Skip Rutledge

Skip Rutledge, Ph.D., serves as Professor of Communication, Chair of the Department of Communication Studies, and Director of Forensics (Speech and Debate Team) at Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU). With approximately 30 years of continuous service since 1990, he has established PLNU as the nation's top-ranked institution in the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA) for over two decades, securing five national championships in 14 years while competing against elite universities including UCLA and Berkeley.

Rutledge's research centers on parliamentary debate theory and pedagogy, with expertise in argumentation frameworks, presumption theory, value hierarchies, and ethical conduct in competitive debate. His scholarship bridges theoretical analysis with practical coaching methodologies, emphasizing novice debater development and faculty integration in forensics programs. This dual focus manifests in publications spanning rhetorical philosophy, debate judging criteria, and instructional guides for debate education.

Analysis of Rutledge's 11 documented publications (1985-2006) reveals a progressive scholarly trajectory from foundational theoretical work on presumption and value conflicts in the 1990s toward applied pedagogical research in the 2000s. His output consistently addresses core debate mechanics while increasingly prioritizing coach training and novice development, reflecting his hands-on leadership of PLNU's championship-winning program. The research demonstrates deep engagement with NPDA-specific practices while contributing broadly to forensic education methodology.

Rutledge has advised hundreds of students through the Speech and Debate Team, with graduates making significant community impacts nationwide. His program has earned hundreds of top sweepstakes awards and over half a dozen national championships, including multiple top speaker and two-person team honors. Beyond coaching, he has hosted major tournaments at PLNU and international instructional events in Italy, Mexico, England, and China while serving as President of the National Christian College Forensics Association (2009-2012).

The Forensics program under Rutledge's direction operates as a nationally dominant competitive unit within PLNU's Communication Studies framework. For over 20 years, it has maintained unprecedented success in the NPDA's year-round rankings through systematic training approaches documented in Rutledge's dissertation on coaching methodologies. The program's infrastructure supports both competitive excellence and pedagogical innovation, regularly hosting national championships and serving as a model for Christian college debate programs nationwide.