West Long Branch, NJ -The Monmouth University Debate Hawks will host the 2nd annual Jersey Shore Invitational Debate Tournament this weekend, January 28 to 29.  Approximately 200 college debaters and coaches representing 20 universities will participate in this NDT/CEDA sanctioned tournament, including debaters from Princeton University, Cornell University, George Washington University, the West Point Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, Boston College, University of Miami (Fl) and West Virginia University to name a few.  The students will be debating the following resolution: Resolved: The United States Government Should Substantially Increase its democracy assistance for one or more of the following: Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen.

Each two person team is required to compete in six rounds of debate, three on the affirmative and three on the negative, with each debate round lasting approximately two hours.  Teams that make it into the playoff rounds will continue debating into Sunday evening’s championship round.  The debate rounds will take place in classrooms across Monmouth University’s campus.  Customarily hosting teams do not compete for awards at their own tournament, so the Monmouth Debate Hawks will be busy registering debaters at the tournament Hotel, hosting fellow debaters at the “bonfire on the beach” party on Friday night, and collecting ballots and ensuring debate rounds start on time.  Some former Debate Hawks, now in Law School, will be returning to campus to help judge at the tournament.  Please feel free to contact Professor Joe Patten at (732) 263-5742 if you are interested in learning more about the debate tournament.