Minutes of the November 18, 1994
National Debate Tournament Committee
Minutes of the November 18, 1994 |
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Note: The following minutes at times refer to attachments which are unavailable in electronic form.
The meeting was held at the Speech Communication Association convention in New Orleans, LA.
Committee Chair Frank Harrison called the meeting to order at 12:10 pm. Brett O'Donnell serving as Secretary. Arnie Madsen serving as Parliamentarian.
Present: Backus for District Three, Hingstman (proxy for Palczewski) for District Four, Hinsk for District Five, Patterson for District Six, O'Donnell for District Seven, Perkins for District Eight, Bjork (proxy for Pickering) for District Nine, Katsulas as AFA Eastern Representative, Panetta as AFA Southern Representative, Hingstman as AFA Central Representative, and Southworth as AFA Western Representative.
Minutes
The minutes from the Louisville NDT committee were approved without objection.
Informal minutes from the UNI meeting were discussed.
Report of the chair (Harrison)
It was announced that the NDT Committee must have district constitutions in its possession. All but District Eight have been accounted for.
The Chair announced that the top twenty speakers at the NDT will receive a tangible speaker's award at the National Debate Tournament.
Discussion of the request for assistance in submitting a panel for the Central States Speech Convention will be deferred to the New Business section of the agenda.
Report of the host of the 1996 NDT (Louden)
Alan Louden reported that the 1996 NDT hotel will be the downtown hotel that was previously used for the regular Wake Forest Tournament.
Report of the Board of Trustees (Henderson)
It was announced that speakers eleven through twenty will receive the same award as speakers six through ten at the National Debate Tournament.
The Board of Trustees requested that the NDT Committee develop a system to ensure that all participants in the National Debate Tournament have housing.
Henderson proposed that a "NDT at Fifty Years" publication be put together for next year's national tournament. This suggestion was discussed, but no action was taken.
Henderson announced that the Board would meet again at the SCA convention on Sunday morning at 8:30 am.
REPORT OF THE 1995 TOURNAMENT HOST (Gibson)
The host alerted the committee of the developing housing problem. Only 155 rooms are available. There are no other alternatives in the host cite area. The next available housing is ten to twelve miles from the tournament location. Gibson suggested a two room per team limit. The committee discussed this issue in compliance with the directive from the NDT Board of Trustees.
Southworth moved that Chester Gibson be given the power to limit each school qualifying to the NDT tot two rooms per qualifying team. Hinck seconded. Perkins questioned the number of complimentary rooms provided to the tournament. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote.
Gibson announced that Lexis connections will be available. Approximately twenty-five lines will be established.
Gibson reported that the tournament hospitality will be like that of the previous West Georgia College NDT and that District Six will be providing complimentary drinks at the Ramada Hotel bar.
REPORT OF THE TOPIC SELECTION COMMITTEE (Hingstman)
Hingstman announced the composition of the Topic Selection committee: Fugate is Phi Rho Pi Representative, Doctader for Districts One and Nine, Leeper for Districts three and Four, Solt for Districts Five and Six, Katsulas for Districts Seven and Eight, and Hingstman is the Chair.
A discussion of the term of service occurred. The committee clarified that members selected on an odd year will have one year terms--Doxtader, Solt, and Fugate ending in 1995. Hingstman will notify the districts and members concerning when their terms expire.
Hingstman reported on the UNI topic survey and meeting. Fourteen topics were suggested. The topic committee will prepare materials for topic paper guidance. Ten of the fourteen topic areas will have paper updates or new papers prepared.
Hingstman raised the issue of student participation in the topic selection process. This issue was discussed at the Northwestern topic meeting. It was suggested that students have some input or vote on topic selection. The Topic Committee decided to ask the NDT Committee discuss how students can provide input. A lengthy discussion of possible alternatives followed.
A list of the topic area paper authors was announced (see attached).
Hingstman announced that the NDT Listserve will be used to post topic updates (affirmative and negative ground for topics will be posted by January) and to receive input from the debate community.
The Topic Selection Committee will meet next at the Wake Forest University Tournament.
Hingstman noted the problem of when the topic selection rotation begins (Rule VIII.C1). Southworth moved Hingstman's motion which reads as follows:
The first four-year period will begin with the debate topic selected for the 1995-1996 school year. Topics will be designated as foreign policy, domestic policy, and legal-constitutional policy on the topic selection ballot.
Seconded. The chair called the question and the motion passed unanimously by voice vote.
Hingstman raised the issue of the topic cycle. He questioned if the cycle was a distinct four-year cycle or if was perpetual. Southworth moved the following change to Rule VIII.C.1:
The four-year topic cycle is to be continuous by reviewing the immediately previous topics beginning with the 1995-96 topic.
Seconded. The chair called the question and the motion passed unanimously by voice vote.
Madsen clarified that these changes must be written into the standing rules of the NDT.
Hingstman moved the following:
Students should be permitted to choose the five topic areas to appear on the final topic ballot at a major February tournament. (amend the standing rules section VIII.C)
Perkins seconded. A lengthy floor debate followed concerning the problems with the motion. Hingstman withdrew the motion. Bjork moved the following:
The Topic Selection Committee establish a procedure whereby a student representative tot he Topic Selection Committee be elected.
Seconded. A discussion followed. One problem cited was the students's ability to attend the meetings. Potential solutions were discussed. Perkins suggested that the Topic Selection Committee not hold their meetings during debate rounds. The question was called and the motion passed unanimously by voice vote.
REPORT OF THE NDT TREASURER (Keele)
Keele reported on NDT subscriptions. She noted that they were slightly down from last year at this time and asked for assistance in obtaining subscriptions.
REPORT OF THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR (Parson)
Parson summarized the results of the NDT evaluation survey (see attached memo).
The issue of pulling up teams was discussed. Perkins moved to advise the Tournament Director not to pull up teams more than once. Bjork seconded. The Tournament Director accepted the advisement. No change in the standing rules was moved.
The chair raised the issue of judge selection in the elimination rounds of the NDT.
Hingstman moved that the dates on Parson's August 26, 1994 motion for bid submissions be approved. Katsulas seconded. The motion passed unanimously. The dates in Parson's memo are as follows:
First Round At Large Bids
| Postmarked by: | February 14, 1995 |
| Must be received by: | February 15, 1995 |
| Committee calls to Director: | February 17-18, 1995 |
| Director announces: | February 19, 1995 |
WRITTEN STATEMENT OF INTENT TO ENTER THE DISTRICT TOURNAMENT FOR EACH TEAM DUE TO THE DISTRICT CHAIR: February 15, 1995
Second Round At Large Bids
| Postmarked by: | March 7, 1995 |
| Must be received by: | March 8, 1995 |
| Committee calls to Director: | March 10-11, 1995 |
| Director announces: | March 11, 1995 11 pm |
The chair raised the issue of having a deadline for districts to declare whether or not they will have a district tournament. Perkins moved that districts declare whether or not they will have district tournament by February 21 to John Katsulas. Seconded. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote.
Perkins moved that the geographic constraint (Rule V.B.2.f) be dropped from the scheduling of the octfinal elimination round until the conclusion of the tournament (requires changing Rule V.D.1). Patterson seconded. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote.
O'Donnell noted the problem with the district's intent declaration date being after a team's declaration date to attend its district tournament. A team must declare before it knows if its district tournament. A team must declare before it knows if its district will be having a tournament. The forty percent rule for ranking might influence decisions (The qualifications for a team to be ranked or to attend a tournament are different. The number of teams declaring that they intended to attend a tournament or to be ranked might be different which would change the number of bids a district receives.). However, other committee members argued that having the district's declaration date before the team's makes it difficult for a district to decide if it will have a tournament because the district will not know the number of teams that will attend the tournament. The coordination of the district and team declaration dates may affect the allocation of the district bids.
Hingstman moved that the written statement of intent for a team to declare whether or not it will attend its district tournament be changed from February 15 to February 20. O'Donnell seconded. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote.
O'Donnell moved that the date for districts to declare whether or not they will hold a district tournament be changed from February 21 to February 20. Perkins seconded. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote.
Parson raised the problem of an odd number of teams qualifying to the NDT.
NEW BUSINESS
The chair called the committee's attention to the Greenstreet memo on the Central States Speech Convention (see attached memo). Perkins moved that the chair appoint a representative to the Central States Speech Convention panel. Bjork seconded. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote.
The chair appointed Ed Hinck from District Five to represent the NDT on the Central States Convention panel. Hinck accepted the appointment.
The committee recessed for ten minutes.
Panetta moved that ballots for topic selection be sealed until July 15. On July 15 the ballots should be opened, counted, and released. (Change Rule VIII.A.3.e) Hinck seconded. The motion passed by at least a 2/3 majority. The division of the house was unaccounted for.
Mike Berry commented on the problem of securing judge philosophy forms for the NDT. He suggested a due date for philosophies of March 17 and a fine system for failure to comply.
Southworth moved the following:
A twenty-five dollar fine will be imposed on institutions whose judges do not provide judge philosophy forms received one week before the start of registration for the NDT to the Tournament Director's appointee. These judges must still provide a judge philosophy form to the tournament by the start of the NDT. (amend Rule III.G.2)
Katsulas seconded. Passed by a roll call vote of 10-2-1. Division of the house as follows: Ayes: Backus for District Three, Hingstman for District Four, Patterson for District Sic, O'Donnell for District Seven, Bjork for District Nine, Katsulas as AFA Eastern Representative, Panetta as AFA Southern Representative, Hingstman as AFA Central Representative, Southworth as AFA Western Representative, and Harrison as Chair. Nays: Hinck for District Five and Perkins for District VIII. Abstention: Parson as Tournament Director.
Southworth encouraged districts to discuss opening the NDT. He asked that specific information on the number of teams be gathered and proposals for opening the tournament be formulated.
The Chair announced the time blocks for NDT subcommittees to meet.
Hingstman announced that the Topic Selection Committee would meet at 2:30 pm on Sunday during the SCA.
The Chair announced that the next meeting for the NDT Committee would be at the Wake Forest University Tournament during rounds five six, if possible.
THE COMMITTEE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 2:55 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Brett O'Donnell
Secretary