William Pitt Debating Union

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The William Pitt Debating Union (WPDU) is the debating society of the University of Pittsburgh. Following under the auspices of the Department of Communications, the William Pitt Debating Union is a co-curricular program and hub for a wide range of debating activities, including intercollegiate policy debate, public debate, and debate outreach. The WPDU captured the 1981 National Debate Tournament national championship^[1], and it has qualified for the National Debate Tournament forty times^[2] and is one of the oldest organizations of its kind in the nation, growing from the University’s Division of Public Speaking in 1912.^[3]The WPDU has also finished first in the American Debate Association’s varsity rankings and its debaters have won hundreds of individual speaking awards.^[4]

The WPDU is located in the heart Pitt's campus and occupies the eastern wing of the eleventh floor of the Cathedral of Learning. It also offer scholarships to top team participants.

Contents 1 Public Debate 2 International Debate 3 Outreach 4 Coaches 5 Members 6 External Links 7 References

[edit] Public Debate

The Union frequently convenes public debates on salient and pressing topics facing local, regional and national communities. These debates typically feature a mix of student and expert advocates, audience participation periods, and formats tailored specifically for each debate. Recent topics include peer-to-peer file sharing, textbook pricing, abstinence-only sex education, and the future of Pittsburgh. In 2000, the Cross Examination Debate Association recognized the Union’s public debate efforts with the National Public Debate Award.^[5]

[edit] International Debate

The Union regularly hosts foreign national teams on their debating tours of the United States, having entertained the British, Japanese, Russian and Irish national teams. In 2000, the WPDU hosted a public debate between the national high school select teams from New Zealand and South Africa. From 2001-2006, WPDU coaches worked with the U.S. State Department to teach the public debate process as a strategy of civil society empowerment to high school students from Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Romania, Macedonia and Montenegro.

[edit] Outreach

Since 1995, the WPDU has reached thousands of elementary and secondary school students through its outreach initiatives, including the College in High School Argument program and the Middle School Public Debate Program.

[edit] Coaches

The WPDU employs two full-time directors and numerous graduate teaching assistants working with debate therefore making it one of the largest and most experienced debating coaching staffs in the United States. The current WPDU faculty includes the following:

Director of the William Pitt Debating Union: Gordon Mitchell
Director of Debate: Shanara Reid-Brinkley
Assistant Coach (specializing in public debate pedagogy): Catherine Morrison
Assistant Coach: Joe Packer
Assistant Coach: John Rief
Assistant Coach: Brent Saindon

[edit] Members

[edit] External Links

• William Pitt Debating Union homepage

[edit] References

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