National Debate Tournament
Encyclopedia
The National Debate Tournament is one of the national championships for collegiate policy debate
in the United States
. The tournament is sponsored by the American Forensic Association
with the Ford Motor Company Fund
.
at West Point
. Twenty-nine schools competed at the first NDT debating: "Resolved: That labor should be given a direct share in the management of industry". It remained at West Point until 1967 when it was assumed by the American Forensic Association
in part because of the Vietnam War
.http://www.wfu.edu/organizations/NDT/Articles/ziegelmueller.html Since then the tournament has moved to different member schools each year and only three schools have hosted it twice. http://www.wfu.edu/organizations/NDT/Articles/ndtintro.html
In the first NDT, teams were nominated by committees from their district. This was soon replaced with district qualifying tournaments. At-large bids were offered beginning in 1968 and in 1971 the rules were amended to assign at large bids prior to district qualifying tournaments (to prevent at-large teams from knocking out teams in qualifiers) Until 1970, a school could only send one team to the NDT. When the rule was changed the tournament quickly grew to 74 teams. Since 1992, a limited number of schools, currently six, have been allowed to send a third team. Today, 78 two-person teams attend the NDT; 16 are selected in the first-round at-large process, 46 through the district selections, and 16 in the second-round at-large process.
Mutual preference judging
(MPJ) is a relatively recent addition to the NDT. Under MPJ, each debate team ranks the judging pool according to their preferences and judges are selected such that both teams prefer the chosen judge equally (if possible). Attempts are made to place as many mutual "1"s (the highest rating) in rounds, with preference given to the teams with the best record.
The 2011 National Debate Tournament were held at the University of Texas, Dallas.
, was murdered by his debate coach, William Slagle, in 1989.
6- Northwestern
5- Dartmouth, Georgetown
3- Cal-Berkeley, Harvard, Emory
2- Baylor
1- Augustana, Claremont McKenna, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, UMass, Redlands, Samford, Wake Forest
Policy debate
Policy debate is a form of speech competition in which teams of two advocate for and against a resolution that typically calls for policy change by the United States federal government or security discourse...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The tournament is sponsored by the American Forensic Association
American Forensic Association
The American Forensic Association was founded in 1949 in Chicago. It took over the National Debate Tournament from the United States Military Academy in 1966...
with the Ford Motor Company Fund
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
.
History of the NDT
The National Debate Tournament (NDT) began in 1947 at the United States Military AcademyUnited States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
. Twenty-nine schools competed at the first NDT debating: "Resolved: That labor should be given a direct share in the management of industry". It remained at West Point until 1967 when it was assumed by the American Forensic Association
American Forensic Association
The American Forensic Association was founded in 1949 in Chicago. It took over the National Debate Tournament from the United States Military Academy in 1966...
in part because of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.http://www.wfu.edu/organizations/NDT/Articles/ziegelmueller.html Since then the tournament has moved to different member schools each year and only three schools have hosted it twice. http://www.wfu.edu/organizations/NDT/Articles/ndtintro.html
In the first NDT, teams were nominated by committees from their district. This was soon replaced with district qualifying tournaments. At-large bids were offered beginning in 1968 and in 1971 the rules were amended to assign at large bids prior to district qualifying tournaments (to prevent at-large teams from knocking out teams in qualifiers) Until 1970, a school could only send one team to the NDT. When the rule was changed the tournament quickly grew to 74 teams. Since 1992, a limited number of schools, currently six, have been allowed to send a third team. Today, 78 two-person teams attend the NDT; 16 are selected in the first-round at-large process, 46 through the district selections, and 16 in the second-round at-large process.
Mutual preference judging
Judge (policy debate)
A judge refers to the individual responsible for determining the winner and loser of a policy debate as well as assessing the relative merit of the participant speakers...
(MPJ) is a relatively recent addition to the NDT. Under MPJ, each debate team ranks the judging pool according to their preferences and judges are selected such that both teams prefer the chosen judge equally (if possible). Attempts are made to place as many mutual "1"s (the highest rating) in rounds, with preference given to the teams with the best record.
The 2011 National Debate Tournament were held at the University of Texas, Dallas.
Selection of Teams
Currently, selection of the 78 teams participating at the NDT involves a three stage process. First, the national committee selects 16 teams and awards them a First Round At-Large Bid. These 16 teams are generally considered to be the 16 best debate teams in the nation. The national committee then disperses 46 bids porportionally to each of the nine NDT Districts. Each district is free to decide how these bids will be awarded to teams within each district. Most, although not all, districts decide to hold a district tournament, where the top teams will receive a bid. The final and third step for qualification is the Second Round At-Large Bid. Similar to a First Round Bid, the national committee selects the top 16 teams not already qualified to fill out the field for the NDT. Although in some cases, these final 16 teams may not be the true best 16 teams not already qualified to the tournament. The NDT has a standing rule stating a school cannot qualify more than two teams to the tournament, with the exception of at most six schools per year, who are allowed to qualify a third team, if the third team in question has shown merit for selection.National Debate Tournament champions
| Year | National Champions | School |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | W. Scott Nobles & Gerald Sanders | Southeastern State College |
| 1948 | Keith Parks & David Cotton | North Texas State College |
| 1949 | Oscar Newton & Mitchell Latoff | University of Alabama |
| 1950 | Richard O'Connell & Thomas Hayes | University of Vermont |
| 1951 | James Q. Wilson James Q. Wilson James Q. Wilson is an American academic political scientist and an authority on public administration. He is a professor and senior fellow at the Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy at Boston College.... & Holt Spicer |
University of Redlands |
| 1952 | James Q. Wilson & Holt Spicer | University of Redlands |
| 1953 | Gerald Kogan & Lawrence Perlmutter | University of Miami |
| 1954 | William Amold & Hubert Bell | University of Kansas |
| 1955 | Dennis Holt & Elis Storey | University of Alabama |
| 1956 | George Walker & James Murphy | United States Military Academy |
| 1957 | Norman Lefstein & Phillip Hubbart | Augustana College |
| 1958 | William Welsh & Richard Kirshberg | Northwestern University |
| 1959 | William Welsh & Richard Kirshberg | Northwestern University |
| 1960 | Anthony Roisman & Saul Baernstein | Dartmouth College |
| 1961 | Laurence Tribe Laurence Tribe Laurence Henry Tribe is a professor of constitutional law at Harvard Law School and the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard University. He also works with the firm Massey & Gail LLP on a variety of matters.... & Gene Clements |
Harvard University |
| 1962 | Dale Williams & Sarah Benson | Ohio State University |
| 1963 | Fank Wohl & Stephen Kessler | Dartmouth College |
| 1964 | Raoul Kennedy & Douglas Pipes | University of the Pacific |
| 1965 | John Wittig & Barnett Pearce | Carson-Newman College |
| 1966 | Bill Snyder & Mike Denger | Northwestern University |
| 1967 | Tom Brewer & John Isaacson | Dartmouth College |
| 1968 | Robert Shields & Lee Thompson | Wichita State University |
| 1969 | Richard Lewis & Joel Perwin | Harvard University |
| 1970 | Robert McCulloh & David Jeans | University of Kansas |
| 1971 | Don Hornstein & Barrett McInerney | University of California, Los Angeles |
| 1972 | Mike Clough & Mike Fernandez | University of California, Santa Barbera |
| 1973 | Elliot Mincberg Elliot Mincberg Elliot Mincberg is Chief Counsel for Oversight and Investigations, House Judiciary Committee.Mincberg grew up on the south side of Chicago, Illinois and received his BA degree from Northwestern University in 1974, where he was active on the debate team, and his JD from Harvard Law School in... & Ron Marmer |
Northwestern University |
| 1974 | Charles Garvin & Greg Rosenbaum Greg Rosenbaum Greg Rosenbaum is an American merchant banker based in Bethesda, Maryland. He is currently the CEO of Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc., the largest producer of kosher poultry in the United States.-Education:... |
Harvard University |
| 1975 | Jay Hurst & David Kent | Baylor University |
| 1976 | Robin Rowland Robin Rowland Robin Rowland is an American argumentation and rhetorical scholar. He is a professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Kansas. He has published in Communication Monographs, Journal of the American Forensic Association, Quarterly Journal of Speech, and... & Frank Cross |
University of Kansas |
| 1977 | John Walker & David Ottoson | Georgetown University |
| 1978 | Mark Cotham & Stuart H. Singer Stuart H. Singer Stuart H. Singer is an American attorney, the managing partner of the Boies Schiller & Flexner law firm's Fort Lauderdale, Florida office. He specializes in complex business litigation and represents clients such as NASCAR, Carnival Cruise Lines, Florida Power & Light, and Tyco International... |
Northwestern University |
| 1979 | Michael King & John Bredehoft | Harvard University |
| 1980 | Don Dripps and Tom Fulkerson | Northwestern University |
| 1981 | Michael Alberty & Stephen Marzen | University of Pittsburgh |
| 1982 | Dave Sutherland & Dan Sutherland | University of Louisville |
| 1983 | Mark Gidley & Rodger Payne | University of Kansas |
| 1984 | Leonard Gail & Mark Koulogeorge | Dartmouth College |
| 1985 | Jonathan Massey & Ed Swaine | Harvard University |
| 1986 | David Brownell & Ouita Papka | University of Kentucky |
| 1987 | Griffin Vincent & Lyn Robbins | Baylor University |
| 1988 | Shaun Martin & Rob Wick | Dartmouth College |
| 1989 | Martin Loeber & Daniel Plants | Baylor University |
| 1990 | David Coale & Alex Lennon | Harvard University |
| 1991 | Roger Cole and Marc Rubinstein | University of Redlands |
| 1992 | Ahilan Arulanantham & Kevin Kuswa | Georgetown University |
| 1993 | Ara Lovitt & Steven Sklaver | Dartmouth College |
| 1994 | Sean McCaffity & Jody Terry | Northwestern University |
| 1995 | Sean McCaffity & Jody Terry | Northwestern University |
| 1996 | Kate Shuster & David Heidt | Emory University |
| 1997 | Daveed Gartenstein-Ross & Brian Prestes | Wake Forest University |
| 1998 | Michael Gottlieb & Ryan Sparacino | Northwestern University |
| 1999 | Michael Gottlieb & Ryan Sparacino | Northwestern University |
| 2000 | Michael Horowitz & Jon Paul Lupo | Emory University |
| 2001 | Andy Peterson & Andy Ryan | University of Iowa |
| 2002 | Jake Foster & Jonathan Paul | Northwestern University |
| 2003 | Geoff Garen & Tristan Morales | Northwestern University |
| 2004 | Greta Stahl & Dave Strauss | Michigan State University |
| 2005 | Tristan Morales & Josh Branson | Northwestern University |
| 2006 | Ryan Burke & Casey Harrigan | Michigan State University |
| 2007 | Aimi Hamraie & Julie Hoehn | Emory University |
| 2008 | Seth Gannon & Alex Lamballe | Wake Forest University |
| 2009 | Brett Bricker & Nate Johnson | University of Kansas |
| 2010 | Carly Wunderlich & Eric Lanning | Michigan State University |
| 2011 | Matt Fisher & Stephanie Spies | Northwestern University |
Tournament victories by school
| School | Tourn. Won | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees.... |
14 | 1958, 1959, 1966, 1973, 1978, 1980, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2011 |
| Dartmouth College Dartmouth College Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences... |
6 | 1960, 1963, 1967, 1984, 1988, 1993 |
| Harvard University Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country... |
6 | 1961, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1985, 1990 |
| University of Kansas University of Kansas The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The... |
5 | 1954, 1970, 1976, 1983, 2009 |
| Baylor University Baylor University Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:... |
3 | 1975, 1987, 1989 |
| Emory University Emory University Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of... |
3 | 1996, 2000, 2007 |
| Michigan State University Michigan State University Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,... |
3 | 2004, 2006, 2010 |
| University of Redlands University of Redlands The University of Redlands is a private liberal arts and sciences university located in Redlands, California. The university's campus sits on near downtown Redlands. The university was founded in 1907 and was associated with the American Baptist Church. The land for the university was donated by... |
3 | 1951, 1952, 1991 |
| University of Alabama University of Alabama The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States.... |
2 | 1949, 1955 |
| University of California University of California The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University... |
2 | 1971, 1972 |
| Georgetown University Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States... |
2 | 1977, 1992 |
| Wake Forest University Wake Forest University Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is... |
2 | 1997, 2008 |
| Augustana College Augustana College Augustana College may refer to:*Augustana College *Augustana College *Augustana University College, Alberta... |
1 | 1957 |
| Carson-Newman College Carson-Newman College Carson–Newman College is a historically Baptist liberal arts college located in Jefferson City, Tennessee, United States. Enrollment as of 2006-2007 was about 2,050. The college's students come from 44 U.S. states and 30 other countries. Studies are offered in approximately 90 different academic... |
1 | 1965 |
| University of Iowa University of Iowa The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees... |
1 | 2001 |
| University of Kentucky University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky... |
1 | 1986 |
| University of Louisville University of Louisville The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General... |
1 | 1982 |
| University of Miami University of Miami The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12... |
1 | 1953 |
| North Texas State College | 1 | 1948 |
| Ohio State University Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States... |
1 | 1962 |
| University of the Pacific | 1 | 1964 |
| University of Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of... |
1 | 1981 |
| Southeastern State College Southeastern Oklahoma State University Southeastern Oklahoma State University, often referred to as Southeastern and abbreviated as SE, or SOSU, is a public university located in Durant, Oklahoma, with an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 4,229 as of 2009.-History:... |
1 | 1947 |
| United States Military Academy United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City... |
1 | 1956 |
| University of Vermont University of Vermont The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or... |
1 | 1950 |
| Wichita State University Wichita State University Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs.... |
1 | 1968 |
Rex Copeland Award
The Rex Copeland award, presented on the eve of the NDT, goes to the team with the best season-long performance, ranked #1 among the 16 teams with automatic bids to the tournament. Rex Copeland, a debater at Samford UniversitySamford University
Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V....
, was murdered by his debate coach, William Slagle, in 1989.
| Academic Year | Copeland Award Winner | School |
|---|---|---|
| TOP FIRST ROUND TEAMS - (Prior to establishing the Copeland Award) | ||
| 1972-1973 | Stewart Jay & Bradley Ziff | Georgetown University Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States... |
| 1973-1974 | Charles Garvin & Greg Rosenbaum | Harvard University Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country... |
| 1974-1975 | Thomas Rollins & Bradley Ziff | Georgetown University Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States... |
| 1975-1976 | Robert Feldhake & Richard Godfrey | Augustana College Augustana College Augustana College may refer to:*Augustana College *Augustana College *Augustana University College, Alberta... |
| 1976-1977 | David Ottoson & John Walker | Georgetown University |
| 1977-1978 | David Ottoson & Tom Rollins | Georgetown University |
| 1978-1979 | Chris Wonnell & Susan Winkler | Northwestern University Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees.... |
| 1979-1980 | James Kirkland & John Thompson | Georgetown University |
| 1980-1981 | Cy Smith & Mark Weinhardt | Dartmouth College Dartmouth College Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences... |
| 1981-1982 | Mark Gidley & Zac Grant | University of Kansas University of Kansas The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The... |
| 1982-1983 | Melanie Gardner & Erik Walker | Samford University Samford University Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V.... |
| 1983-1984 | Leonard Gail & Mark Koulogeorge | Dartmouth College |
| 1984-1985 | David Bloom & Greg Mastel | Claremont McKenna College Claremont McKenna College Claremont McKenna College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college and a member of the Claremont Colleges located in Claremont, California. The campus is located east of Downtown Los Angeles... |
| 1985-1986 | Dan Povinelli & Mark Friedman | University of Massachusetts University of Massachusetts This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst... |
| 1986-1987 | Griffin Vincent & Lyn Robbins | Baylor University Baylor University Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:... |
| 1987-1988 | Ben Attias & Gordon Mitchell | Northwestern University |
| 1988-1989 | Martin Loeber & Daniel Plants | Baylor University |
| Copeland Award Winner | ||
| 1989-1990 | David Coale & Alex Lennon | Harvard University |
| 1990-1991 | Roger Cole and Marc Rubinstein | University of Redlands University of Redlands The University of Redlands is a private liberal arts and sciences university located in Redlands, California. The university's campus sits on near downtown Redlands. The university was founded in 1907 and was associated with the American Baptist Church. The land for the university was donated by... |
| 1991-1992 | Kenny Agran & Ara Lovette | Dartmouth College |
| 1992-1993 | Ara Lovitt & Steven Sklaver | Dartmouth College |
| 1993-1994 | Paul Skiermont & Jason Patil | University of Kentucky University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky... |
| 1994-1995 | John Hughes & Adrienne Brovero | Wake Forest University Wake Forest University Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is... |
| 1995-1996 | Sean McCaffity and Mason Miller | Northwestern University |
| 1996-1997 | Scott Hessell and Corey Stoughton | University of Michigan University of Michigan The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan... |
| 1997-1998 | George Kouros and Anjan Sahni | Emory University Emory University Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of... |
| 1998-1999 | Michael Gottlieb & Ryan Sparacino | Northwestern University |
| 1999-2000 | Kristen Langwell & Andy Ryan | University of Iowa University of Iowa The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees... |
| 2000-2001 | Randy Luskey & Dan Shalmon | University of California, Berkeley University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA... |
| 2001-2002 | Alex Berger & Ben Thorpe | Dartmouth College |
| 2002-2003 | Geoff Garen & Tristan Morales | Northwestern University |
| 2003-2004 | Dan Shalmon & Tejinder Singh | University of California, Berkeley |
| 2004-2005 | Tristan Morales & Josh Branson | Northwestern University |
| 2005-2006 | Michael Klinger & Nikhil Mirchandani | Harvard University |
| 2006-2007 | Brent Culpepper & Kevin Rabinowitz | University of Georgia University of Georgia The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States... |
| 2007-2008 | Jacob Polin & Michael Burshteyn | University of California, Berkeley |
| 2008-2009 | Matt Fisher & John Warden | Northwestern University |
| 2009-2010 | Stephen Weil & Ovais Inamullah | Emory University |
| 2010-2011 | Stephen Weil & Ovais Inamullah | Emory University |
- "Copeland Award Winners By School"
6- Northwestern
5- Dartmouth, Georgetown
3- Cal-Berkeley, Harvard, Emory
2- Baylor
1- Augustana, Claremont McKenna, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, UMass, Redlands, Samford, Wake Forest
Traditions
- "The Big Board": Started at the first NDT, complete results for each team are listed on the "Big Board" in the central area, horse-race style.
- Orally announcing pairings: Started at the first NDT, the pairings for each round are read out loud to the contestants. The announcements are known for the unusual manner in which they are conveyed. For instance, the announcer might say, "The 51st National Debate Tournament, round the first." This is then followed by the "pairings" of opposing teams, judges, room numbers, and the expected start time. A poll conducted at the 2005 NDT showed strong support for continuing this tradition.
- Cadet escorts: Cadets at the USMA escort debaters to their rounds and carry their tubs. Although this tradition was discontinued when the NDT moved from the USMAUnited States Military AcademyThe United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
, it has reemerged at the regular season tournament hosted by the USMA.
Debate Topics
| Academic Year | Topic |
|---|---|
| 1940s | |
| 1946-1947 | RESOLVED: That labor should be given a direct share in the management of industry. |
| 1947-1948 | RESOLVED: That a federal world government should be established. |
| 1948-1949 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should adopt a policy of equalizing educational opportunity in tax-supported schools by means of annual grants. |
| 1949-1950 | RESOLVED: That the United States should nationalize the basic nonagricultural industries. |
| 1950s | |
| 1950-1951 | RESOLVED: That the non-communist nations should form a new international organization. |
| 1951-1952 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should adopt a permanent program of wage and price control. |
| 1952-1953 | RESOLVED: That the Congress of the United States should enact a compulsory fair employment practices law. |
| 1953-1954 | RESOLVED: That the United States should adopt a policy of free trade. |
| 1954-1955 | RESOLVED: That the United States should extend diplomatic recognition to the communist government of China. |
| 1955-1956 | RESOLVED: That the nonagricultural industries should guarantee their employees an annual wage. |
| 1956-1957 | RESOLVED: That the United States should discontinue direct economic aid to foreign countries. |
| 1957-1958 | RESOLVED: That the requirement of membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment should be illegal. |
| 1958-1959 | RESOLVED: That the further development of nuclear weapons should be prohibited by international agreement. |
| 1959-1960 | RESOLVED: That Congress should be given the power to reverse decisions of the Supreme Court. |
| 1960s | |
| 1960-1961 | RESOLVED: That the United States should adopt a program of compulsory health insurance for all citizens. |
| 1961-1962 | RESOLVED: That labor organizations should be under the jurisdiction of anti-trust legislation. |
| 1962-1963 | RESOLVED: That the non-communist nations of the world should establish an economic community. |
| 1963-1964 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should guarantee an opportunity for higher education to all qualified high school graduates. |
| 1964-1965 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should establish a national program of public work for the unemployed. |
| 1965-1966 | RESOLVED: That law enforcement agencies in the United States should be given greater freedom in the investigation and prosecution of crime. |
| 1966-1967 | RESOLVED: That the United States should substantially reduce its foreign policy commitments. |
| 1967-1968 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should guarantee a minimum annual cash income to all citizens. |
| 1968-1969 | RESOLVED: That executive control of United States foreign policy should be significantly curtailed. |
| 1969-1970 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should grant annually a specific percentage of its income tax revenue to the state governments. |
| 1970s | |
| 1970-1971 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should adopt a program of compulsory wage and price controls. |
| 1971-1972 | RESOLVED: That greater controls should be imposed on the gathering and utilization of information about United States citizens by government agencies. |
| 1972-1973 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should provide a program of comprehensive medical care for all its citizens. |
| 1973-1974 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should control the supply and utilization of energy in the United States. |
| 1974-1975 | RESOLVED: That the power of the Presidency should be significantly curtailed. |
| 1975-1976 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should adopt a comprehensive program to control land use in the United States. |
| 1976-1977 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should significantly strengthen the guarantee of consumer product safety required of manufacturers. |
| 1977-1978 | RESOLVED: That the United States law enforcement agencies should be given significantly greater freedom in the investigation and/or prosecution of felony crime. |
| 1978-1979 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should implement a program which guarantees employment opportunities for all United States citizens in the labor force. |
| 1979-1980 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should significantly strengthen the regulation of mass media communication in the United States. |
| 1980s | |
| 1980-1981 | RESOLVED: That the United States should significantly increase its foreign military commitments. |
| 1981-1982 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should significantly curtail the powers of the labor unions in the United States. |
| 1982-1983 | RESOLVED: That all United States military intervention into the internal affairs of any foreign nation or nations in the Western Hemisphere should be prohibited. |
| 1983-1984 | RESOLVED: That any and all injury resulting from the disposal of hazardous waste in the United States should be the legal responsibility of the producer of that waste. |
| 1984-1985 | RESOLVED: That the United States federal government should significantly increase exploration and/or development of space beyond the Earth's mesosphere. |
| 1985-1986 | RESOLVED: That more rigorous academic standards should be established for all public elementary and/or secondary schools in the United States in one or more of the following areas: language arts, mathematics, natural sciences. |
| 1986-1987 | RESOLVED: That one or more presently existing restrictions on First Amendment freedoms of press and/or speech established in one or more federal court decisions should be curtailed or prohibited. |
| 1987-1988 | RESOLVED: That the United States should reduce substantially its military commitments to NATO member states. |
| 1988-1989 | RESOLVED: That United States foreign policy toward one or more African nations should be substantially changed. |
| 1989-1990 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should adopt an energy policy that substantially reduces nonmilitary consumption of fossil fuels in the United States. |
| 1990s | |
| 1990-1991 | RESOLVED: That the United States should substantially change its trade policy toward one or more of the following: China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan. |
| 1991-1992 | RESOLVED: That one or more United States Supreme Court decisions recognizing a federal Constitutional right to privacy should be overruled. |
| 1992-1993 | RESOLVED: That the United States should substantially change its development and assistance policies toward one or more of the following nations: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. |
| 1993-1994 | RESOLVED: That the Commander-in-Chief power of the President of the United States should be substantially curtailed. |
| 1994-1995 | RESOLVED: That the federal government should substantially change rules and/or statutes governing criminal procedure in federal courts in one or more of the following areas: pretrial detention, sentencing. |
| 1995-1996 | RESOLVED: That the United States government should substantially increase its security assistance to one or more of the following: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Palestinian National Authority, Syria. |
| 1996-1997 | RESOLVED: That the United States Federal Government should increase regulations requiring industries to substantially decrease the domestic emission and/or production of environmental pollutants. |
| 1997-1998 | RESOLVED: The United States Federal Government should substantially increase its security assistance to one or more of the following Southeast Asian nations: Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. |
| 1998-1999 | RESOLVED: That the United States Federal Government should amend Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, through legislation, to create additional protections against racial and/or gender discrimination. |
| 1999-2000 | RESOLVED: That the United States Federal Government should adopt a policy of constructive engagement, including the immediate removal of all or nearly all economic sanctions, with the government(s) of one or more of the following nation-states: Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Syria, North Korea |
| 2000s | |
| 2000-2001 | RESOLVED: That the United States Federal Government should substantially increase its development assistance, including increasing government to government assistance, within the Greater Horn of Africa. |
| 2001-2002 | RESOLVED: That the United States Federal Government should substantially increase federal control throughout Indian Country in one or more of the following areas: child welfare, criminal justice, employment, environmental protection, gaming, resource management, taxation. |
| 2002-2003 | RESOLVED: That the United States Federal Government should ratify or accede to, and implement, one or more of the following:
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| 2003-2004 | RESOLVED: That the United States Federal Government should enact one or more of the following:
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| 2004-2005 | RESOLVED: That the United States Federal Government should establish an energy policy requiring a substantial reduction in the consumption in the total non-governmental consumption of fossil fuels in the United States. |
| 2005-2006 | RESOLVED: The United States Federal government should substantially increase diplomatic and economic pressure on the People's Republic of China in one or more of the following areas: trade, human rights, weapons nonproliferation, Taiwan. |
| 2006-2007 | RESOLVED: The United States Supreme Court should overrule one or more of the following decisions: Planned Parenthood v. Casey Planned Parenthood v. Casey Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 was a case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in which the constitutionality of several Pennsylvania state regulations regarding abortion were challenged... , 505 U.S. 833 1992); Ex parte Quirin Ex parte Quirin Ex parte Quirin, , is a Supreme Court of the United States case that upheld the jurisdiction of a United States military tribunal over the trial of several Operation Pastorius German saboteurs in the United States... , 317 U.S. 1 (1942); U.S. v. Morrison, 529 U.S.598 (2000); Milliken v. Bradley Milliken v. Bradley Milliken v. Bradley, 418 U.S. 717 , was a significant United States Supreme Court case dealing with the planned desegregation busing of public school students across district lines among 53 school districts in metropolitan Detroit. It concerned the plans to integrate public schools in the United... , 418 U.S. 717 (1974). |
| 2007-2008 | RESOLVED: The United States Federal Government should increase its constructive engagement with the government of one or more of: Afghanistan, Iran, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, and Syria, and it should include offering them a security guarantee(s) and/or a substantial increase in foreign assistance. |
| 2008-2009 | RESOLVED: The United States Federal Government should substantially reduce its agricultural support, at least eliminating nearly all of the domestic subsidies, for biofuels, Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, corn, cotton, dairy, fisheries, rice, soybeans, sugar and/or wheat. |
| 2009-2010 | RESOLVED: The United States Federal Government should substantially reduce the size of its nuclear weapons arsenal, and/or substantially reduce and restrict the role and/or missions of its nuclear weapons arsenal. |
| 2010s | |
| 2010-2011 | RESOLVED: The United States Federal Government should substantially increase the number of and/or substantially expand beneficiary eligibility for its visas for one or more of the following: employment-based immigrant visas, nonimmigrant temporary worker visas, family-based visas, human trafficking-based visas. |