Though most intramural sports on campus require physical exertion, Whitman provides an alternative method for earning one of those highly coveted blue IM championship shirts. On Thursday, April 23, the spring 2009 IM debate tournament starts, giving students who are not on the debate team the opportunity to compete for monetary prizes.
Unlike most IM sports, debate offers prize money to those who enter. Students get $10 and a free t-shirt for signing up, with increasing awards for winning debates in the final debate rounds. The first place prize is $100, credited to the debater’s student account.
IM debate originally started in the 50s, and was reformed 15 years ago. The program was so important to former Whitman College President Tom Cronin that he formed a separate budget to ensure IM debate’s survival.
IM debate takes place twice a year, in the fall and spring. The debates are between two people, one arguing in the affirmative and the other in the negative. A judge, usually a member of the debate team or faculty member, decides who made the more convincing argument.
This spring the topic is sure to pique student interest, especially in light of the recent budget revisions. The topic the debates will be centered upon is “Whitman College should temporarily increase spending from the endowment.”
According to debate coach Jim Hanson, “The topic raises issues about the whole economic crises, Whitman’s budget, paying for professors’ salaries, the ski team, budget cuts that are happening across campus. It should be interesting.”
The debates have three different brackets: inexperienced, intermediate and experienced, in consideration of the varied debate backgrounds competitors have. Students participate for different reasons; some were active in debate in high school, others enjoy the competitive atmosphere. Hanson says that is why debate serves a pretty diverse group of kids.
“A lot of kids are reticent to do it at first and almost all of them love it.”
-Jim Hanson, Whitman Debate coach
IM debate has also been known to cultivate hidden interests in the students who decide to participate. “I think for most people it’s fun; they really enjoy doing it because they get to argue about an issue they’re really interested in,” said Hanson. He adds that usually a couple of these people will join the debate team.
Ali Edwards, first-year, is a member of the policy team on debate and worked as a judge in the fall IM tournament. “I thought it was really cool to see people who had never been involved in debate getting into it and enjoying themselves. And then there are also people who did debate in high school that come back to do IM debate. And that’s fun too, because they’re still connected.”
Hanson encourages any interested students to join IM debate. He adds, “A lot of kids are reticent to do it at first and almost all of them love it.”
Edwards also noted that IM debate provides valuable skills for those who give it a try. “Debates that happen in classes aren’t very representative of how debate happens, even just generally in politics or society,” she said. “Being able to structure your arguments in a persuasive manner helps out and is definitely a good experience for everyone.”
More information about signing up for IM debate next semester can be found on line, at http://www.whitman.edu/rhetoric/51im.htm.
