About us | Division leadership | President’s welcome
Debate Team 2007.
Regardless of their age, former KU debaters have the same memories: mental stress, eccentric characters (on the other teams), grueling contests. They fought for KU’s honor, consistently facing Harvard, USC, Dartmouth, Georgetown and Northwestern, and often came home victorious.
While competitors flew to tournaments and stayed in luxury hotels, the Jayhawks endured long trips in vans and lodging in cheap motels. The sacrifices just made them tougher.
The success of KU Debate compares with KU basketball — and now football. It’s the stuff of dreams: four national championships, 13 Final Four appearances, top-five rankings from 1947 to 2007 in every statistical category. KU is the only public university in the nation to achieve such distinction.
KU Debate attributes much of its strength and continuity to its head coaches, Donn Parson, Robin Rowland (himself a 1976 National Champion KU debater) and Scott Harris (National Coach of the Year, 2006 and 2007). Yet, in recent years squad numbers were declining — the sacrifices were too great, funding was too tight. Former debaters decided that had to end. It was a matter of Jayhawk pride.
In 2001, they formed the Chancellor’s Debate Alumni Advisory Committee. They called on alumni going back to the 1940s to make a gift. Nearly 100 debaters and friends stepped up to create new endowed funds for scholarships, graduate assistants, research and technology. The squad grew from six debaters in 2001 to 25 in 2007. As of November, KU ranked number one again in national points standings — with Harvard second.
So far, KU Debate alumni have raised $1 million for debate funds at KU Endowment. They’ve also secured $150,000 in challenge gifts — to match new gifts for KU Debate dollar-for-dollar. Their next plan: raise $3 million by 2015. It’s a lofty goal, but it’s no use arguing with them.
You’ll lose.
Give to the Debate Team
Dale Seuferling, President
KU Endowment