UNC has two debate clubs with different styles

The Carolina Debating Union and the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies uphold the mission of freedom of speech in very different ways.

The Carolina Debating Union competes against other collegiate teams across the East Coast.

Junior Pallavi Gulati, co-president of the Carolina Debating Union, said she believes the group maintains uniqueness through extemporaneous debate style. She said they use two-person teams where they are given a topic at the beginning of the round.

“We’ve had people on our team win and place at multiple tournaments including the University of Chicago, George Washington and American University,” Gulati said.

Sophomore Laura Cabana, treasurer of the Carolina Debating Union, said the group fosters invaluable skill sets and friendships.

“We travel and compete around the country, but keep our doors open to any student who wants to learn more about debate, get better at public speaking and learn to critically analyze arguments,” she said.

The Carolina Debating Union is only a three-year-old organization, but that has not impeded the group from succeeding at tournaments.

“This past year, we won two major tournaments — which was a first for our team,” Cabana said. “We were able to qualify two teams to nationals in New York, where they competed with the best debaters on the circuit.”

While the Carolina Debating Union engages in tournaments, the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies holds weekly “modified parliamentary style” debates in New West Hall. DiPhi was established in 1795, making it the oldest student organization at UNC.

“I remember when I was a first-year, and I saw fellow college students speaking with such grace and passion on various topics in the Dialectic Hall,” Joint Senate President Michael Johnston said.

Johnston said the organization debates among themselves about topics ranging from policy to philosophy.

Sophomore Christina Lim, Sergeant-at-Arms of DiPhi, said the society has had a longstanding impact on campus by serving as an outlet for the students where they are free to speak their minds — and by starting a color tradition.

“DiPhi was responsible for the creation of the UNC school colors of Carolina blue and white,” she said.

Lim said the Dialectic Society attached blue ribbons to its members’ graduation diplomas while the Philanthropic Society put white ribbons on its members’ graduation diplomas. The color of the ribbons represented virtue and purity.

She said DiPhi produced influential figures in history such as former President James Polk, John Morehead and Robert House, namesake of the Undergraduate Library.

Junior John Jacobi, a member of DiPhi, said the society encourages open speech through a section of their debate called Papers, Petitions, Memorials and Addresses. He said during this section, anyone has three minutes to speak freely.

“Some beautiful stuff happens there,” Jacobi said.

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