Debate team receives funding
The Utah State University Debate Team now has the money it needs to attend a tournament later this month.
The Associated Students of USU approved $800 in funding from its Capital and Support Fund for the team, allowing them to have the money necessary to attend a tournament in Washington, Feb. 19.
Debate team member Mary McMullen and Organizations and Traditions Vice President Dave Osmond sponsored a bill to provide the team with the funding.
After some debate, the issue was approved with only two ASUSU members voting against it.
“I was a little hesitant to consider it in the bag, just because I knew that there were a lot of concerns,” McMullen said. “I think that with more education came more confidence [for ASUSU.]”
Engineering Senator Adam Jones said he was not completely against the bill, but not all for it either. He said there are clubs at USU that go out and raise their money. He suggested the council give $400 to the team.
His motion to amend the bill failed.
“$800 is a drop in the bucket,” Academics Vice President Karla Petty said. “Let’s give them a whole drop instead of a half drop.”
McMullen said the team received $1,200 from the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences and has had $5,000 pledged from HASS Dean Gary Kiger for Fall 2004 if they can raise $5,000 on their own.
“If the faculty has confidence in us, then so should our peers,” McMullen said.
McMullen said she doesn’t believe the team will have any problems raising the money to match Kiger’s pledge.
With the funds to attend the Washington tournament in place, McMullen said, it will be easier to get alumni support for the team. Regardless of attendance at the tournament, however, the team would have stayed together.
“Even if we weren’t going to go to a tournament, we debate every Thursday on the fourth floor of the Merrill [Library,]” she said.
For some ASUSU members, there was concern about giving the team money because they are a club like any other.
Natural Resources Senator Scott Shine questioned whether giving money to the team would set a precedent for other clubs to come asking for money.
“I know there’s concern that they’re just a CSCO (Council of Student Clubs and Organizations) club like any other,” Petty said. “I think they’re definitely not.”
Petty said the debate team and its success is a capital improvement to the university.
“It’s academic programming, which we don’t do a lot of,” she said.
Graduate Studies Vice President Stephanie Kukic echoed Petty in saying that support for a debate team would encourage her to give more money to the university after she graduates.
“Having a debate team that is successful makes me want to give back to the university more,” Kukic said. “I think it’s unwise for us to not support them.”
-str@cc.usu.edu