Meteoric Rise

The Cornell Forensics Society, based at ILR, was ranked today as the fourth best parliamentary debate team in the world by the International Debate Education Association.

Placed ahead of traditional powerhouses Oxford University, Cambridge University and Harvard University, Cornell took one of the largest jumps of any top school, rising 42 positions since 2010.

At the start of 2008, Cornell was ranked 212 in parliamentary debate, a format where teams of two debate issues surrounding current events.

The Big Red team is having its strongest season ever and has the potential to improve its rank in 2012, said Alex Bores '13.

"Because our team is so young, we may still be able to climb forward next year. It has been exciting watching us get better every year," he said.

In 2011, Cornell won the James Madison Cup, the Harthouse International Invitational and the Hobart William Smith Fall Classic. One of the final four teams in the Yale International Invitational were from Cornell.

Cornell also won the Novice National Championship in April and the first three novice tournaments this semester.

Cornell Forensics Society President Leah Salgado CALS '12, said, "I'm very happy that Cornell is being recognized as a strong and capable debate program. Without the strong leadership of [Coach] Sam Nelson, this would not have been possible." Nelson is an ILR faculty member.

Salgado said ILR support “has given us the means and ability to be one of the top programs in the world.”

Currently, Cornell is ranked behind the University of Sydney and Monash University, both in Australia, and Yale University. Full rankings are available at http://idebate.org.uk/rankings/rankings/.

Cornell is sending four teams to the Dec. 27-Jan. 4 World Championships in Manila, Philippines.

The teams are Bores and Ryan Yeh A&S '13, Daniel Blackman '13 and Salgado, Kirat Singh A&S '14 and Srinath Reddy A&S '14, and Jiali Li A&S '15 and Tarn Susumpow A&S '15.