SMSU Forensic Team

Purpose/Mission: The SMSU Forensic Team provides students with an opportunity to expand and develop critical thinking, presentation, research, interpretation, leadership and social skills.  The activity is open to all students enrolled at the university regardless of major or previous experience.

Activities: The team attends approximately twenty intercollegiate competitions throughout the academic year from late September through April. In addition, the team hosts two high school tournaments (one in March and the other in April) each year. High School speech workshops, activity fairs, showcase performances, and other student activities have also been part of the team’s activities.

Academic Credit:  The SMSU Forensic Team is a co-curricular activity and consequently, students who choose to may earn academic credit for participation.  If students desire, they may participate without being enrolled for credit.

Events: Students competing on the team can choose from among several categories. These include oral interpretation of literature, public speaking and debate. Collegiate competitions are scheduled so as to allow students to compete in multiple events—anywhere from 1 up to 6 at a single contest.

Coaching: Students must be coached before attending a competition. Students may arrange for an appointment with the coaching staff (Director of Forensics or Assistant Director of Forensics). Students may also enlist the help of senior members of the team in getting started.

Tournaments: Students sign up for tournaments as their schedule allows.  Some students attend many tournaments while others might attend only 3-4 each term. When students sign up for a tournament, they are obligated to attend.

Travel: The team uses rental or university vehicles for the majority of its travel. On overnight tournaments, we stay at hotels/motels in the host city. For national tournaments, when locations dictate, the team travels by air.

Expenses: There are little or no out of pocket expenses for students who choose to be members of the team. The Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee provides a budget to the team.  This allocation, coupled with the teams own fund raising efforts, is able to cover travel and registration expenses.