Minutes of the March 26,1993
National Debate Tournament Committee
Minutes of the March 26,1993 |
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The meeting was held at the NDT at the University of Northern Iowa.
Al Louden, Presiding
Members Present:
John Bart, Augustana, District IV
Becky Bjork, Utah, District IX
Cori Dauber, Dist. VI
Warren Decker, GMU, Dist. VII
Rich Edwards, Baylor, Dist. III
Robert Gass, CSU-Fullerton, Dist I
Ed Grinder, St. Vincent's, AFA Eastern
Dallas Perkins, Harvard, Dist VIII
Frank Harrison, Trinity, AFA Southern
David Hingstman, AFA Midwestern
Allan Louden, Wake Forest, Chair
Steve Mancuso, Michigan, Dist V
Donn Parson, Kansas, Tourn. Dir.
Sharon Porter, NAU, AFA Western
David Snowball, Augustana, Dist. V
Chair Al Louden called the committee to order at 1:16 P.M.
I. Louden began by thanking those who have contributed to the work of the committee throughout the year.
II. Reminder: functioning advisory committees during the NDT
Appeals Committee: Edwards (Chair), Harrison, Dauber, Snowball, Mancuso
Tournament Procedure Advisory Committee: Gass (Chair), Bart, Hall
Dallas Perkins explained that he would be replacing Hall as the District VIII representative (at Hall's request and at the district request).
III. Report of the NDT Host-Bill Henderson
Louden thanked Henderson for his extensive tournament preparation and introduced him for the report of the tournament host. Henderson thanked his administrators and colleagues for support for hosting functions. Henderson overviewed tournament preparations involving local transportation for the tab room, meal functions, and other matters. Bjork moved that the Committee thank Henderson for the excellent job in preparing for the tournament as host.
IV. NDT Board of Trustees Report-Tim Hynes, Chair
Hynes began with a discussion of financial matters; he predicted that the tournament would almost break even. The income was lower as a result of having 78 instead of 74 teams, and 113 subscriptions instead of the 130 budgeted. Compensating factors were increased in the contribution of the Ford Foundation to $5000 and the inclusion in the budget of a contingency fund. Hynes announced the dates for Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, March 18-21, 1994 at the University of Louisville. The final rounds will be on Monday at the tournament hotel. Hynes announced an official invitation for March 31- April 3, 1995 from West Georgia College; the invitation was accepted at the March 26, 1993 meeting of the Board of Trustees. Keele explained that the NDT has now purchased a computer for use in the tab room. Perkins asked whether the budget adopted by the Board of Trustees would be available for distribution; Hynes explained that the Budget document has not been officially revised since the Northwestern meeting, but he said that the Northwestern meeting budget is available to Committee members.
V. Ranking Director's Report
Muir explained that he has received only a few yellow sheets from schools indicating where the ranking report might be sent; he encouraged members to send in these forms. Muir discussed a problem with some tournaments using an odd number of rounds; the system is now oriented to even numbers of rounds. The suggestions of the Committee indicated that Muir should use his own judgement as director in such matters.
Ziegelmueller asked whether it would be possible to do novice rankings. Muir explained that this would increase the difficulty of maintaining the ranking system. He asked that the decision about adding the novice system be deferred to the UNI tournament next fall.
Muir moved to amend the NDT ranking procedures, Section IV A, as follows:
"Omit 'Rankings will be published every 8 weeks, starting November 1 and continuing until after the NDT.' Substitute the following: 'Rankings will be published three times a year: mid November and early February, concurrent with major national tournaments, and after the NDT.' Rationale: Releasing rankings three times a year is still enough for publicity purposes. Flexibility to release rankings at Wake Forest and Northwestern will cut mailing costs and allow more direct interaction between the ranking director and the debate community."
Dauber seconded; the motion passed unanimously.
VI. NDT Tournament Director's Report- Donn Parson
Parson explained that two research projects have been proposed for the tournament. The first project involves a survey of judges concerning such matters as the use of evidence; the survey would be distributed with the ballots in the first two rounds. The second project, proposed by Star Muir involves an examination of the judging philosophies; the survey asks what the judge reaction is to the new judging philosophy questionnaire. Grinder moved that these two studies be allowed; Dauber seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Grinder asked how the pairing system id being done in presets. Parson explained that it is a minimum variance system with only two constraints: no meeting of the same teams or the same district. The skew from minimum variance is only 4 in the worst case.
OLD BUSINESS:
Topic Selection Committee Report-John Bart (Chair), Amy Fugate, David Hingstman, Steve Mancuso, and George Ziegelmueller.
Bart presented a two page written report. Bart explained that he had not received very much feedback in response to his request by mail for input other than a few suggestion for process changes. Bart moved the portion of the report which would forward to the Council on Forensic Organizations by way of the President of the American Forensic Organizations by way of the President of the American Forensic Association the broad suggestions for change in the topic selection process. Gringer seconded. Grinder asked where the substantive changes, if adopted, would fit in the Standing Rules. Bart explained that this would be Standing Rule 8 (leaving the amendment procedure for Standing Rule 9). Dauber asked what has been done to be sensitive to the perception of this change in other forensic organizations. Bart explained that he had received some comment about concern in this regard (which led to the amendment regarding procedure). Dauber asked why Phi Rho Pi would have a representative on the topic committee whereas other organizations would not; Bart explained that this organization represents large numbers of community colleges who are doing policy debate.
Louden asked about the rationale for the motion. Bart explained that the motion would involve the NDT Committee suggesting the change to the AFA President to guide the process for change in cooperation with other forensic organizations. The passage of the motion would cause other groups to be notified the the NDT Committee would like a reform of the topic selection process along the model suggested. The motion would defer any change until we could discover the reactions of the other forensics organizations.
A question was raised about the representation on the Council of Forensic Organizations. Louden explained that NDT is not directly represented on the Council of Forensic Organizations, but the AFA appoints two representatives to that body. He said that the AFA has typically appointed one person representing debate e and the other representing individual events.
Gass indicated that he had concerns about the language of the procedural motion; the language of this motion would not be persuasive in that it casts blame for past problems rather than to point to the commonality in the search for good topics. Perkins responded that the criticism contained in the document relate to structure and procedure, which should not be taken as criticism directed at the past members of the topic committee. Bart explained that he wrote the language of the motion from the position of being a six-year member of the topic committee; he indicated that the frustrations expressed were commonly shared among members of the committee. Muir said that the member of the NDT Committee who makes the presentation to the Council on Forensic Organizations would need a rationale for change, either oral or written. Zieglemueller urged that the rationale involve some positive perspectives. Grinder indicated that the motion on the floor could be passed without being locked into the particular rationale for change as listed on the amendment sheet. The only action taken would be to refer the change through the AFA to the Council on Forensic Organizations. Grinder indicated that he has had a conversation with AFA President Dale Herbeck on these matters; he feels that Herbeck is sensitive to the problem and he (Grinder) predicted that Herbeck could be helpful in getting a resolution of the problem through other forensic organizations. Ziegelmueller explained that the Council on Forensic Organizations was created at the least developmental conference and is designed to deal with precisely these sorts of issues. The Council might or might not wish to get involved in the question, but that the appropriate place to begin would be to go through the Council.
Keele raised some questions about financial issues associated with this change. Estimates of how much the process would cost the NDT (if it directed the topic process) ranged from 300-400 hundred dollars to one thousand dollars per year. Perkins indicated that authors of topic papers are typically paid $200 per paper. Muir indicted money should be made available from some sources for the support of the process.
Muir expressed reservations having the Policy Caucus being the organizing body for the topic process given that the Policy Caucus currently lacks the organizational structure that the NDT Committee has. He wonders how the appointment of topic committee members would proceed if the Policy Caucus were in charge; would the chair of the Caucus appoint the members? Ziegelmueller explained that the Caucus is a new organization and it might well wish to take on new functions such as the topic process. Grinder called the question. Gass questioned whether the amendment included just the active statement or the rationale as well. Louden said that it wouldn't include the rationale. The previous question received two-thirds support. The vote on the amendment was eight for, one against.
Decker suggested that the completed proposal should not go to the Council on Forensic Organizations because it would make it seem that the NDT has already decided how that process should be organized; it might be better to have the document waiting in the event that the Council on Forensic Organizations decided that the NDT should organize a new process. Harrison suggested that the presentation should be an oral one made by Bart; given that, we do not need to establish a full rationale. Madsen suggested that the rationale could be amended to include a mention of Phi Rho Pi and that the main motion be put more into narrative form. Perkins agreed with this suggestion and urged that some one present a general proposal to the Council on Forensic Organizations. Muir agreed with recasting the proposal into a generalized narrative rather than a completed outline; this would allow some present vagueness about the listing of the policy caucus or the NDT Committee.
Louden suggested that we take a ten minute break, come back and select a person to bring the proposal forward.
Back from break at 3:13 P.M. Bart suggested that the documents be sent to the Topic Selection Committee (as appointed at the Northwestern NDT) with the addition of Madsen as an additional member of the Committee. The Committee would send the document on after completing a narrative wording. The motion passed unanimously.
NEW BUSINESS:
Replacement of Hall as member of the Tournament Procedures Committee:
Louden appointed Warren Decker to replace Hall.
New Members Selected to Represent Districts
A motion by Cori Dauber: Thank you to Al Louden for his effective work as the NDT Chair (passed unanimously).
New Officers
President: Gass moved that nomination of Frank Harrison; there were no other nominations.
Frank Harrison was elected as the NDT Chair.
Secretary: Harrison moved that nomination of Grinder; there were no other nominations.
Brother Ed Grinder was elected as the NDT Secretary.
Parliamentarian: Bjork nominated Madsen as Parliamentarian; Bart seconded; there were no other nominations;
Arnie Madsen was elected as the Parliamentarian.