Committee Chair John Fritch called the meeting to order at 8:25 a.m., with Frank Harrison serving as Secretary and David Hingstman as Parliamentarian.

Members present in person or by proxy were: Becky Opsata, proxy for Greg Miller (District I); Glenn Frappier (District II); David Breshears, proxy for Joel Rollins (District III); David Hingstman, proxy for Heather Aidridge (District IV); Steve Mancuso, District V; Mike Hester, proxy for Ed Panetta (District VI); Brett O'Donnell, proxy for Mike Berry (Disrict VII); Dallas Perkins, proxy for Scott Thompson (District VIII); Doyle Srader (District Ix); Ken Strange (AFA East); Ross Smith (AFA South), and Heidi Hamilton (AFA Midwest).

Also present were the 1999 Tournament Host, George Ziegelmueller, and his associate Rod Phares, of Wayne State University, and the 2000 Tournament Host, Linda Collier, of University of Missouri, Kansas City.

By unanimous consent, the minutes of the Meeting of November 19, 1998 were amended to include the presence of David Damos, as proxy for District I, and Kelly McDonald, representing District II. MOVED by Perkins, second by Breshears, that the Minutes, as amended, be approved. CARRIED unanimously.

Fritch urged Members, and the participants in their districts, to be mindful of the dates for First and Second Round Applications, as set out in the Director's Newsletter, which was recently mailed to all subscribers. He recommended that district constitutions be retrieved and consulted to prevent claims by subscribers that the provisions were not being followed. He also offered to collect the constitutions and transmit them to his successor as Committee Chair.

The Chair reported that he has spoken with Tournament Director Donn Parson who, while prevented by illness from attending this meeting, hopes and expects to be present at the NDT. Fritch suggested, however, that the Committee consider the possibility that Parson might not have recovered sufficiently to travel to Detroit Discussion ensued. A consensus emerged that the Director's availability, by telephone, to his staff, the NDT Committee and the Tournament Advisory Committee, might well be sufficient for the administration of the tournament If the need to appoint an interim Director were to arise, the Committee could take such action at the NDT.

Fritch asked Mancuso, as Chair of the Bid Allocation Committee, to comment on this year's procedures. Mancuso reported that the number and identity of teams intending to participate in each district process must be reported to him by February 16th, and asked that this be done by email. This information will be used to calculate the number of bids allocated to each district Mancuso expects to be in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the first day of each of the two district tournament weekends. Any changes in the actual number of teams participating in the process should be reported to him there by email.

Ziegelmueller announced that difficulties experienced by some schools in obtaining reservations for double rooms at the tournament hotel, the Hyatt, have been resolved by his conversations with the hotel manager. He urged anyone still encountering problems with the hotel to contact him.

No banquet speaker has yet been finalized, but discussions are continuing.

He urged anyone desiring to make van reservations do so as soon as possible, and pointed out that large and small vans are still available for rental from McDonald's at the Detroit airport The hotel is approximately 15 to 20 minutes drive from the airport, and the campus a similar drive from the hotel along the same freeway.

As to computer access, he reported: (1) Data ports will be available in each room at the hotel. (2) Two computer labs will be available on campus, providing access to Academic Universe. (Phares added that Lexus-Nexus can also be accessed through the Worldwide Web.) One computer has 30 Dell computers and the other (which will not be available for three hours on Sunday) has 30 Macs. Each has a single printer which can be used without charge. Other printers will be available nearby, but will require payment by card, which can be purchased in several locations. (These cards can also be used to operate photocopy machines on campus. The cost will be 10 cents per page to photocopy and 7.5 cents per page to print) A nearby area will be available for the use of private printers, but it has no phone connections.

All meals will be provided except dinner on Friday and Saturday and lunch on Monday.

Debates will be held in two adjacent buildings. The headquarters building will be approximately 1/3 block away.

Parson's report was submitted in writing, and is attached to these minutes.

O'Donnell, as a Member of the Board, reported on its behalf.

The Board intends to establish two ad hoc committees: one to deal with compliance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the other to discuss rules for access to the NDT archives. He announced that the Board had designated the University of Missouri, Kansas City, as the site for the 2000 NDT and requested the Committee's concurrence in that decision.

At the request of the Chair, Collier then discussed plans for the 2000 NDT:

CEDA Nationals will be held, the preceding weekend, at Johnson County Community College, in Overland Park, Kansas, and this will afford the opportunity for teams to attend both tournaments, either staying in one location or with very little travel between them.

There are various possibilities for a Host Hotel in Kansas City, and she has already determined that the Crowne Plaza would be available for this purpose.

There will be computer labs available in the debate buildings(s), but printing problems may be the same as at Wayne. Private laptops and printers can be set up in a workroom next door to the labs.

UMKC is working on additional funding to cover participant meals and publicity for the tournament

MOVED by Smith, second by Mancuso, to approve UMKC as site of the 2000 NDT. CARRIED unanimously.

Fritch then announced that he had appointed Collier as Host of the 2000 NDT and requested the approval of the Committee. MOVED by Smith, second by O'Donnell, to approve the appointment CARRIED unanimously.

There was no report. Discussion pointed out that this year's reports have been published on time, but that the present Director is not willing to accept reappointment and a successor must be found by next year.

Amendments to the Standing Rules for the Ooeration of the NDT.

Mancuso reported that he had consulted with the Committee Chair in an effort to "clean up" the Standing Rules so as to bring them into conformity with present practice. For this purpose, he offered a series of motions.

MOVED by Smith, second by Mancuso to amend Rule III, C, 1, b (1) and c (1) by substituting "12" for "20" with respect to the number of rounds required for qualification to judge at the tournament so as to bring this provision into conformity with Rule III, A (qualification of Judges). CARRIED unanimously.

MOVED by Mancuso, second by Hester, to strike Rule III, I ("Normative Standards," with respect to the reading of evidence by judges and communication by partners during cross-examination periods and speeches). CARRIED by voice vote with one dissent

MOVED by Mancuso, second by Breshears, to strike Rule IVA~2 ("Each second of the 92 minutes following the announced time for the beginning of the debate must be charged to one team or the other as speaking or alternative use time.") CARRIED unanimously.

MOVED by Mancuso, second by Perkins, to strike Rule IV~A.3. ("Timekeeper procedures.") CARRIED unanimously.

MOVED by Mancuso, second by Strange, to amend Rule IV.B by striking subsection 1 ("Round-by-round schedules shall be prominently displayed on the Big Board.") and deleting the number "2" before the remainder of the section. CARRIED unanimously.

MOVED by Mancuso, second by Perkins, to amend Rule IV.E.3, relating to the publication of written critiques by judges in the final round "in the appropriate AFA serial" to read "on the NDT webpage" CARRIED unanimously.

MOVED by Mancuso, second by Breshears, to strike Rule IV.F.3. ("Topicality.") FAILED on a vote of six-to-six. Voting in the affirmative: Opsata, Frappier, Breshears, Mancuso, Hester and Srader. Voting in the negative: Hingstman, O'Donnell, Perkins, Strange, Smith and Hamilton.

MOVED by Mancuso, second by Hamilton, to strike RULE Iv.F.3.b. ("The standard for evaluation of topicality at the National Debate Tournament is that definition which obtains ((enjoys)) superior analytical and evidential support drawn from the ((relevant)) subject matter area((s)) as introduced in the round of debate.") CARRIED unanimously.

MOVED by Mancuso, second by Strange, to strike Rule V.B.1.b ("At registration coaches of each team shall be given a list of all judges at the National Tournament They may indicate with an "X" up to six (6) judges that they wish to be placed on a strike list for their team.") and substitute: "A form of mutual preference judging shall be used." CARRIED unanimously.

Discussion arose concerning Rule V.D.2. ("Assignment of Elimination Round Judges. Preliminary procedures.") The sense of the Committee was that the present practice seems to be a "60/30" ratio for "approval/disapproval" of elimination round judges rather than the "40/20" ratio provided in the Rule. Recognizing the need for Director's discretion in this regard, the Committee came to a consensus requesting the Director to consider whether the ratio could be returned to that expressed in the Rule.

MOVED by Mancuso, second by Srader, to strike "[w]ithout consultation" at the beginning of the second sentence of Rule V.D.4.a. The entire sentence would then read: "He or she will approve at least eight of the judges." CARRIED unanimously.

MOVED by Mancuso, second by Smith, to strike Rule V.B.2 f and g. ("Assignment of Judges. f. A judge shall not judge a team from his or her own district g. A judge shall not be assigned to a panel which has a previously assigned judge from his or her district") CARRIED unanimously.

MOVED by Mancuso, second by O'Donnell, to amend Rule VIII ("Topic Selection") by substituting "topic area" for "final" ballot in initial "2" (now to read "The topic area ballot announcement date is no later than May 1.") and "June 1" for "May 1" in the last sentence of the initial section. (To read: "If the topic release dates and the final ballot announcement dates above are not met and if CEDA releases their problem by June 1, then the NDT Topic Committee shall draft topics consistent with that area.") CARRIED unanimously.

Hester initiated a discussion as to the desirability of changing the definition of "Fall" ad "Spring" time blocks so as to move late December "swing" tournaments (such as USC) into the Spring "block." He acknowledged the difficulty presented by the American Forensic Association's Code of Standards, which establishes "time blocks" as "July-December" and "January4une." It was pointed out that the NDT Charter requires the NDT to operate in a manner consistent with the AFA Code.

MOVED by Strange, second by Mancuso, that the Chair appoint a committee to consider proposals for specific changes in the AFA Code, including alteration of the eligibility blocks, to be submitted to the AFA at its next annual meeting in November, 1999. CARRIED unanimously. The Chair subsequently appointed a committee consisting of Hester (Chair), David Kingston (UMKC) and himself.

MOVED by Strange, second by Smith, that the Chair appoint a Committee to review the process by which the AFA Code may be revised. If the Committee finds this process inadequate, it should present a resolution to the NDT Committee at the Wayne State meeting - to be presented to the AFA at its next annual meeting in November - calling for the creation of a committee representative of all forensic organizations to propose changes to the Code. CARRIED unanimously. The Chair subsequently appointed a committee of O'Donnell (Chair), Strange and Ziegelmueller. Collier noted that she was a member of the relevant AFA Standing Committee (Educational Development and Practices), and that she would be happy to work with the NDT Committee on this issue.

"Prep time" before the octa-final round

Moved by Mancuso, second by Hester, to express the sense of the Committee, as a recommendation to the Tournament Director, that a one hour preparation period be allowed between the time when strike cards are due and the beginning of the octa-final round. CARRIED unanimously.

Transcription of the Final Round

MOVED by O'Donnell, second by Hester, that the Committee request the Board of Trustees to charge the Tournament Host with the responsibility of videotaping the Final Round and that the Board provide adequate funds for transcription of the videotape. CARRIED unanimously.

Mancuso requested that a message be posted to the "debate listserve" asking for the submission of ideas relating to the transcription of the Final Round.

"Breaking Brackets"

MOVED by Smith, second by Mancuso, that Rule V.C.2 be amended by inserting the following at the end: "Should this procedure result in a pairing (or pairings) of teams from the same school, the brackets shall be adjusted according to a procedure announced by the Tournament Director in advance of the tournament" Section 3 and subsection 3.a would be stricken, and subsection 3.b renumbered as section 3.

MOVED BY O'Donnell, second by Breshears to table the motion. CARRIED unanimously.

"Side equalization"

Smith advised the Committee that a side equalization proposal will be made at the Wayne State meeting.

The meeting adjourned, by unanimous consent, at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Respectfully submitted, Frank Harrison, Secretary