Faculty Members Compete at Annual Life Raft Debate

By Sebastian Hughes

The Life Raft Debate is an annual housing @Home event that features professors debating on behalf of their majors and areas of study. The theme for the 6^th debate was natural disaster, and students selected which professor would help them to rebuild society.

Students in the audience were able to learn more about the different areas of study offered on campus and how subjects can work collaboratively with one another. Professors also had groups of current students cheer for them by wearing buttons with faculty member faces and waving flags that matched the color assigned to their favorite professor.

In past years, the debate has featured professors from all colleges at the University. This year, the participating professors were Matthew Spialek, representing the communication field; Carl Smith, representing landscape architecture; Lauren Thomas, representing animal science; and Chris Tompkins, representing business.

The most enjoyable part of the debate was audience participation with the professors in the form of questions. One question particularly excited the audience when it was asked which professor should be voted off the life raft first. In the end, Spialek from communication was crowned the winner after heated closing arguments.

All in all, students agreed the debate was enjoyable to watch and very engaging. The professors were obviously well-prepared and brought very good points to the critical questions of the debate.

Life Raft Debate happened Tuesday, Jan. 21 in the Union Theatre at the Arkansas Union.