Hutton Honors College

Intervarsity Lincoln-Douglas Debate Competition

February 8, 2009

In honor of the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth, new student group ABE at IU organized an intervarsity Lincoln-Douglas debate competition. Teams from Ball State University, Indiana University, DePauw University, and the University of Illinois spent the weekend debating the statement "The United States Government should significantly curtail the powers of the president." This debate competition was co-sponsored by the Collins Board of Educational Programming, the Department of Communication and Culture, the Hutton Honors College, the Indiana Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, and IUSA Aid.

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The coach and members of the DePauw University debate team eat lunch with some of the semifinal round judges.

The University of Illinois debate team does some last-minute preparation over lunch.

Ellen Dwyer, IU professor of history and criminal justice and one of the competition judges, provides feedback to IU debater Ronak Shah.

HHC student and ABE at IU founder Aasiya Mirza talks with the DePauw coach over lunch.

Ari Parker (left) and Michael Lutz begin the final debate.

The judges for the final debate, from left, are Carolyn Calloway-Thomas, a professor from the IU Department of Communication and Culture; Nick Clark, a graduate student in the IU Department of Political Science; Richard McKaig, Indiana University Dean of Students and Vice Provost for Student Affairs; Geoff McKim, Monroe County Councilman; and Susan Sandberg, Bloomington City Councilwoman.

ABE at IU students Ian Thake and Erin Chapman congratulate the final contestants and announce the winner, Michael Lutz, right, of DePauw University.

Debate competition winner Michael Lutz of DePauw University displays his certificate after the competition.

Following the final debate, ABE at IU president Aasiya Mirza talks with finals judges Richard McKaig, IU Dean of Students, . . .

. . . and Nick Clark, a graduate student and an experienced Lincoln-Douglas debater.