UA Debate Series
The UA Debate Series is dedicated to elevating public discourse through respectful, rhetorically-sound, and competitive – at times voracious – debate.
Contact Us
Executive Director:
Ted McLoof
Email: gmcloof@email.arizona.edu
Office: Modern Languages 344
Marketing Director
Gennie Obaid
Events Coordinator
Riley Haas
You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @UADebateSeries, or like our Facebook page.
Support the UA Debate Series
You can help fund student travel for national tournaments, support hosting visiting speakers, and ensure regular and enlightening events for our students and community by donating online through the English department. Be sure to specify "UA Debate Series" in the comments.
About Us
Welcome to the University of Arizona's Award-winning Debate Series! The UA Debate Series is a series of public forums dedicated to elevating our national discourse. Each semester, campus faculty, public officials, community leaders, and students engage in a series of roundtable discussions on matters of public interest. Members of the University and greater Tucson community are welcome to attend our forums, ask pointed questions, and vote on the winners!
The UA Debate Series proudly boasts a robust faculty-student collaboration, with a staff of dedicated student interns in the areas of education, outreach, research, finance, promotion, and events planning. Interns travel free of cost around the country to collaborate with coordinating universities, and serve the Tucson community through our after school program for at-risk youth.
Mission statement
The UA Debate Series is envisioned to engage Arizona's public university students in civil discourse. We honor participants for articulating dramatically different points of view in an environment where combatants can remain friends. It should be our goal to graduate well-educated human beings capable of resolving differences that exist in a democracy in an environment of civil discourse rather than force. Our campuses should provide an opportunity for people to say foolish things in a process that safely allows for change, growth, and correction. It is through such a process that one will come to say smarter things – which of course is the process we call education.
The Regents' Cup
March 23rd, 2024 - The Regents' Cup is a state-wide tournament among Arizona's three sister schools: University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University. Each academic year, students compete in a day-long public forum engaging in civilized discourse. Participants receive scholarship funds, and finalists will receive large scholarship stipends. The school with the highest point tally will take home the annual Regents' Cup Trophy.
Contact Ted McLoof or Diana Leonard for any questions.
UA Debate Series Topics
All podcasts are live streamed on Facebook Live.
- Sept. 5 (7 PM) – Gen Z and Parenting at Kiva Theater, Student Union
- Oct. 16 (1 PM) – Gen Z and Campus Activism at Ramapo College of New Jersey
- Nov. 14 (7 PM) – Gen Z and Creativity at Modern Languages Bldg, Rm 350
- Nov. 29 (7 PM) – Gen Z and AI at Gallagher Theater, Student Union
- Feb. 9-10 (TBD) – Wildcat Cup at the UA Campus
- Feb. 26 (7 PM) – Gen Z and Mental Health
- March 23 (TBD) – Regents Cup at ASU Campus
- April 30 (7 PM) – Debate series collaboration with AI at Arizona Townhall series at The Mall
University Debate – Topic: Greek Life
Our Debate Series wanted to debate a topic that has been of discussion since Greek Organizations came to campuses all over the country! This wonderful debate hits so many underlying topics and issues with the Greek Society.