University debate teams from around the nation are expected to participate in the fifth annual Hank Greenspun Invitational Debate Tournament taking place Oct. 25-27 at UNLV.

Last year, 63 teams from 28 universities and colleges attended the tournament. Among the schools that already have signed up for this year's tournament are Redlands, Southern Illinois, Wayne State, Western Washington, and Baylor universities, as well as the universities of Southern California, Utah, and Michigan.

"The UNLV debate tournament has been one way that we can highlight our academic accomplishments in front of a national audience of college competitors and coaches," said Barbara Pickering, UNLV's director of forensics. "It is an event in which UNLV should take great pride.

"Seven new schools have committed to attending our tournament this year. This is in addition to the other schools that regularly participate at our tournament," she said. "The numbers speak for themselves -- UNLV is viewed by the national debate community as a successful program that runs an outstanding college debate tournament."

This year, the tournament has been designated as one of seven qualifying tournaments for the Jesuit National Tournament. That tournament is a high-caliber national competition in which nine teams are invited to participate. Qualifying tournaments are selected on the basis of the high quality of competition they offer, according to Pickering.

The Hank Greenspun Tournament consists of three divisions: senior, junior, and novice. Last year's winners were Redlands in the senior division, Trinity University in the junior division, and Arizona State University in the novice category. This year, preliminary rounds will take place Oct. 25 and 26 in a number of rooms in the Classroom Building Complex. Elimination rounds are set for Oct. 27 in the Moyer Student Union and will begin at 8 a.m.

For additional information, call Rosie Mays, assistant director of forensics, at 895-4643.