The Glasgow University Dialectic Society, re-instituted in 1861, is a student society at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, committed to the promotion of debating, logic, ethics and literary discussion at the university. The society is independent and open to all students of the university, but maintains strong links with debating at Glasgow University Union.
History
The date of the society's foundation is contested; the earliest paper records of the society are dated before 1770, and there are, moreover, mentions within the university records of a society existing and being open to students who took Logic, back when the university still resided within Glasgow Cathedral. Pope John Paul II issued a 'Papal Letter' to the society upon his visit to Scotland in 1982, which recognised the society's claim to have been established in 1451. The society was formally re-instituted in 1861. The society has led the UK's university debating culture since 1953. In 1955, it won the Observer Mace, now the John Smith Memorial Mace, named after the deceased GUU debater and former leader of the British Labour Party. The Society won the 1983 World University Debating Championships in Princeton with a team headed by John Nicolson and Frank McKiergan. The GUU has since won the Mace debating championship sixteen more times, far more than any other university. The GUU has also won the World Universities Debating Championships five times.
Activities
The society organises a variety of events during term-time ranging from panel debates and discussions to social mixers and show debates for its members. In November, the society holds a New Members' Dinner, followed in March by the Annual Members' Dinner, held shortly before the AGM. Additionally it holds the Honorary President's Debate and a Sports Day - the Dialectic Olympics - as part of its marquee annual events. The society holds a number of more informal events, especially during Freshers' Week, to attract new members.
Two internal competitions are organised by the society: the Reftable, for new speakers; and the Garry-MacDonald Debate, between incoming and outgoing club leaders of the Glasgow University Union's Parliamentary Clubs.
The Dialectic Society, along with the Glasgow University Medico-Chirurgical Society and Glasgow University Athletic Club, was one of the founding societies of the Glasgow University Union in 1885, as well as being instrumental in establishing the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council the following year, and remains an active contributor to the activities of both organisations.
Management
The management of the society is entrusted to a board elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Board consists of an Executive of five individuals comprising the President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, and Assistant Honorary Secretary. They are additionally joined on the Board by the Whip Secretary, Publicity Secretary, Macer, Social convenor, Welfare Officer, Charity Officer, Archive Librarian, and up to four Ordinary Board Members, the number of which is determined by the newly elected Executive. Two first-year members are elected to the Board by the end of the first semester of each year. The Convenor of Debates of the Glasgow University Union and the Society's immediate past President are Ex Officio members of the Board.
The electoral procedure at the AGM runs such that posts are filled in descending order, allowing those who failed to win more important posts to stand for others. The AGM was traditionally held at the end of the university's Candlemas Term, around the middle of March. Despite the new semester-based structure of the university's academic year, this remains the case and the AGM is now held shortly before the end of the teaching period of the second semester, which is separated from the exam period by the Easter vacation.
At the AGM the Society elects an Honorary President, alongside up to eight Honorary Vice-Presidents and Honorary Life Members. Those elected are often respected public figures and persons who have done some service to the Society, although less serious joke candidates often also make it onto the ballot. From time to time these elections have generated some public controversy, most notably with the previous choices of Bobby Sands and Leopoldo Galtieri. The current Honorary President is former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
One of the honorary president's duties is to chair the Honorary President's Debate, held in February each year. If not chaired by the Honorary President, then the next highest ranking member of the Board (usually the President) will chair the debate.