Faculty to fight for their lives in annual Life Raft Debate

With their lives figuratively “on the line,” four UB faculty members will have to use their wit and persuasive skills to survive in the upcoming Life Raft Debate.

The seventh annual debate, sponsored by UB’s Honors College and Experiential Learning Network, will take place from 6-8 p.m. Feb. 20 in 107 Capen Hall, North Campus. A. Scott Weber, vice president for student life, will host.

The debate will feature four professors from different disciplines, each trying to persuade the audience that he or she is worthy of the coveted final spot on an imaginary life raft before the audience sails away to build a new society after a catastrophic event.

Following the debate, audience members will decide which professor will help their new society thrive and is therefore most deserving of the final seat in the life raft.

Refreshments and snacks will be provided following the debate in the Don Shack Student Lounge.

“The Life Raft Debate offers its audience an opportunity to learn more about faculty and their academic disciplines in a high-spirited setting,” says Allison Suflita, academic adviser for the Honors College. “Expect to be entertained and challenged in selecting the faculty member and discipline to survive the devastation.”

This year’s contestants:

• Michelle Benson, associate professor, Department of Political Science.
• Atri Rudra, associate professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
• Wendy Quinton, clinical associate professor, Department of Psychology.
• Victoria Wolcott, professor and chair, Department of History.

William Kinney, professor of physics who will serve as devil’s advocate for the debate, won last year’s debate, which featured a scenario in which professors were debating for the final spot in President Satish Tripathi’s gold helicopter.

“I argued that astronomy and physics are foundational practical building blocks of civilization 
and survival, necessary for navigation, timekeeping, engineering and technology development 
of all kinds,” Kinney says. “No civilization in history has risen or survived without the understanding of basic natural philosophy provided by astronomy and physics, and any future civilization will require them as well.”

Kinney looks forward to his new role this year and plans to take an unorthodox approach to it.

“Last year as a panelist, my arguments were indeed compelling, but I went the extra distance to
secure victory by grandstanding, ignoring the debate rules, cheating, pandering to the audience,
stooping to ad hominems, straw man arguments and appeals to emotion,” he says. “No tactic was too low. 
“I expect nothing less from this year's panelists, and as devil’s advocate I intend to hold them to the lowest possible standard of fair play and integrity,” he says. “If they don’t go there, I will.” 

Of the six previous debate winners, five have come from science-related disciplines. Patrick McDevitt, associate professor of history, was the only faculty member with a humanities background to win the competition.