Brief Assignments

Thanks to those of you who submitted brief topics and shame on those of you who didn't (Colin, Drew, James, Sarah, Kelcie, Amie, Brett and Christy). Those who couldn't be bothered to suggest topics will be the first to have briefs due.

I've mapped our due dates for the remainder of the season. Many do not yet have topics assigned; I'm waiting to see what issues will be hot as nationals approaches. If people requested particular topics I've tried to honor that.

Assignments for the first round (the date identified is the date on which the briefs are due):

Friday, March 5
Colin: Military courts or civilian courts for terror suspects?
Drew: The Tea Party: do they have legitimate interests and legitimate prospects at gaining power?
James: Homophobia in Africa: the policies being initiated and how the world should/can react.
Sarah: Governing Iran: Who are the players? What is the status of the Opposition? Is the Revolutionary Guard going to take over? How can we respond?

Tuesday, March 16

Amie: The Chinese yuan: should it float? How do we pressure China to revalue their currency?
Brett: Yemen: the next Somolia? How can we address instability there?
Christy: Muslims in Europe.

Friday, March 19
Kelsey: Banning the portrayal of unhealthy body types: see Spain's recent action.
Amy: Education reform: what of Central Falls, Rhode Island's firing of the faculty and staff of a failing elementary school and Obama's School Improvement Grants? I imagine a motion having to do with radical solutions for failed schools.
Wiley: Repeal Don't Ask/Don't Tell? I'm particularly interested in the CON side of this pro/con brief.
Jonathon: Nigeria country brief, focusing on the recent coup and this weekend's slaughter. Is it time for the international community to intervene?
Faith: The coming water wars: how will it happen and what must we do to prevent it?

Tuesday, March 23



Friday March 26
Akis: The Greek debt crisis and the EU's response.
Zac: Google and China: who wins, who loses? Is there a role for the US in this dispute
Michaela: Mexico, the next failed state?
Colin: How to reduce the deficit. You should build on Brett's brief from last semester to more thoroughly investigate the options available to us for reducing our deficit.
Drew: Should the state subsidize green jobs/development?
Sarah: The US should create a consumer financial protection agency.

Tuesday, March 30
Kelsey: Can we require people to purchase health insurance?
Amie: Pakistan's desire for an India-style nuclear deal with the US.
Brett: The obesity brief: what is the status quo in the US with regard to the rate of obesity and the costs of that obesity? What policy changes have proved / might prove effective at combating obesity?
Christy: A primer on international trade.

Friday, April 2
Amy: How to stop Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem (yes, Brett, you did a brief on settlements but this brief is about the E. J. settlements in particular)
Wiley: Sanctions and Iran--what sanctions are in place? Have they been effective? What sanctions are proposed? Will they be successful?
Jonathon: Should the international community call for the current Thai government to step down?
Faith: Iraq: status quo post elections.

Tuesday, April 6
Michaela: The Pope's sex scandal--should he step down?
Akis: Pro/Con on Obama's off-shore drilling proposal.
Zac: Should we be able to patent genes?
Mya: Should Israel launch a preemptive attack on Iran's nuclear facilities?

April 8-11 US Universities Debating Championships in Denver

Brief Topics

As discussed in Friday's practice, I'm going to make brief topic assignments based on suggestions submitted through the comments section below. Please record your brief topics here by Tuesday night; I'll make assignments by Friday.

Video review for ethos

Below are the videos from Friday's (2/12) practice round. Remember, the point of putting these videos up is to allow you the opportunity to review what you're doing that may affect the audience's perceptions of your ethos. You should watch the videos, both for what you do while you're speaking as well as for what you're doing while others are speaking (including your partner and your opposition).

The videos are of the same round; one focuses on the Prop side and the other the Opp side.

Prop from Steve Johnson on Vimeo.

Opp from Steve Johnson on Vimeo.

Ethos and Debating

Next Friday (2/12) we're going to begin talking about ethos and debating. I want all of you to watch this video of last Friday's practice round as a way to begin that discussion.

In particular, you should try to identify examples of behaviors that compromise your credibility as a speaker. Review your speech (or the speeches of others) and identify those instance by the time the occur in the video. We'll watch selections from this round during our discussion on Friday.

Horrors of War - Feb 5 from Steve Johnson on Vimeo.

Club Council Schedule

Here are dates and obligations for Club Council. Names are listed in Primary/Backup order. If you're the primary attendee and you can't make it, please let your backup know.

You're expected to report on the meeting you attend.

Jan 15: Akis
Jan 29: Amy/Akis
Feb 12: Brett/Amy
Feb 26: Colin/Brett
Mar 5: Sarah/Colin
Mar 19: Zac/Sarah
Apr 2: Wiley/Zac
Apr 10: Faith/Amy