The American University Debate Society is reorganizing and resetting quickly at the end of the 2010-2011 season two weeks ago at the United States Military Academy in West Point. Before the National Championships, the team elected a new Executive Board, which will continue AUDS’s student-led program next year:
- President: James Schmitt, Senior, SIS
- Director of Administration: Alex McHugh, Sophomore, SIS
- Director of Outreach and Development: Stephen Hayes, Senior, SIS
- Director of Finance: Kurt Girard, Sophomore, CAS
The team also received good news when its top choice for coach agreed to join the team this coming year. Alex Taubes, who graduated from Boston University last year after winning the National Championships, the Team of the Year Award, and the Speaker of the Year Award, the three highest honors of the debate league, will serve as coach for the Debate Society in the 2011-2012 season. Taubes debated for four years with the BU team, accumulating numerous awards listed on his debater page. Over the course of his career, he won a total of 8 top-ten “OTY” (“of the year”) awards, including the aforementioned TOTY and SOTY, as well as 4th TOTY, 10th TOTY, 3rd SOTY, 4th TOTY, 8th TOTY, and 5th NOTY, in rough chronological order.
With a new Executive Board, and a new coach, the Debate Society is set to capitalize on what was already the best year in its history, and to reach new heights next year.