By JESSICA R. ALLEN

jra020@latech.edu

 

Tech’s debate team may not be able to continue their winning streak because of the possibility of forfeited games, which may affect its title.

Dr. Edward Jacobs, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, said Tech President Dr. Dan Reneau is doing what he can to obey superiors and answer questions from students.

“Dr. Reneau is simply carrying out his orders from his boss,” Jacobs said. “[He] himself is not sure of the implications.”

Jacobs said there are many people who are affected by the frozen funds.

“Right now, the funds are frozen along with everything else in the university,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs said he does not know how the frozen fund order will affect the debate team specifically.

“I think that the debate team will not suffer extensively,” he said. “We don’t know until we get our marching orders.”

A legislative meeting will be held in November by Gov. Kathleen Blanco.

“It’s my assumption that [the legislators] will be dealing with the budget,” Jacobs said. “I hope the special session will be kind to the university.”

Trey Gibson, director of debate and an instructor of speech, said the debate team may not have the opportunity to continue their success if funding is not restored.

“Every tournament we don’t get to go, we lose ranking,” Gibson said. “If we got back into the game, we would have to do miracles to make a comeback.”

Gibson said he is not sure how the government can take or hold the funds.

“We’re not sure what state Louisiana is in,” Gibson said. “I wouldn’t think that these funds could be frozen. They were voted to be used for debate.”

He said he thinks the administration is trying to balance students’ interest with their given regulations.

“I think they are fighting for the students at the same time, they are trying to meet the order, commandment and requirements placed on them from above,” Gibson said.

Gibson said the debaters help find ways to help the team go too.

“If things don’t go as planned, the students are finding ways to get us to tournaments,” Gibson said.

John Eric McCorkle, a member of the debate team and a senior speech communication major, said he wants to help and is sure his fellow team members do as well.

“We as a team love doing this so much that we are willing to do whatever we can until there’s nothing in our ability to do anything [more],” McCorkle said.

McCorkle talked to Lindsay Mencacci, president of the Student Government Association and a senior biology major, and said get questions answered.

“I look forward to seeing that progress and seeing the Student Government do what they do so well, what they are in the power and position to do,” McCorkle said.

Kyle O’Neal, a member of the debate team and a junior history and speech major, said the team has a chance to win the national title.

“As the Louisiana Tech debate team, it would be a crying shame if we aren’t allowed to defend our ranking,” O’Neal said. “Even if we don’t get our funding, we’d still want to win the national championship to bring it back and say we did this with or without the funding.”