by Araceli Esparza
Editorial Director
Director of Speech and Debate Jason Sandford will not renew his contract with the University of La Verne, effective upon the conclusion of the school year. The news came early last week following Sandford’s return from an international debate tournament in London, England.
In a letter addressed to Dr. George Keeler, chair of the Communications Department, Sandford stated, “my priorities have changed and I feel it is time to move on with my life and start a new career in business and industry.
“I am pursuing my own educational development as well as my own professional development,” said Sandford, whose employment is renewed on a year-to-year basis. “I have a number of job opportunities in England which I am considering.”
Sandford, an alumnus of the debate program, said these opportunities include corporate consulting, communications consulting and policy consulting. He also intends to begin building for a successful family and a successful long-term career. In addition, Sandford has some personal reasons for choosing to step down from his position.
“Jason has said that since his new marriage he has had to reassess the things in his life,” said graduate assistant Chris Medina, who, as assistant coach to the debate team, will be responsible for the debate team while Sandford takes a break during January.
This temporary responsibility is the decision of Dr. John Gingrich, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Keeler, Sandford, Bob Rivera, assistant professor of speech, and Medina.
Medina said the debate team is aware of Sandford’s intent to resign at the end of the academic year. Team members are “trying to overcome the difficulties that we face … just the whole turmoil that this type of situation brings on,” Medina said.
He also said team members have continued to demonstrate their individual and group talents. Overall, they have progressed since the beginning of the semester and are focusing on staying together as a group.
“There have been tensions created between Jason and team members,” said Medina. “What role that has to play in his resignation I can’t say. I don’t know.”
Junior debate team member Justin Jones said, “As an organization, we have solidation, and we still plan on competing. That’s what it’s about for us. The team will survive.”
Jones also said that Sandford “is a part of the program, he will continue to be a part of the program and he will continue to be with us as far as we know.”
Medina said he had a conversation with Sandford several days after his return from England, at which time Sandford expressed that “he essentially feels it’s time to move on and that he has other opportunities which he is wanting to pursue.”
“This has been an issue I’ve always dealt with every year,” said Sandford of his considering to pursue other opportunities.
He was hired in fall 1993 under part time status, and it was not until last fall that he was hired as a permanent instructor and director of speech and debate at the University.
“I figured I would give myself a few years to make my decision of what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go and gave myself until the age of 30 to do that,” said Sandford, now 28. “I’m a couple years ahead of schedule.”
As for his future role with the team and the future of the team itself, he admitted it is an outstanding team who has become the best squad in ULV’s history.
“They’re good people; hard-working, motivated … have talent,” he said. “I am confident that the students who continue in the program will fulfill their goals.”
Medina said that “whatever it takes to promote the success of the speech and debate team here should be done. If that means his resignation, so be it.”
Regarding the acceptance of Sandford’s intent to not renew his contract, Dr. Keeler said, “Jason has built up an international debate squad and took us from the national arena to the international forum. We’ll miss him because of the standard of excellence he brought to the team and the distinction of excellence he brought to the University through the quality of the program.”
Sandford continued to say that, so long as the debate program at ULV continues to grow and excel, he has no doubt that the debate team will remain involved nationally and internationally without his direction.
“I look forward to being an alumnus of the program and viewing its successes with pride, but distance,” he stated in his letter. “I feel that many of you here are friends, and I have a special sense of rapport with many of the students that I have coached over the years.”
Though Sandford said he is willing to help judge the team on occasion, he is “taking a break in the field of speech and debate, not just La Verne.”
