryan were the #25 team in the nation for novice
debate. They are the #1 novice team in the region.
Muteranymi Nintunze and Aabid Shivji advanced to the quarterfinals
of the KCCC varsity debate tournament. The pair also completed a
4-4 record at Wake Forest University in the varsity division. It was
the first time in more than 10 years for SMU to compete at the most
competitive fall policy debate tournament in the nation. Muteranymi
is in the top 25% speakers in the nation in
varsity policy debate among more than 600
college speakers.
SMU hosted approximately 50 students and
community members to debate possible
changes to the open carry gun policy being
reviewed by SMU. Students voted 22-21 for
debate president Halley Hovey-Murray over
SMU debate report fall semester 2015
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Noshin Kuraishi. Halley defended allowing conceal carry weapons on campus at
SMU.
In November the American Forensics Association— the governing academic body for speech
and debate activity selected director Ben Voth’s book— The Rhetoric of Genocide: Death as
a Text for the Daniel Roher Award. The competitive award notes the top piece of scholarship
in forensics for the year. The book argues that debate plays a central role in the abolition of
genocide in the 21st century.
Dr. Voth’s expertise was utilized in more than 100 major news media articles this fall
regarding the Presidential primary debates here in the United States. Outlets included
Agency France Press, the Washington Post and the Rush Limbaugh radio show. Dr. Voth
also appeared on local Dallas television news shows to help analyze the debates.
SMU debaters completed more than 50 rounds of debate. Debates are typically two hours long. This was
the best competitive results for SMU in a fall semester in more than 10 years.
SMU debater Joseph Reyes serves as a principal administrator for the Dallas Urban
Debate Alliance. That program reaches hundreds of DISD students in junior high and
high school with debate tournament activity. Dozens of students from the COMM 4323
Forensics class provide 100 hours of debate judging to those students and provide
positive educational motivation to the larger curriculum of DISD.
Debaters were coached by Ben Voth, Ross Sloan, Caress Russell, Beth Hopp, Tyler
Murray (alumni) and Brian Gonzaba.
Contact director Ben Voth for further details and information: bvoth@smu.edu
Internet links:
http://www.smudailycampus.com/news/smu-debate-faces-success-in-uco-debate-tournament
https://www.smu.edu/Meadows/NewsAndEvents/News/2015/151202-DebateOnCampusCarry
https://www.smu.edu/Meadows/NewsAndEvents/News/2015/151111-WinningestSemester
https://www.smu.edu/Meadows/NewsAndEvents/News/2015/151006-DebateTournament
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/08/06/how-in-the-world-do-you-debate-donaldtrump-heres-what-the-experts-prescribe/