By Carly Watson
Michigan State University Debate has set their competition schedule for the 2020-21 intercollegiate debate season.
Because of COVID-19 travel restrictions, all fall tournaments will occur online. The full schedule is as follows:
Northwestern Season Opener, 9/18-9/21/20
JW Patterson Debates at Kentucky, 10/2-10/5/20
Wayne State Ziegelmueller Invitational, 10/23-10/25/20
Gonzaga University Jesuit Tournament, 10/30-11/2/20
ADA Fall Championship, 11/13-11/16/20
Franklin R. Shirley at Wake Forest University, 11/13-11/16/20
Because the tournaments are hosted online, it allows the Debate Team to compete at multiple tournaments in the same weekend and have more students attend each tournament.
The team is made up of 16 undergraduate students with an array of majors ranging from computer science to international relations.
The season-long topic for the 2020-2021 academic season asks whether the United States should decrease it’s alliance commitments with the Philippines, Japan, South Korea or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
“Online debate might not look exactly the same but we’ve been working hard to make the transition in modality and are excited for our students’ competitive season to start,” said Will Repko, head coach.
The MSU Debate team is part of the Honors College.