For the first time, SF State's forensics team has won the Founder's Trophy, awarded at last weekend's national debate championships in San Diego.
The Cross Examination Debate Association awards the trophy to one school each year for its longstanding commitment to excellence in speech and debate.
SF State's speech and communication department's team is one of the few squads in the nation to excel in both categories of forensics: debate and individual events, said Joseph Tuman, the team's director.
That's the major reason why the team won the trophy, said Scott Duncan, a debate coach. The events team will be sending seven competitors to this weekend's national individual championships in Eau Claire, Wis.
While the debate crew failed to win any events in San Diego, the team did win two individual honors.
Paul Schwartz made the all-American team as one of the top 20 debaters in the United States, Duncan said. In addition, Theresa Pollard made the scholastic all-American team for her debate skills and her outstanding academic record. She has a 3.9 grade point average in speech and communications. Pollard is one of two people of color to be named to that team.
Competing against more than 100 colleges and universities from around the country, SF State ranked in the top 20 for the fourth consecutive year, Duncan said. Last year, the team ranked third.
"In the past our program has been extremely successful in debate," Duncan said. "We consider this a rebuilding year. Next year we'll be much stronger. We have a large number of returning students."
It's a rebuilding year because the debate team had a lot of members graduate last year and because of one important rule change, he said.
This year, Duncan said, the CEDA allowed only "policy debate" and not "value debate." In the past, SF State has concentrated on value arguments. Policy arguments have to do with specific policies organizations or nations make concerning the agreed upon general topic. The general topic this semester is "developing our oceans' resources."
On the other hand, "value debates have to do with whether something is good or desirable," Duncan said. So, value arguments allow debaters more leeway than policy arguments. To a certain extent, the team has had to change its argument format, he added.
Although the team will have some new debate "recruits" joining next year, SF State operates at a disadvantage compared to other universities because California State Universities do not offer scholarships, Duncan said.
A debate pair from Michigan State University won this year's national debate championships, defeating a pair from Gonzaga University.
Two weeks ago, Pollard and her partner Scott Wright were beaten by the eventual national champions, Biza Repko and Jason Trice, at a tournament at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.