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Worlds debate tournament competitors on the ILR campus, congregating in the great hall of Ives room number 305

CSDS News

Help us celebrate the success of our teams and members

Speech Qualifies in New Events and Prepares to Host Tournament

Cornell placed 3rd on Sunday at the Charlotte Motor Speechway Tournament, with Quals in DUO, Impromptu and Info. Cornell will host the virtual Big Red Tournament of Love on February 20th.
Students pose together before the award ceremony
Speech Qualifies in New Events and Prepares to Host Tournament

Policy Wins Two Tournaments in January

Cornell won the JV divisions of Indiana University Hoosier Invitational and the U.S. Naval Academy Tournament
Student members of the policy team pose together outside during fall semester
Policy Wins Two Tournaments in January

Worlds Fall Semester Success

The Cornell Worlds Team had great showings in many arenas during the Fall 2021 semester. Competing in the British Parliamentary format of Debate, students repeatedly broke to quarter and semifinals. The team attended tournaments in the United States and abroad, with noted success in domestic and international tournaments. 
The Worlds Team and Sam Nelson at their internal Pro-Am tournament
Worlds Fall Semester Success

Policy Team Builds Strong Foundation in Fall Semester

The Cornell Policy Debate Team devoted the fall semester to novice and jv development. Debates for this year focus on the perils or advantages of expanding the scope of U.S. antitrust law.
Student members of the policy team pose together outside during fall semester
Policy Team Builds Strong Foundation in Fall Semester

Great Success in the 2021 Crowdfunding Campaign

Recent Crowdfunding Campaign raises over $20,000 dollars.
CSDS Gbody group picture of around 35 collected students from all 4 teams
Great Success in the 2021 Crowdfunding Campaign

Policy Novices Kick Off Season at Binghamton Tournament

Cornell policy debaters started off their season with a strong showing at the Binghamton tournament
Policy debaters eat lunch outside during a tournament break
Policy Novices Kick Off Season at Binghamton Tournament

Competition History

Cornell Speech and Debate has a long and storied history, tracing its roots to 1865, the year Cornell University was founded. We are currently working to collect and archive this history. If you are an alumni or former competitor, and would like to be a part of this effort, reach out the debate@cornell.edu. 

Policy Fall 2022 Update

Cornell Policy Debate registered teams in competition for 5 tournaments in Fall of 2022.
Students and coach take selfie holding trophy
Policy Fall 2022 Update

BP Worlds Debate Fall 2022 Update

Cornell hosted 68 teams in an early, large tournament for the academic year. Beyond hosting, Cornell debaters broke in Novice and Open Divisions of competition.
A group of sitting students smile
BP Worlds Debate Fall 2022 Update

Spanish Fall 2022 Update

The Cornell Spanish Debate (Sociedad de Debate en Español) has been getting back on track during the Fall 2022 semester!
4 students stand in front palm trees
Spanish Fall 2022 Update

Speech Fall 2022 Update

The Speech Team traveled across the east, from New Jersey to Alabama, resulting in top finishes in all 3 genres and 17 national qualifications.
students sit and pose with their awards
Speech Fall 2022 Update

Cornell Speech and Debate 2020-2021 Update

The Cornell Speech and Debate Program had a successful 2020-2021 school year despite pandemic challenges. We entered competitors or hosted competition for a record number of tournaments during Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, taking advantage of increased opportunities for students to compete online. Below is a summary of individual teams: 

The Cornell Worlds Team competed in over 20 tournaments, with teams advancing to elimination rounds at over a dozen of them. We advanced to quarterfinals and beyond at the North American British Parliamentary Championships, the Princeton IV, the Yale IV, the Oxford IV, the USC IV, the 2020 United States Universities Championships, and the Tilburg Women and Gender Minorities IV. We also hosted the Novice National Championship online, where 80 teams from all over the United States and world competed.

The Cornell Policy Debate Team had teams reach semifinals at the Binghamton University tournament and novice debaters won the novice championship at Georgetown University. The 2020-2021 topic considered whether alliance commitments in international relations should be recalibrated. At the end of the season, the team wrote a topic proposal paper for 2021-2022 school in collaboration with the United States Naval Academy and Trinity University suggesting the policy community debate U.S. policies for mitigating income inequality in the United States. 

The Spanish Debate Team focused its efforts this year on recruiting new members and on expanding its international presence. The team competed in online tournaments and had members participate as Chief Adjudicators in tournaments in Panama and Peru. Cornell held the largest Spanish debate tournament in the history of the US with over 200 participants and over 100 registered teams. Together, the team was able to recruit one of the highest caliber adjudication teams of any tournament in recent memory along with an excellent support staff to oversee other aspects of the tournament. The team also expanded its social media presence to better foster and strengthen its connections with teams in Latin America and Spain.

The Cornell Speech Team had an impressive year that culminated in taking home 11th place in the nation at the National Forensics Association (NFA) national tournament. Speech took 48 individual speeches to NFA nationals, bringing home 5th place in the "Presidents I" division. The team achieved its goal of top 20 at both nationals, also taking home 18th in the nation at the American Forensics Association (AFA) national tournament in April. Notable achievements include national novice impromptu champion, national novice extemporaneous champion, and multiple national semifinalist placings. Speech won the New York-New Jersey state championship in February, defending its title. In just one year (during a pandemic!), the team more than doubled in size.