DEBATE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT
A Campus Tradition Since 1899

	Many students assume that if they merely get a college degree it will be their 
ticket to success.  Many other students assume that a high G.P.A. will be their ticket to 
success.
	WRONG!
	The real key to success in graduate school, in the professions, in the business 
world, in public service, and in your personal life is to have abilities and to use them 
properly.  Every project and every task you face will require you to analyze problems, 
spell out logical alternatives, select the proper alternative, and then persuade others of 
the correctness of your ideas through clear and organized communication.
	This is where DEBATE comes in.  It teaches you to be an informed advocate of ideas 
and of yourself.
	The Lawrence Debate Union (LDU) is for those students who want to improve 
their mental abilities and their communication talents.  If you are understimulated by 
your college education, and you want to be MORE than you are now and you want to be able 
to do MORE than you can now, consider debating.
	The LDU exists to educate, compete, and serve.
	Here is what you should do if you want to find out more.
1. Give us information about you:  name, address, phone number, and academic schedule.
2. Attend our weekly meetings, usually held in the early evenings on Monday or Tuesday.
3. Meet one on one with a coach and talk about debating.  Ask questions.  Call us at 656Ñ
0097, 656Ñ4275, or 862Ñ2843.
4. Read through the information inside.
5. Attend a scheduled instructional session.
6. Watch a debate.

	Then you can decide for yourself whether debate is right for you.  Each student 
can decide on his/her level of commitment to debate, and additional commitment means 
additional opportunities. 

BRIEF HISTORY OF DEBATE AT UVM:

	Intercollegiate debate at the University of Vermont began in 1899 when Edwin W. 
Lawrence '01 started the University of Vermont debate team.  Throughout the early part 
of this century debate was a constant part of life at UVM.  After the Second World War, a 
cohesive national level of debate competition began to take shape, and Vermont was an 
important force.  Dr. Robert Huber came to UVM in the late 1940's, and throughout the 
1950's and 1960's he led the Vermont debate team to national dominance, including 
national titles at all levels.  During this time, Edwin W. Lawrence gave generously to the 
University to establish an endowment for the debate team and a professorial chair to 
teach forensics and work with the team ÑÑ which became the Lawrence Debate Union.  
The 1980's replaced the doldrums of the 1970's with a revitalized and successful debate 
team stressing education, competition, and service.  The debate history of the 1990's 
will be created by the students of today.

ORGANIZATION OF THE LDU:
 
The LDU is an endowed, co-curricular program at the University of Vermont.  It is 
directed by the Lawrence Professor of Forensics and coaches hired by the University.
	Members of the LDU are UVM students enrolled in at least six hours of 
undergraduate study per semester and who are working toward a Bachelor's degree. 
Members are expected to attend meetings, participate meaningfully in one of the three 
LDU areas of emphasis, provide information to the coaching staff about academic 
schedules and standing, and follow through on voluntary verbal commitments.  Nobody is 
required to volunteer to do anything, but volunteers are expected to follow through on 
their commitments.
	The coaching staff is composed of debate experts who teach debate, explore issues, 
and coach students to win in competition and in life.  They are overworked and underpaid.  
Be nice to them.
	The primary budget for the LDU is the income generated each year by the 
Lawrence Fund to Encourage and Develop Debating.  It is our generous bequest from Mr. 
Lawrence, and as such, the LDU is responsible for the highest standards of good 
stewardship.  It may or may not be completely spent in any given year, and unspent 
funds are rolled forward to the next year.
	The LDU is also sponsored by the Student Association.  A small sum of money each 
year is used to promote onÑcampus debates to educate and entertain the University 
community.  For these purposes, the LDU elects a student as S.A. Coordinator each year, 
and these funds are spent as directed by the S.A.

THE THREE LDU AREAS OF EMPHASIS:

	The LDU sponsors activities around our major concerns:  service, education, and 
competition.

	SERVICE:

	While not the primary emphasis of the LDU, service to the University, the 
community, and the state are important.  These efforts include the following:
	ÑPromote public debates on campus between opposing advocates from the 
community, other colleges, and UVM.
	ÑPresent debates on important subjects to the community through staged events 
and videotaped debates played on public access television.
	ÑSponsor students to work with local high school debate programs.
	ÑWork in educational activities for high school students, such as the Fall debate 
workshop, the State Championship Tournament, the annual debate research handbook, 
and the National Debate Institute held for a month each summer.
	ÑOutline and fulfill a year-long project for community action.  In previous 
years projects included African famine relief and University divestment from South 
Africa.  Requires near unanimous endorsement by LDU members.
	ÑWork in alumni relations and help in LDU fundraising.

	EDUCATION:

	The major focus of the LDU is to teach students how to debate.  Students learn to 
debate by debating.  The coaches develop a lecture/discussion series which teaches debate 
fundamentals.  Students give practice debate speeches and then move into practice 
debates.  Students debate as twoÑperson teams.  Before these practice sessions become 
substantive, students need to learn about the issues being debated, partially through 
library research and partially through discussion, review of arguments prepared by 
others, and briefing sessions.  Students need to take initiative in signing up for practice 
sessions.  If you can't make a practice session, inform the coach involved immediately 
and follow his/her instructions.

	COMPETITION:

	After students learn the basics of debate, they exercise their abilities against 
other colleges and universities in competition.  Students find a debate partner, prepare 
to represent the University in competition, and then are offered opportunities to travel 
to often exotic places and debate other schools.
	The coaches will observe teams preparing for competition and then offer some of 
them travel opportunities.  Students can decline travel opportunities if they wish.  Once 
committed to a specific trip, last minute changes should not be made.
	Travel decisions will be made by the coaches based on the following criteria:
	ÑInstruction in debate basics received and internalized.
	ÑPractice speeches and debates participated in.
	ÑFamiliarity with major issues and arguments.
	ÑOriginal analytical and research work on issues and arguments.
	ÑAbility to win.
	Travel with the LDU can be a fun experience.  Basic travel procedures are as 
follows:
	ÑHousing is supplied but it is rarely luxurious.
	Ñ$10 per day meal money is allocated to debaters and coaches while on the road.  
A travel day that starts after noon is not a meal money day.  Meal money is not expected 
to pay your entire meal costs, but acts to supplement the extra money you will be 
spending because you are on the road. 
	ÑSeat belts at all times when vehicles are moving.  No intoxicated drivers.  Pack 
light for air travel.  Be at the LDU office 30 min. before departure time.
	ÑIf you leave the main party during a trip, you are on your own and the LDU is 
not responsible for you.  Stick with the main party until you get home.
	ÑYou are responsible for all missed school work, but the LDU can provide letters 
of explanation to faculty which you should use before you miss a class.
	While at the tournament, basic procedures are as follows:
	ÑThe LDU expects you to do your best.  We want to win!  You have a serious 
responsibility to represent UVM and the LDU.  Each debate is important.
	ÑMany debaters dress up to debate.  The LDU has no set dress code, but you are 
encouraged not to "dress down" to debate.
	ÑIn competitive debate, people win and lose.  Be a gracious winner and a good 
loser.  Learn from it.  Show respect for your opponent and your judge.  Learn from them 
so that you will win next time.
	ÑTake the issues you are debating seriously.
	ÑShow support and assistance for other LDU people on the trip.
	ÑListen to your coaches!  Write down their advice before each debate. It is a 
cooperative debaterÑcoach effort to win.  However, you do not have to take the advice of 
the coaches.
	ÑIf LDU/UVM teams should meet in elimination rounds, no debate will take place 
and the higher ranking team will advance.  If this happens to the same teams twice in one 
season, the nonÑadvancing team will advance the second time.
	A strong competitive showing necessitates excellent research and analysis of the 
topic being debated.  All research done by LDU students and staff should be shared with 
all of the LDU.  This is why we have free copying.  The copying load should be shared by 
all.  Do not trade evidence with another school without prior approval of a coach and the 
person who did the research.  Know what is in the evidence system.  Try to avoid 
borrowing evidence and arguments from other LDU teams.  If it is in the system, you 
should have it.  You are responsible for keeping your files organized.

	COMMUNITY:

	The fourth, or "unspoken" LDU emphasis is COMMUNITY.  We desire to work 
together productively as a supportive and healthy academic community.  By struggling 
together we can achieve that sense of community.

	LDU OFFICES AND FACILITIES:

	LDU offices are for LDU members to use.  They are places of work and discussion.  
After a period of time keys will be given to members on the basis of their need for them 
and key availability.  The LDU offices contain a photocopy machine,  typewriters, 
paperÑcutter, and phones. Treat all of our machines with love and respect as they are 
important and expensive.  Copying is for debateÑrelated purposes.  LDU members should 
keep copying for personal academic purposes to below a ten page limit.  Debate work 
takes priority over other work on LDU machines.  However, the office is a perfect place 
to study in, read in, or work on papers in.  Please feel free to use it.  Besides copying, 
the LDU often provides folders, index cards, tape, briefing paper, ditto masters, and used 
luggage is available...all for debate purposes.  Copies can be made at the library and 
charged to the LDU budget for research assignments authorized by the team.
	Basic behavioral guidelines for the LDU offices include:  clean up after yourself, 
no sleeping, no pets, close windows when you leave (paper blows around and pigeons 
enter), if you leave a task halfÑdone put it on a shelf out of the way, moderate phone use, 
respect the property of others.
	LDU backfiles belong to the LDU.  They are to be used for debate.  For other 
academic purposes (papers, etc.), they may be used for ideas and citations, but direct 
use would constitute plagiarism.  If you remove something, copy the pages you need and 
return the originals.  No guarantee can be made about backfiles that are not of UVM 
origin.

	MEETINGS:

	The LDU will have one business meeting each full week of school until the 
competitive season is over.  The weekly meeting needs to be short. Please be prepared to 
schedule events and do business.  Debaters are encouraged to offer agenda items.  An 
attempt will be made to use consensus decisionÑmaking.  Ultimately, however, the 
Director calls the shots.

	BANQUET:

	Edwin Lawrence wanted a banquet to be held at the end of each debate season to 
celebrate the forensic experience.  He wanted it to be free of charge for the students and 
the staff.  Every April we invite a few honored guests and all LDU parents to join us for a 
good time.  A booklet about the year is prepared, seniors say goodbye, there is a 
minimum of oratory, and the various prizes for debate achievement may be distributed.  
Many of these prizes are accompanied by substantial cash awards.  These awards are 
distributed based on service to the LDU and others on the team, and achievement in 
representing the LDU and UVM in analysis and performance.  These awards are given out 
by a committee appointed by the coaches.

	CREDIT:

	Debaters wishing to pursue readings and research credits connected with debate 
should submit proposals and work plans to the Director during the semester prior to 
registration.

	FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Alfred C. Snider, Lawrence Professor of Forensics, 302 Pomeroy Hall, 802Ñ656Ñ
0097; Mail: Tyler Theatre, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405. EMAIL 
DRTUNA@AOL.COM

Debate Offices: 304-306 Pomeroy Hall, 489 Main Street, 656-4275.