Parliamentary debate is one of Columbia's most successful and engaging activities. With a tradition of excellence and dedication, the Columbia University Parliamentary Debate Team competes in and excels at tournaments every weekend, traveling all over the East Coast.

Joining the debate team is as simple as attending a meeting. We have two general meetings each week, on Sunday afternoon and Monday evening, and have practice rounds on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights. Tournaments take place on Fridays and Saturdays. We typically leave midmorning on Friday and return late in the evening on Saturday. After arriving at the tournament, there are usually three rounds of debate on Friday and two on Saturday prior to elimination rounds. These elimination, or "out-rounds," are usually comprised of the top 8 teams after the five "in-rounds". Friday evenings there are debate parties, giving everyone a chance to blow off steam and socialize with debaters from other schools.

Parliamentary debate strives to accommodate students of all interest levels, so students can attend as many or as few meetings and tournaments as fits their schedule. We always welcome new members, and if you're interested in joining or have any questions, you can reach us at columbiadebate@gmail.com.