Debate team excels in regional tournament

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Seventeen win awards in 3-day competition

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by Gabrielle Frandsen

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The Forensics Society, coached by Daniel West of the Department of Humanities and led by Ryan Levy, a Will Rice College junior, competes in about 25 tournaments per year. Last year the team ranked ninth in the nation. Prospects for the team are good this year with 13 new members. At the Bearcat Tournament, more than half of the Rice placings went to freshmen.

Forensics involves many different forms of competitive speaking. Teams compete in individual events, parliamentary debate and cross-examination debate.

Individual events, the most popular form of forensics, include limited preparation events, public address events and literature-interpretation events. Baker freshman Mike Simon said, "These platform events are the forensics team's meat and potatoes, and we are famous for filling up finals panels with Rice speakers."

Limited preparation events are prepared and delivered within a set amount of time -- extemporaneous speeches , addressing problems in current events, are permitted 30 minutes for preparation and impromptu speeches, interpreting the meaning of a quotation, are permitted about a minute for preparation.

Public address events include persuasive, informative, after-dinner and communication analysis speeches. Persuasive speeches are directed at convincing the audience to change beliefs, attitudes or actions. Informative speeches are factual, detailed speeches about realistic subjects. After-dinner speeches are similar to persuasive speeches but use humor to deliver a message.

Communication analysis speeches use rhetorical principles to explain and evaluate forms of communication such as a speech, speaker, movement or campaign. Literature interpretation is similar to acting in that competitors perform pieces of literature in new, creative ways. Dramatic, prose, poetry, duo and program oral interpretation events require individuals or pairs to perform pieces or combinations of literature to show in-depth understanding of the works.

Cross-examination debate requires extensive research and emphasizes the use of evidence, policy analysis and speed in successful debate.

Parliamentary debate is a more informal, extemporaneous event which uses rhetoric, acumen and analysis, instead of evidence, to debate various topics. Forensics Society secretary Laura Duke said, "It is very fast and one must rely on one's wits to survive -- unlike other forms of debate, one can't hide behind a prepared case."

The Bearcat Tournament was a good one for Rice, not only because of the many awards received, but also, according to Duke, "Rice was able to affirm its recent diversification. In the past, Rice was known for its ability in the limited [preparation] events. Now, though, Rice is becoming a powerhouse in all events." Duke, a Brown College sophomore, was the tournament champion in Dramatic Interpretation, Duo Interpretation and Poetry Interpretation. She took second in Prose Interpretation and fourth in Impromptu Speaking.

Brent Stolle, external vice president of the Forensics Society, said, "This tournament represents a tremendous accomplishment for our new team members, as well as the veterans. The fact that Rice made a great showing in all fields of competition, not just in our traditional area of strength, public speaking, proves both the dedication and talent of our expanding team." Stolle, a Lovett College junior, took second in Communication Analysis and third in Informative Speaking.

The Forensics Society is open to any Rice undergraduate, regardless of experience. Duke said, "I personally think that forensics is a wonderful extracurricular activity. I adore the chances to travel and meet people from other schools, the opportunities I have to perform literature that I love, the incredible talent I have had the pleasure of watching ... and the friends and memories I have made on the team."

Brown College freshman Kevin Graham said, "When I first joined the team, a few friends and I thought the majority of the team was psycho and we should be afraid, very afraid. When I went on my first trip ... my expectations of everyone being crazy disappeared, except for a few. ... The team is not only about competition and smashing other teams' brains in, but is centered around an openness to let anyone join who wants to."

Graham took third place in program oral interpretation and sixth in prose interpretation and informative speaking.

The Forensics Society will compete in the Texas Intercollegiate Forensics Association championships during the first weekend of November.

Rice University will be hosting the National Parliamentary Debate Association championships in March. Last year Rice placed fourth out of approximately 70 schools.

The American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament will be at the University of Florida in April. Rice took the ninth spot last year, moving up from 23rd two years ago.

The Forensics Society homepage is at "http://riceinfo.rice.edu/~indigo/grbfs/grbfs.html". Weekly meetings are held at 9 p.m. Monday nights in Room 110 of Rayzor Hall.

Debate tournament results

Results from the Sam Houston State University Bearcat Tourney (Oct. 13-15):

Tournament Results:

Individual Events Sweepstakes:

First Place

Debate Sweepstakes:

Fourth Place

Individual Events:

After Dinner Speaking:

Fourth Place -- Mike Simon

Communication Analysis:

Champion -- Scott Ruthfield

Second Place -- Brent Stolle

Dramatic Interpretation:

Champion-- Laura Duke

Fourth Place -- Ahmad Hernandez

Fifth Place -- Lauren McGarity

Duo Interpretation:

Champion -- Laura Duke

Fourth Place -- Ahmad Hernandez

Fifth Place -- Lauren McGarity

Duo Interpretation:

Fourth Place -- Lisa Chang, Sasha Vaikhman

Extemporaneous Speaking:

Champion -- Scott Ruthfield

Fourth Place -- Nick Weller

Informative Speaking:

Champion -- Lauren McGarity

Third Place -- Brent Stolle

Fourth Place -- Ravi Krishnan

Fifth Place -- Stephanie Cardenas

Sixth Place -- Kevin Graham

Impromptu Speaking:

Champion -- Scott Ruthfield

Second Place -- Nick Weller

Third Place -- Ravi Krishnan

Fourth Place -- Laura Duke

Semifinalist -- Seema Chandra, Lauren McGarity

Poetry Interpretation:

Champion -- Laura Duke

Finalist -- Amir Brown

Program Oral Interpretation:

Third Place -- Kevin Graham

Fourth Place -- Amir Brown

Prose Interpretation:

Second Place -- Laura Duke

Third Place -- Amir Brown

Fourth Place -- Lisa Chang

Fifth Place -- Rod Sanders

Sixth Place -- Kevin Graham

Individual Sweepstakes:

Champions -- Scott Ruthfield, Laura Duke

Parliamentary Debate:

Second Place -- Nick Weller, Rod Sanders

Third Place -- Seema Chandra, Mike Simon

Fourth Place -- Ben Kesner, Jay Welch

Speaker Awards:

Top Speaker -- Nick Weller

Fourth Place -- Jay Welch

Fifth Place -- Mike Simon

This item appeared in the News section of the October 27, 1995 issue.

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