The Michigan Classic
July 13th - August 9th, 2008

2004 Kids at lecture 3 2004Tateleccture

The Michigan Classic is a four-week policy debate workshop designed for students who desire a challenging summer workshop experience and who wish to engage in competition at an advanced level the following year.

The Classic offers separate divisions for rising Seniors, Juniors, and Sophomores. Approximately 16 students are selected for the Senior Division, 20 students for the Junior Division, and 60 students for the Sophomore Division.

Lab Groups

Classic students are assigned to Lab Groups of about 16-24 people. Each Lab Group is taught by two of the full-time institute faculty members. This Lab Group serves as the central instructional unit throughout the workshop. Students work with the same lab leaders throughout the Classic to enable the instructors to learn the work habits, strengths, and weaknesses of the debaters. Classic students also work with other faculty members in selected situations, such as theory classes and seminars.

2008 Staff

Sophomore Labs-

Christina Tallungan (Director of Debate at Glenbrook North High School) and Eric Forslund (Debate Coach at Damien High School)

Tim Alderete (Policy Debate Coordinator at the Meadows School) and Dana Randall (Debate Coach at Carrollton Sacred Heart)

James Herndon (Director of Debate at Chattahoochee High School) and Ed Lee (Debate Coach at Emory University)

Junior Lab-

Roy Levkovitz (Director of Debate at Woodward Academy) and Martin Osborne (Senior Debater at Missouri State University)

Senior Lab-

Brenda Montes (Assistant Debate Coach at the California State Univeristy at Fullerton) and Whit Whitmore (Debate Coach at the University of Michigan and Woodward Academy)

For more information on our faculty members, click here.

Analysis of the Topic

In addition to the work of their Lab Groups, students learn about the content of the topic from many division-wide lectures. These lectures include broad-based surveys of both affirmative and negative arguments. Students also receive a lecture offering a rigorous and detailed defense of the principles and policies that are represented by the status quo.

Students are assigned to faculty members other than their lab leaders for the purpose of writing the core arguments of the topic. The core argument groups meet several times during the first and second week of the Classic to analyze, outline, research, and ultimately write briefs covering the central issues of the topic area. The work product of these groups is shared among all institute participants.

Communication Skills

Students participate in three sets of practice debates, with each debate critiqued by faculty members. Every debate is accompanied by rebuttal rework sessions for intensive individualized instruction. The Classic provides each student a journal for written judge comments which debaters take to each successive debate so that subsequent judges and coaches can establish criteria for and evaluate the level of improvement.

Detailed speaker position lectures provide practical advice on constructive and rebuttal techniques; organizational systems; and advanced strategic concepts concerning time allocation, argument selection, cross-examination and weighing.

Theory Instruction

Virtually all theory instruction at the Michigan Classic takes place in small classes of eight students and one instructor. Our curriculum emphasizes the practical applications of basic and advanced debate theory. For these theory classes students are assigned to two faculty members other than their lab leaders.

What Coaches Have To Say About the Classic

"As a high school coach, I have sent many debaters over the last decade to the Michigan Classic. It has always focused on improving important debate skills and producing high quality evidence. As a member of the Classic staff, I know that the faculty at Michigan is one of the most committed and engaging in high school debate."

Tim Alderete
Policy Debate Coordinator at The Meadows School

What did the 2004 Students say:

Percentage of students that ranked the Classic as average, above average, or excellent: 99%

Percentage of students that ranked the Classic as above average or excellent: 90%

Percentage of students who ranked the classic below average or poor: 1%

What do former students say:

"A lot of people think that to be a great college debater you have to be a superstar in high school. Coming from a small school in Michigan, I never even got the chance to compete on a national level. Until I came to the Michigan Debate Institutes, I didn't think I would ever be good enough to join a college debate team. The people I met that summer, both lab leaders and other students, helped me develop the confidence and skills that prepare you for debating in college."

Corey Stoughton, University of Michigan, 1997 Copeland Award winner as top college NDT team in the nation.

Fees

The total fee for the Michigan Classic is $3600 plus a $60 application fee. This fee covers the full cost of tuition, a room in the Residence Hall, the Dining Room Plan, lab copying fees, and several social events. Students who are admitted must submit a $1000 deposit shortly after their acceptance. Payment of the balance must take place no later than June 1. Please visit our "specials page" to find ways to reduce the cost of the Classic.

Detailed Fee Payment Schedule- http://www.michigandebate.com/ClassicFeePaymentSchedule.cfm

Application Policy

Applications must be received no later than May 31. A $60 application fee is required. Students will be notified of their admission status (accepted, wait-listed, or rejected) no later than June 1. Please do not call to inquire about admission status unless you have not heard from the Classic by June 1. Students who are admitted will have until June 7 to notify us of their acceptance. Applications for Financial Aid must be received by May 1.

Admission Policy

No applicant will be considered without submission of a full and accurate application and the receipt of the $60 application fee. The extent and quality of the applicant's previous debate experience, including demonstrated potential, will be the dominant factors in admissions decisions. Other factors which may be considered include: the strength and number of tournaments attended, speaker awards, previous institute attendance, the comments offered in the enclosed Letter of Recommendation, and geographic diversity.

The Michigan Classic Plus
July 6 - August 9, 2008

If you want to make your four week experience a five week experience and do not think that you are quite ready for the seven week program, try the Classic plus. The Classic plus gives you a week prior to the Classic for development of a full affirmative and in-depth learning on the topic in a very small directed learning environment with a very low student to teacher ratio.

Fees

The total fee for the Michigan Classic Plus is $4300 plus a $60 application fee. This fee covers the full cost of tuition, a room in the Residence Hall, the Dining Room Plan, lab copying fees, and several social events. Students who are admitted must submit a $1000 deposit shortly after their acceptance. Payment of the balance must take place no later than June 1. Please visit our "specials page" to find ways to reduce the cost of the Classic Plus.

Detailed Fee Payment Schedule- http://www.michigandebate.com/ClassicFeePaymentSchedule.cfm

Application Policy

Applications must be received no later than May 31. A $60 application fee is required. Students will be notified of their admission status (accepted, wait-listed, or rejected) no later than June 1. Please do not call to inquire about admission status unless you have not heard from the Classic by June 1. Students who are admitted will have until June 1 to notify us of their acceptance. Applications for Financial Aid must be received by May 1.

Contact UM Debate at:

Michigan Debate

jbhoe@umich.edu

Office: 734-763-5903

Fax: 734-763-5902

If we are not in the office we will get back to you as soon as possible, please leave a message. The best time to reach us in the afternoon.

UM debate is located in the office of Student Activities and Leadership within the Department of Student Affairs at the University of Michigan, the premier Big Ten University