News Release
Nation's Top Debaters to Converge at Pacific for Elite Competition
(November 5, 2009) -
The nation's top college debate teams will compete against each other at the Fifth Annual Pat Kennedy Parliamentary Round Robin competition on Friday, Nov. 6 at University of the Pacific. Pacific's speech and debate team, currently ranked no. 2 in the nation, will be among them.
Twelve elite teams will debate topics surrounding the separation of powers in the federal government during the double-elimination competition. Those competing include two-person teams from Pacific, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Pepperdine University, Rice University, Southern Illinois University and the United States Air Force Academy, among other schools. Competition starts at 8 a.m. and continues through 9 p.m.
The competition is named after the late Pat Kennedy, a 1966 Pacific graduate who was a former Regent and member of Pacific's speech and debate team.
"We are honored to once again be able to host one of the premier speech and debate events in the country," said Marlin Bates, coach of Pacific's speech and debate team. "Not only is this event great for competition, it encourages students to pay close attention to the country's most pressing issues as they prepare to argue the merits of opposing sides."
The competition is part of Pacific's Presidential Inaugural Series in honor of new University President Pamela A. Eibeck. A celebration of the University and its history, the Inaugural Series comprises scholarly, cultural and creative events that highlight the University's unique strengths and distinctiveness.
The Inaugural Series also includes a week-long Italian music and culture festival, a competition for a commissioned sculpture, and academic symposia on renowned environmentalist John Muir, social and emotional competence in higher education and Pacific's diversity efforts. Eibeck became Pacific's 24th President on July 1. She succeeds Donald V. DeRosa, who retired after 14 years as President.
The Pat Kennedy Parliamentary Round Robin event will coincide with the University of the Pacific's Paul Winters Invitational, a three-day speech and debate tournament that also begins on Nov. 6. That event will involve about 60 colleges from across the country.
