Students participating in any part of the Willamette University Debate Union must meet certain academic, behavioral and travel policies. First and foremost, all students must be in compliance with all policies of Willamette University including but not limited to the Selected Policies Manual. In addition to the general policies of the University, the Willamette University Debate Program will enforce certain academic, behavioral and travel policies.
Sanctions for violation of these policies range from a reprimand, to being excluded from the next tournament or event, to being placed on probation for a specified amount of time, to being permanently dismissed from the WUDU. These sanctions will be based on the seriousness of the offense and the number of offenses a student has committed. For example, for the first offense, a certain action may produce a reprimand or exclusion from the next event or tournament while the second or third offense may produce sanctions of being placed on probation for a semester or being permanently dismissed from the WUDU. Some events may be so serious that a student may be permanently dismissed from the team after a first offense.
Academic Policies
The Debate Union is a co-curricular activity of the Willamette University College of Arts & Sciences. This program is designed to complement curricular activities by enhancing students' skills in research, writing, speaking, and reasoning. The following academic policies are intended to foster a healthy relationship between debate and other aspects of students' academic work.
Academic requirements for participation in the Debate Union follow those in the Willamette University catalog section on academic policies although some of the requirements for participation in this program are more stringent. The criteria that may disqualify a student from participation include the following academic deficiencies:
- Semester GPA below 2.00
- Cumulative GPA below 2.75
- Completion by a full-time student of fewer than three credits during the previous semester
- Serious academic difficulty as determined by the Director of Debate or by the Academic Status Committee
Behavioral Policies
Students participating in any aspect of the WUDU Debate Union are required to be in compliance with all general policies of the University. These policies include but are not limited to Willamette University’s drug and alcohol policies, sexual harassment policies, and all other policies in the Selected Policies Manual of Willamette University. One element that distinguishes the Willamette Debate Program from some other campus programs is that we travel together, work closely as a team, and interact with students and faculty of other programs. As a result of these unique elements, certain supplements to general Willamette policies are needed. These supplements are listed below:
Supplement to Willamette University Behavioral Policies
- All Willamette University policies in the Selected Policies Manual are applicable on trips sponsored by the Willamette University Debate program.
- All students in WUDU are expected to behave positively toward other members of WUDU including its coaches. Any form of physical or verbal abuse or aggression as well as abusive, aggressive, rude or discourteous behaviors toward students or staff of the WUDU may be in violation of this policy. Verbal abuse or aggression can occur in person or it can occur as a result of postings on social media.
- All students in WUDU are expected to behave in ways that reflect positively on WUDU and the University. Abusive, aggressive, rude, and discourteous behaviors toward students and staff of other colleges and universities with whom we compete may be in violation of this policy. Such behaviors can occur in a variety of ways, one of which includes postings on social media.
- Any social media postings by members of WUDU are expected to reflect positively on the University and on WUDU.
Drug and Alcohol Policies
- All Willamette University policies governing drugs and alcohol are applicable on trips sponsored by the WUDU.
- Consistent with Willamette University Policies Governing Use of Alcohol, a motel room used by students on WUDU trips is considered analogous to individual student rooms. Therefore, alcohol cannot be consumed if any person staying in the room is less than 21 years of age. “Any gathering in an individual student room [including a motel room] where alcohol is present may not exceed a safe and manageable occupancy for the room.” The university defines safe and manageable as “no more than three (3) times the residential occupancy of that room.”
- Consistent with Willamette University Policies Governing Use of Alcohol, “employees or students on University business or driving University vehicles are prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages before driving.”
- Consistent with Willamette University Policies Governing Use of Alcohol, “open containers of alcoholic beverages are not permitted in public areas [including hotel or motel hallways]. A student room or apartment [hotel or hotel room] is considered public if the doorway to the hallway is open.”
- Supplemental to Policies Governing Use of Alcohol, participants in WUDU are prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages until all of their competition for a particular event is completed.
- Supplemental to Policies Governing Use of Alcohol, participants in Willamette University Debate program are prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages in a hotel or motel room housing any Willamette University student whose competition is not completed.
Travel Policies
Students are required to be aware of and follow the “Student Travel Procedures for the Advisor/Coach.” These procedures are published in the Selected Policies Manual.
Supplements to Student Travel Procedures
- Unless given prior permission by the coach or advisor in charge of the trip, all students are expected to travel to and from the tournament with the team.
- While at a tournament, no student shall leave the campus without notifying and receiving permission of the coach or advisor in charge of the trip.