Can we make intercollegiate debate more diverse?

• Author: Stepp, Pamela

In his presidential address to the Speech Communication Association (SCA) in 1993 David Zarefsky, scholar and former debater, announced that the public sphere must be revitalized by welcoming a more diverse population. He stated, "The day is past when race, gender, class, religion, or any other demographic variable can be allowed to deny anyone the chance to be involved in meaningful public discourse" (1994, p. 312).

Academic debate is heralded as an educational activity that prepares our students for future careers, leadership positions and participation in the public sphere. When we glance at the faces of the students who participate in this important activity, it is obvious that women and minorities are missing the chance to learn public discourse in intercollegiate debate. Demographic studies indicate that those who participate in debate do not represent the number of women and minorities who attend colleges and universities. As intercollegiate debate rapidly approaches the 21st century, more educators are concerned in knowing how far we have come in making our debate community more diverse and representative. What can be done in the future? The purpose of this paper is to share the demographics that pertain to women and minorities at five national CEDA (Cross Examination Association) tournaments from 1991-1995, examine barriers that prevent diversity and representativeness, describe actions taken, and propose solutions for the future.

LITERATURE REVIEW

1980s

Previous research indicates that women and minorities in the 1980s were significantly underrepresented. Participation of women in policy debate at the National Debate Tournament (NDT) ranged from 14.52% in 1983 to 19.36% in 1981 (Logue, 1993, p. 2). Friedley & Manchester (1985, p. 4) found that the 1984 NDT included 85% male participants and 15% female participants. There are no known records of minority participation at the NDT in the 1980s.

Medcalf (1984, p. 2) reported that only 28.5% of the debaters at CEDA (Cross Examination Debate Association) regional tournaments were women; Logue (1986, p. 2) reported that women debaters at regional tournaments made up only 34.6% and 35.4% of the competitors; only 26% of debaters at the national CEDA tournament were women.

Only one study could be found that looked at the participation of minorities in CEDA debate in the 1980s. Logue (1987, p. 3) found 6.5% of competitors at East Coast CEDA tournaments were African-American students. The 6.5% did not indicate a vast difference from the 10% African-American university and college student population, but there was still a discrepancy in the participation of African-American students in academic debate. In summary the 1980 studies in NDT and CEDA indicate that academic debate did not reflect the representation of women (53% women and 47% men) or minorities at universities and colleges in the United States (Touchton & Davis, 1991, p. 12).

1990s:

The 1992 Report on the 46th National Debate Tournament and the 1993 Report on the 47th National Debate Tournament indicate that participation of women was 16% and 19% respectively, (Logue, 1993, p. 2), only a small increase from the 1980s numbers and still far from representing the 55% of women in undergraduate education. Logue also reports in her 1993 (p. 3) study that the ADA (American Debate Association) has few women participants but their numbers are better than NDT. The ADA numbers are similar to CEDA in the 1980s, listing 22% women in varsity, 27% in junior varsity, and 50% in novice.

Study of minority participation in academic debate has received little attention. Research that has been conducted suggests similar findings to Logue's study in 1987. Loge (1991, p. 80) found that out of a total of 692 debaters from 64 schools surveyed, 5.78% were African-American students. Logue (1993, pp. 3-4) found that out of 138 debaters at an ADA tournament at Kings College in 1993 there was only one African-American (.7%) debating. At the NDT in 1992 only 2% were African-American men. This percentage rose to 5% in 1993, but Logue could find no African-American women in her investigation (p. 4). Studies on the participation of students concerning race and gender show slight improvement but all point to very poor overall representation of women and minorities in relation to the number of women and minorities in undergraduate education.

It is important to note, however, that when researchers examine the gender diversity of varsity, junior varsity, and novice events, there appears to be a prevalence of women in novice debate. Logue found in her 1993 study of ADA that 50% of the debaters at that tournament were women. At the 1991 CEDA Novice Nationals 40% of the participants were women. The final round included all women, and 40% of the speaker awards were won by women (Logue, 1993, p. 3). Participation of women in novice debate is much more representative of the population than is varsity debate.

In sum, demographic academic debate research conducted during the past twenty years indicates that our community has not kept up with the changing college population, nor does it reflect our future workforce. Women and minorities have missed opportunities to prepare for participation in the public sphere through intercollegiate debate.

METHODOLOGY

The Commission on Women and Minorities was established by CEDA President Brenda Logue in 1991. The Commission recognized the need for more specific data on the status of women and minorities in debate. Beginning in 1991 a demographic questionnaire was developed asking for gender and race of all directors, coaches, and competitors (see Appendix A). Completion was requested from all schools that participated in the national CEDA tournament. The data collection has continued over a period of five years and includes 390 directors of debate, 421 coaches of debate, and 1,943 debate competitors. This is the most extensive data collected in the history of debate that tracks trends in the gender and race of directors, coaches and debaters.

RESULTS

COMMENTS

Overall there was an increase in male directors during the past five years. The number of white males increased 4.1%, and at the 1993 National tournament 76% of the [TABULAR DATA FOR TABLE 1 OMITTED] directors where white males. There was an overall increase of minority males of 3.7%, and at the 1993 tournament 10% of the directors were minority males. Although it is encouraging to see an increase in minority male directors, there was a decrease in female minority directors. In 1991,1993, and 1994 there were no minority female directors at the National tournaments, and in 1992 and 1995 there were only 1.3% and 1.2%. It is especially significant that in 1993 there was the largest number of male minority directors of 10% and 0% female minority directors.

In addition to fewer female minority directors there was a 9.1% drop in white female directors from 1991 to 1995 with a low of 14% in 1993. Overall during the past five years only 22.7% of all directors were females. The number 22.7% is significantly below the number of full time women faculty members in 1992 as reported in The Chronicle of Higher Education: Almanac Edition (p. 22). The decrease in female directors does not correspond to the continued increase of female full time faculty members reported in demographic studies (Touchton & Davis, 1991). This trend is very discouraging for all [TABULAR DATA FOR TABLE 2 OMITTED]female competitors. Young women need to see other women continue their involvement in debate in leadership positions. Without female role models and mentors young women will wonder if they belong in the activity.

COMMENTS

Participation of white male coaches slightly increased from 59.3% in 1991 to 63.5% in 1995, but there was a drop in participation of minority male coaches from 8.5% in 1991 and 8% in 1993 to only 2.1% in 1994 and 4.2% in 1995. There has not been a decrease in minority male students or minority male faculty at our universities and colleges. The 8.5% and 8% numbers were very encouraging since they are close to the minority male faculty ratio, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education: Almanac Edition (p. 22). The drop in 1994 and 1995 is, therefore, quite discouraging.

Although there are a few more female coaches than directors, 32.3% coaches and 22.4% directors in 1995, there has been little improvement in the overall number of female coaches. White female coaches have [TABULAR DATA FOR TABLE 3 OMITTED] remained about the same overall from 28.8% in 1991 to 28.1% in 1995. By comparison The Chronicle of Higher Education: Almanac Edition (p. 16) reports that 52% of Masters degrees projected for 1995 would be granted to women and 39% of Doctoral degrees. Although 32.3% is in line with the 33% full time female faculty members, many of our coaches are in graduate programs. If more women than men will be receiving Masters degrees, we should see an increase in the number of women coaches.

There are also more female minority coaches than female minority directors, but there were no female minority coaches at the national tournaments in 1992 and 1993. This is quite discouraging.

COMMENTS

The demographics for debate competitors are much more encouraging. From 1991 to 1995 the percentages of male competitors decreased 12%, the percentage of white female competitors increased 7%, the percentage of minority male competitors increased 4%, and the...