Jay Busse

Office of the President
Nov. 15, 2019

Dear LMU Community:

I am saddened to share that Jay Busse, retired associate professor of communications studies, died on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019. He was 72 years old.

Associate Professor Busse led the debate program for nearly all of his 46-year career at LMU, and guided his students to national prominence: LMU teams won the North American Universities Debate Championship (2014); the Oxford Debate Championship (in 2013); the U.S. National Open debating competition, with more than 50 teams from 18 top-ranked universities (in 2012); the U.S. Universities Debate Championship (in 2008); and the 1989 Lincoln Douglas Debate Championship. In 2009, the LMU debate team placed ninth among 316 international colleges and universities at the World Universities Debating Championships, the highest finish in that competition in LMU debating history. Over the years, Associate Professor Busse’s debate squads also won myriad regional, national, and international awards.

Associate Professor Busse hosted nationally recognized high school tournaments at LMU for more than two decades, developed the Urban Debate League on the West Coast, and was a pioneer in the development of the U.S. Universities Debate Championship and Parliamentary Debate.

Associate Professor Busse began his career at LMU with an appointment as a lecturer with Loyola University in 1969. In 1973, he was appointed to a tenure track assistant professor position in communication studies and was granted tenure in 1977. He was promoted to associate professor in 1990 and served as acting chair of the Communication Studies Department in 2008. He taught and coached argumentation skills, among other courses, to undergraduate and graduate students.

He earned his M.A. at California State University, Northridge, and his B.A. at California State University, Fullerton.
Funeral services are pending and will be announced soon.

Please keep Jay and his wife, Barbara, retired professor and former dean of LMU’s College of Communications and Fine Arts, in your thoughts and prayers.

Sincerely,

Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D.
President