National Forensic Association

Last call for Council nominations - due May 1st!

Open positions are:
- At-large (2 positions)
- VP of Tournament Administration
- Graduate Student Representative
- Lincoln Douglas Debate Committee (3 positions)

Nominations should include a bio or nomination statement and a photo. Please send nominations or questions to [email protected].

Remember to submit original LD topic papers to [email protected] by May 1st! This year’s topic rotation is Domestic Social/Legal.

Paper Requirements:
• Topic rationale
• Definitions
• 5-6 resolution wordings
• Solvency advocate examples
• 6-7 affirmative advantages
• Negative ground:
•3-4 disadvantages
•2-3 counterplans
•3-4 kritiks
• Works cited

This year, we will be posting each Hall of Fame Inductee to congratulate them for this accomplishment!

Our second inductee into the Hall of Fame is Rob Layne!
Rob was a highly successful forensic competitor in individual events, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and Parliamentary (NPDA) Debate. He also served as the NFA-LD Student Representative for 2000-2001. He was the Assistant Speech and Debate Coach at Central Michigan University, the Assistant Director of Forensics at Willamette University, an Assistant Debate Coach for Texas Tech University and later Director of Forensics at Texas Tech and finally at the University of Utah he coached debate while pursuing his PhD. This inductee has taken his forensics knowledge to make a difference in the world. Currently he is the Senior Communication Strategist for the City of Portland, Oregon. As coaches, we frequently extol this activity as an opportunity to develop and expand transferable skills. As the primary strategist and spokesperson for City’s response to the unhoused crisis, he used every public speaking and argumentative practice that he learned, coached, and taught to move the needle in changing public perception in addressing Portland’s approach to the unhoused. As a former teammate said, this nominee’s greatest strength is his pursuit of communication scholarship materializing in praxis for marginalized communities, much in the model of rhetorical criticism and the critical turn in LD. He translated his academic work and advocacy skills into powerful tools for social activism especially within the LGBTQ+ community.

Scan this QR code for access to NFA's Award Sensory Guide. NFA will provide earplugs for any competitors who would like them. Thank you to Special Education Instructor Faith Hincapie for this resource!!

Hi everyone!!! Quarterfinal postings will be happening in Elliott Auditorium in Elliott Hall. Happy Quarters!