The Michigan Classic is a 4-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 80 students are selected for the Senior Division, 80 students for the Junior Division, and 32 students for the Sophomore Division.
 

Lab Groups

Classic students are assigned to Lab Groups of 16 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.
 

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.

An updated version of "Debate Theory" written by Roger Solt, of the University of Kentucky, exclusively for the Michigan Classic, serves as the basic curriculum guide for the theory classes.  These subject areas are:  (1) Paradigms, (2) Topicality, Extra Topicality and Plan Spikes, (3) Affirmative and Negative Fiat, (4) Counterplans and Plan-Inclusiveness, (5) Counterplan Competition, including Permutations, and (6) Conditionality, Intrinsicness and Dispositionality.

Roger Solt, considered the nation's foremost authority on the intellectual background and application of Critiques, presents a two-part lecture series on critiques, with the first part examining their intellectual history and examples of how they are argued in debate rounds. The second part details strategies for defeating Critiques.  His new book The Anti-Kritik Handbook is available as a text at the Classic.
 

Fees

The total fee for the Michigan Classic is $2900.  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 $500 deposit shortly after their acceptance.  Payment of the balance must take place no later than July 16.
 

Application Policy

Applications must be received no later than April 28. A $50.00 application fee is required.  Students will be notified of their admission status (accepted, wait-listed, or rejected) no later than May 10.  Please do not call to inquire about admission status unless you have not heard from the Classic by May 13.  Students who are admitted will have until May 19 to notify us of their acceptance.  Applications for Financial Aid must be received by April 28.
 

Financial Aid

To apply for financial aid for the Classic you must submit a Michigan Debate Institute Financial Aid Application.  This form must reach the Debate Institutes by April 28.  Financial Aid Application.
 

Admission Policy

No applicant will be considered without submission of a full and accurate application form in this brochure and the receipt of the $50.00 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.