The Alabama Forensics Council at the University will be holding auditions today and Friday for potential members.

Students have the chance to earn a place on a debate team that has consistently won national awards in several competitive events. Over 20 scholarships are awarded each year to students who are active in the program.

Frank Thompson, director of the Forensics Council, said the team returned weeks ago from the national tournament where 78 universities competed.

The University’s team finished seventh in the country, an improvement from last year’s ninth place.

“We plan on maintaining a top ten placement in the country,” Thompson said.

Thompson said although the forensics team offers 11 events for students to compete in, the auditions this week do not have to conform to a specific event.

Thompson said students will be judged on their voice, word choice, clarity and level of comfort in front of an audience.

“They could read a phone book to me — I don’t care — as long as they have a good voice, good vocal quality, can relate to the audience, and can feel comfortable,” Thompson said.

Thompson said the forensics program enables students to compete in debate and what are called “individual events,” which require either one or two students to engage in some form of public speaking or interpretative reading such as prose or poetry performance.

Thompson said each team member has to work on at least four different events during the course of the school year.

Thompson also said the team members are awarded scholarships each year.

“The scholarship covers the cost of in-state tuition,” Thompson said. “That covers $3,500 a semester or $7,000 a year, and as tuition goes up, we normally increase the amount [of the scholarship] to cover the rise in cost.”

Thompson said the paperwork needed to apply for the team is minimal. Students are asked to provide their contact information, such as an e-mail address, their names, majors and what events they would like to compete in.

Cory Paul Harrison, a member of the forensics team and a senior majoring in philosophy and English, said that he competes in individual events.

“I take literature, such as prose, poetry or drama and present it in a professional way,” Harrison said. “I give it a context.”

Harrison said he delivered an after-dinner speech for his audition. Harrison, whose audition won him a spot on the team, said he sought to present himself as a confident speaker.

“It’s an original speech that is humorous but also has a point,” Harrison said. “I talked about my walk over to the building that day. I saw some crazy stuff.”

Audition times for both Thursday and Friday from 1-4 p.m. in the communication studies room on the second floor of Reese Phifer. Auditions must run in 5-minute increments. Students must sign up today in Room 210 of Reese Phifer Hall.