The University of Iowa will host the National 2015 Debate Tournament Championship, following a unanimous vote by the National Debate Tournament (NDT) Committee to accept the UI’s bid.
“While many universities aspire to host the NDT, very few can provide the institutional support, beautiful campus facilities, and impressive NDT history we will find in Iowa City,” writes NDT Committee member Danielle Leek.
Former UI debate coach A. Craig Baird helped to found the NDT in 1947. Next year will mark the 155th anniversary of formal organized debate on campus, and is the first time the UI has hosted the tournament since its inception.
Paul Bellus, forensics coordinator for the A. Craig Baird Debate Forum, estimates that the NDT will bring more than 400 people to the UI and surrounding communities.
As debate team member and four-time NDT qualifier Sharon Kann explains, “The entire center of the debate world is coming to Iowa City. That means we have the unique opportunity to showcase what we are about at the UI.”
The tournament also means welcoming a “diverse set of active alumni” back to campus, and building partnerships with community members and local businesses. “With the support we have from the university and the support we receive from Iowa City and Coralville, we’ll be able to host an amazing event,” says Bellus.
Four members (two teams) from the UI Debate Forum will compete in the 2015 NDT, dedicating more than 20 hours a week to practice and assiduous research of a given debate topic. This year’s topic centers around the president’s war powers. The topic for next year’s tournament will be announced in June.
The 2015 NDT will be held next April 2 to 6. It is made possible by the A. Craig Baird Debate Forum, the Office of the President, the Office of the Provost, the Department of Communication Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the communities of Iowa City and Coralville.