Julie Crandell

Debate team meets with Ayers and Allred, sent to Newcomb

Six University of Richmond students on the debate team met with President Edward Ayers and Provost Steve Allred last week to propose an alternate form of funding for the debate team. The students proposed an interdisciplinary policy debate program in which funding would come from all of Richmond's schools, not just the school of Arts & Sciences, which houses the rhetoric and communication studies department. Senior Ashley Fortner, a four-year debater, and sophomore Christine Parker, both of whom attended the meeting, said the president and provost wanted to resolve the issue in time for the next debate year. "They were willing to weigh the fact that the rhetoric and communication department wants to use their resources where they want to, but that shouldn't mean the debate team should completely disappear," Fortner said. The report the debaters presented to Ayers and Allred included comparative debate budgets from Richmond's peer institutions, letters from alumni and other debate supporters, the merits of having a full-time coach, as well as a reference to a book written about the benefits of policy debate. Instead of reducing the debate budget to a student club, which could receive funding as low as $1,000, the debate team proposed an increase of its current budget to expand on the team's past success. "Instead of taking this moment as a regression," Parker said, "maybe this is an opportunity for us to move forward." The debaters expected to hear back from the president and provost after they spoke to the deans of all of Richmond's schools, as was discussed at the meeting, but Allred referred the debate team back to Arts & Sciences Dean Andrew Newcomb, who was originally involved in downgrading the policy debate team to parliamentary club level. "[Provost Allred] seemed to indicate that since we started by talking with Dean Newcomb, it would be best for us to continue that dialogue rather than start a new one with him and the president," Parker said. Fortner added: "It is important for us to know that we are being heard and not sent back down the ladder as a way of pacifying us without any concrete steps toward change.

Debate team budget reduced, director facing termination

Delta Sigma Theta holds shoe drive for domestic violence

The members of Delta Sigma Theta sorority held their first shoe drive as part of a regional initiative to spread awareness for victims of domestic violence. "October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so we figured that now is the time to get the word out," senior K'Lynne Robinson, a member of Delta Sigma Theta said. Brand-new pairs of shoes will be donated to the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of Richmond. "Countless women across America flee their homes in the middle of the night with only the clothes on their backs," junior Sydney Cooke, president of Delta Sigma Theta, said.

Women's tennis sees success in fall, ready for spring

The women's tennis team, defending Atlantic 10 champions for the past two years, has completed its fall season, promising a competitive return next spring, when team competition begins. Despite losing their top player to graduation last season, head coach Mark Wesselink hopes that the team will be stronger this year.

Swimming Spiders give back to community

In the midst of training for a meet and hosting recruits, the University of Richmond women's swim team has found time to connect with the community. On Oct.

Disc Golf coming to campus next spring

The University of Richmond plans to open a disc golf course, which will spread across both the Richmond and Westhampton sides of the campus, next spring in an effort to promote leisurely activity. Disc golf is a small but nationally growing sport.

CDC receives bronze ranking for LGBTQ support

The University of Richmond's Career Development Center received a bronze ranking from Out for Work, an organization that works with college career centers to improve the quality of support for LGBTQ students transitioning from school to the workplace. Out for Work distributed the survey ? its first ? to 1,500 colleges throughout the United States last spring.

Conference champions aim to reach season goals

After two weeks of preseason, the Richmond field hockey team, defending Atlantic 10 champion, is positioned to transfer their practice into gameday tenacity. "We've worked really hard this preseason, so we're looking to show other teams how hard we've worked," senior captain Michelle Weaver said. During the last practice before the season opener against American University, head coach Gina Lucido stood in the middle of Crenshaw Field shouting players' names to get them excited for the game. "Coach has been firing us up with nicknames to light the fire we've got from preseason," junior center back Emily Straniero said. Despite a 5-1 loss to No.