Raymond Zeuschner Retires

Interim Director of the Cal Poly International Center and former Communication Studies Department faculty member, Raymond (Bud) Zeuschner, retired in July. 

Zeuschner joined the Cal Poly faculty in June 1980 as associate professor in the Communication Studies Department and director of Forensics (the Cal Poly debate and competitive speech team). 
Under his leadership, the Cal Poly Forensics team won several state, regional and national awards, including the National Debate Championship from Pi Kappa Delta in 1983. Zeuschner’s interest in debate expanded beyond Cal Poly to a national level. He was elected president of the national debate honor society, Phi Rho Pi, and served two terms as the national president of the Cross Examination Debate Association.

In addition to numerous convention papers, presentations and journal articles, Zeuschner published five books on argumentation and debate, public speaking and introduction to communication studies.

During his time at Cal Poly, Zeuschner also served as the Communication Studies Department chair twice and was elected to the Academic Senate on three occasions. He served on the Campus Long-Range Planning Committee and chaired the Program Review Committee whose work resulted in Cal Poly's current six-college configuration.  

Additionally, Zeuschner was the resident director of the Cal Poly London Studies Program three different years and served on the International Education and Programs Advisory Committee. This passion for international studies led to his final position at Cal Poly, serving as as interim director of the International Center, 2010-13.

The college extends its warm wishes for a happy retirement.