Apply for Regents’ Cup event celebrating free speech at Arizona’s public universities

Applications are currently open for the Regents’ Cup, a tri-university student debate competition showcasing the commitment of Arizona’s public universities to upholding all students’ rights to freedom of speech.

Students who participate in the Regents’ Cup engage with others through a competition that is characterized by respect and civil discourse as they compete for scholarships and course credit. During the 2021 competition, winners were each awarded a $15,000 scholarship, $12,000 for second place and $5,000 for third. Northern Arizona University is the host for this year’s event scheduled for April 30, 2022.

The Regents’ Cup is open to all students regardless of former debate experience, providing the opportunity to compete for a portion of a scholarship purse during an event where students engage in either Oxford debate or persuasive storytelling rounds, sharing true stories from personal experiences. This year’s event theme is centered on the celebration of free speech with a subtheme of the importance of preserving democracy.

“What sets the Regents’ Cup apart is an emphasis on engaging with others with respect and through civil discourse, essential skills that can result in consensus building and disagreement without being disagreeable. Equally important is the subtheme of the importance of preserving our democratic institutions during a time of increasing intolerance, divisiveness and disrespect for the Constitution and the rule of law,” said Regent Larry Penley.

Arizona’s public universities are champions of free speech, and the universities are campus-wide, free-speech zones. Arizona State University, NAU and the University of Arizona are all recognized with the highest rating by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.

For more information and to fill out an application to participate in the Regents’ Cup, click here.

Members of the media may download photos and videos from past Regents’ Cup competitions through this link.