MSU debate team head coach James Roper, assistant coaches and students breathe only a short sigh of relief. The current season is over, but they already are contemplating next year's topic – "something to do with biotechnology."

This spring, MSU's best two-person team did something never done before. It reached the final rounds of both the National Debate Tournament and the Cross-Examination Debate Association Nationals – all in all, a great year.

It's been a good seven years for the MSU debate team, thanks to the partnership between faculty and students.

At the helm is Roper, professor of philosophy, who established the MSU debate club in the mid-1980s and turned it into a top competitive organization in the mid-1990s. Team members brought home two national championships in 1995 and 1996, and during the past seven years an additional four second-place awards and one third-place honor.

"In many ways debate is the most prestigious major academic team competition on a college campus," Roper said. "When our students prevail against students from the best universities, it reflects well on MSU the way sports teams' success does. "

Roper and assistant coaches Will Repko, Jason Trice, John Sullivan and Jason Russell work with their core group of about 15 students thousands of hours a year, not including time spent at the more than 20 tournaments during the season.

"It's great to see how the team comes together and how coaches contribute their own strengths and areas of expertise," Trice said.

Repko pointed out that each member of the coaching staff has learned to specialize, whether in recruiting, administrative functions, fund raising or some aspect of researching.

"It's the teamwork and coordination of the staff, but most of all it's the opportunity to work with young, intelligent and eager people," Repko said. "We help students from MSU and those from other schools we debate against as they mature and are a positive influence on their lives."

Debate is an opportunity to stretch the mind, engage in critical thinking and research skills, convey ideas, and develop self-esteem and positive attitudes.

Students Steve Donald of Tulsa, Okla., and Aaron Monick of Iowa City, Iowa, won the two second-place titles this year and are very appreciative of the coaches' efforts to help the students "survive" a tough season.

"I am always amazed that I learn so much more than the year before," said Donald, who has debated for MSU for three years and plans to work as a coach next year.

"It comes from the hours we spend with the coaches who have much more experience; their wisdom is invaluable. Part of the reason I came to MSU was because of its national reputation in debate."

"Being in debate with people who are smart and intelligent in their own right is very valuable," said Monick, who has been in debate at MSU for four years. "Anywhere I go, there will be people I have known and debated, and friends I have made throughout the country."

For the past year, debate has been under the auspices of the Honors College, which is a natural fit for the organization, Roper noted.

"The Honors College is a good place to house this premier academic competition," Roper said. "One of the reasons we are so successful is because of the support of the president, the provost, and Honors College and other administrators who have the vision to recognize debate for its importance to academic life."

Copyright 2000 Michigan State University Division of University Relations.