Based on intercollegiate debate competitions, Northwest University ranks with the best.
NU students Max Mooney and Kyle Hamar placed third at the University of British Columbia Intervarsity debate tournament on Oct. 28 and 29.
Seventy-two students form 10 colleges and universities gathered on the Vancouver campus to match wits and intellectual prowess during two days of debates over current events and political philosophy.
In addition to teams from the UBC and NU, other institutions included the University of Alberta, University of Northern BC, Simon Frazer University, University of Victoria, University of Calgary, University of Alaska, Portland State University and Seattle University.
Northwest brought five two-person teams.
In World Style debate, four two-person teams debate in each round – two in favor of the motion and two opposed. After five rounds, Mooney and Hamar earned enough points to reach the semifinal round, where they were assigned to debate First Government in favor of eco-terrorism.
The men failed to advance to the final round on a two to three vote of the judges. (A vote is reserved in cases only when a panel is unable to reach a decision by consensus.)
Topics were announced 15 minutes before each round. Students must be prepared to argue both sides of any controversy in the news. Topics included public service, union strikes, salary caps for professional athletes, right of indigenous minorities groups to succeed, gay rights and public funding of political campaigns.
Mooney (20) is a Biblical Literature major from Ellensburg, Wash. and Hamar (30) is a Communication major from Astoria, Ore. It was the second debate tournament for Hamar.
In addition to rankings in each round, debaters are evaluated for speaking ability and the students with the best scores honored. Hamar ranked as the seventh Best Novice Speaker at the tournament.
Portland State, University of Alaska, University of Calgary and the University of British Columbia debated in the final round. Portland State won first place.
Next up
Northwest students will match wits with the best and brightest in the United Kingdom when they debate at tournaments at Oxford University and Cambridge University on Nov. 11 and 18.
