Yes. The majority of our peer Big Ten institutions provide full-time, professional leadership for their forensics programs. Most have a dedicated faculty director—typically housed within a Department of Communication or an Honors College—ensuring stability, academic integration, and long-term program growth.

In fact, Big 10 Directors have written a letter to the University of Oregon urging continued support of the Forensics program.

Big Ten universities with professional forensics staff include:

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue, USC, Michigan, Michigan State, Rutgers, and—until recently—the University of Oregon.

By contrast, universities that lack professional staffing—such as the University of Washington—often provide inconsistent support for their forensics programs and do not share the same tradition of competitive excellence that defines Oregon Forensics.