Minn. College Debates Handiest Academic

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. (AP) -- The nuclear war is over and you need to build a new civilization, so what sort of expert do you bring with you in your life raft? Biologist? Mathematician? Psychologist?

That's the topic of the second-annual Life Raft Debate at Inver Hills Community College.

It imagines that the survivors of a nuclear war need to set sail and rebuild society. Faculty members take turns advocating for the survival of their academic discipline to fill the last seat on the life raft.

The 2011 participants include the defending champion, mathematician Jim Leslie and a biologist, psychologist, English instructor and criminal justice teacher. There's also a devil's advocate to argue against them all.

The public is invited and gets to vote on which academic should be saved. The event is Oct. 11 on the Inver Hills campus.

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