PHOTO: DSR-TKA banquet at Wayne State University
Many people around the world have asked me how there can be a tournament that involves debate and other individual events. For a sample of such an event I offer the current invitation to the national tournament held by the forensic honorary society, Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha, a result of the merger in 1963 of two different forensic honorary societies. You can see that it is a busy weekend with a lot of things scheduled. It is a sample of how you can have many different events at one tournament.
For information about the tournament contact Joann Edwards at jedwards@olemiss.edu .
Here is the tournament invitation.
December 27, 2006
Dear Colleague:
You are invited to attend the 2006-2007 National Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha National Forensic Conference to be held at The University of Mississippi, March 15-17, 2007. This year’s conference will offer competition in NPDA Debate, L-D Debate, Student Congress, and all 11 AFA Individual events.
Please notice, the schedule accommodates a dedicated Student Congress Competition hosted by the Trent Lott Leadership Institute at the University of Mississippi. We are encouraging you to contact your Student Government Associations, Political Science, Public Policy, Model United Nations and Pre-law students and encourage them to participate. The Congress has an Early Registration on Wednesday evening, March 14 and the first General Session opens the competition at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 15. Each University or College can enter up to two teams of four. Each University or College can accrue DSR-TKA Overall Sweepstakes points by designating the team chosen to accrue the points for your institution. Regular tournament activities begin Thursday afternoon.
Dr. Charles Delancey, DSR-TKA Vice President and Student Congress Director has chosen “Immigration Reform” as the topic area. Please read the invitation carefully to note changes made in this year’s conference entry deadlines, entry allowances, etc. Please find enclosed explanations of all events offered during the conference, hotel information, awards information, and conference schedule.
We are looking forward to an exciting and competitive conference at the University of Mississippi, and we hope that you will plan to attend. Please feel free to contact us should you have any questions.
DSR-TKA National Conference and Tournament
Tournament Hotel
Downtown Oxford
Inn and Suites
400 North Lamar Boulevard
Oxford, MS 38655
Reservations: 800-606-1497 (please
Hotel: 662-234-3031
Rate: $79 for King and Doubles
Deadline for making reservations – February 14 – be sure to identify yourselves with DSR-TKA Speech and Debate
Hampton Inn
110 Heritage Drive
Oxford, MS 38655
662-232-2442
Rate $99 for Standard Double & $104 for King
Deadline for making reservations – March 1 – be sure to identify yourselves with DSR-TKA Speech and Debate
Alternate Hotels
Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites -236-2500
Comfort Inn – 234-6000
Days Inn – 234-9500
Events:
NPDA Parliamentary Debate, Team Debate, and NFA Lincoln Douglas Debate, will be offered as well as three conflict patterns of AFA Individuals Events: After Dinner Speaking, Communication Analysis, Dramatic Duo, Dramatic Interpretation, Extemporaneous Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, Informative Speaking, Persuasive Speaking, Poetry Interpretation, Program Oral Interpretation, and Prose Interpretation. Student Congress will also be offered.
Parliamentary Debate (NPDA):
Six preliminary rounds of NPDA will be followed by an appropriate number of elimination rounds as indicated by the NPDA by-laws. Unlimited entry in NPDA debate will be allowed, but only the top four teams will count for sweepstakes points. NPDA rules will be used in governing the parliamentary debate competition. TIME LIMITS ARE: PM – 7 min, all other constructive speeches – 8 min, Opposition Rebuttal – 4 min, and Government rebuttal – 5 min.
Tabulation and Elimination Rounds
All debate will be paired randomly for rounds 1&2, High/High for rounds 3 &5, and High/Low for rounds 4 & 6. At the end of the preliminary rounds, the top teams in each division of NPDA. Teams advance first on their win loss record, next on adjusted speaker points, and finally on the basis of their opposition record. Pairings in the elimination rounds will be on the basis of strength versus weakness. BRACKETS WILL NOT BE BROKEN in elimination rounds, and two teams from the same school will be scheduled to meet if the bracket dictates.
Lincoln Douglas Debate:
The topic to be used at the tournament is the current year’s NFA Lincoln Douglas Debate topic. Four preliminary rounds will be followed by an appropriate number of elimination rounds. Advancement will be first on a win/loss record, then by adjusted speaker points, and finally by quality of competition. Entry in L-D is unlimited, however only the top three competitors will count towards the sweepstakes awards. Tabulation will proceed as with the other types of debate. Time Limits are 1AC – 6 minutes, CX – 3min, 1NC – 7 min., CX – 3 min, 1AR – 6 min, NR – 6 min, 2AR – 3 min. Each Speaker has 4 minutes preparation time.
Individual Events – General:
The individual events offered are subject to the rules of the AFA National Individual Events Tournament. Complete event descriptions are available on request. Semi-finals and finals will follow two preliminary rounds with the top twelve advancing to semifinals and the top six to finals. If more than 40 students enter an event, that event will go to semifinals, in no case shall 50% or more of contestants in an event advance to elimination rounds. BRACKETS WILL NOT BE BROKEN IN THE SEMI-FINAL ROUNDS.
CONFLICT PATTERN A: CA PER PRO ADS DI
CONFLICT PATTERN B: EXT INF POE
CONFLICT PATTERN C: IMP POI DUO
If a student is participating in individual events only, a maximum of two events per pattern will be allowed. Students are responsible for making it to their rounds on time. No student may enter an event twice, although a student may enter a second Duo with another partner. Students entered in five events will be eligible for the pentathlon award. Schools may enter as many students as they wish in an event, however, only the top three entries per event will count toward sweepstakes awards.
Student Congress
Entries in Student Congress are limited to two teams of four students. Only one team will count toward Sweepstakes points. The contributing team must be designated at Student Congress Registration. Observers and alternates are welcome.
Topic Area: Immigration Reform
Committees: Border Security
Health and Welfare
Employment
Immigration Law and Enforcement
We will compile a Bill Book. To that end, all legislation is due with the entry. Entry deadline is Monday, March 12, 2007 by 5:00 p.m.
Entry Allowances
1.6 Individual Events (2 each pattern)
2.NPDA and LD
3.NPDA and B events only
4.LD and 4 individual events
Judging Obligations
All judges are expected to be available for the first elimination round of debate and one round beyond that in which their team is eliminated. Judges in individual events should expect to judge in all conflict patterns even if they have students entered in only one conflict pattern. One Judge Covers: 2 NPDA teams, 8 individual events slots, or 2 LD debate slots. Judges can cover partial entries in more than one event. (For instance, one judge could cover one NPDA debate team and 4 IE slots.) No judges are required for student congress.
Entry Deadlines
ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5:00 P.M. Central Time
Monday March 12, 2007
Please e-mail your entry to all three below:
Frank Thompson at fthompso@ua.edu
Mike Edmonds at medmonds@ColoradoCollege.edu
JoAnn Edwards at jedwards@olemiss.edu
Direct any questions concerning the tournament to JoAnn Edwards 662-915-3799
National Awards
•Student Speaker of the Year Award - Please consider nominating an outstanding student from your chapter for this award. The student nominated must be a senior. Nominations will be judged on the student’s academic accomplishments, forensic achievement, and community service. Nominations must include a vitae of activities and accomplishments, a letter or letters of recommendation, a brief statement from the student nominated, and a transcript of academic record. For additional information please refer to the DSR-TKA Constitution and bylaws. All nominations must be turned in no later than Noon on Friday, March 16, 2007. You can also mail your nominations and supporting material to
JoAnn Edwards
Lott Leadership Institute
P.O. Box 175, University, MS 38677
For more information, call JoAnn Edwards @ 662-915-3799.
Chapter Community Service/Outreach Award
In 1998, the DSR-TKA student officers felt it important to recognize the many contributions our chapter schools make in their local communities. Therefore, an award is now presented each year to a chapter(s) that has made unique and outstanding efforts in the area of community service. Chapter will be judged on assessment of community need, uniqueness, and overall effectiveness of their program. If your chapter would like to be considered for this recognition, please submit an essay explaining those accomplishments in this area of service. The essay, not to exceed 350 words, and any additional materials you feel would he helpful to the selection committee should be submitted at the Tournament Registration desk no later than Noon Friday, March 16, 2007.
Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Service Awards
We encourage you to nominate individuals for separate distinguished alumni and distinguished service awards. For the service award, you may nominate any individual who you feel has served the forensic community with merit. The alumni award nomination is limited to a former DSR-TKA member who has earned a career of distinction during their life. Nominations should be in writing and should contain a summary of why the individual is worthy of consideration of this award. Nominations are due by Noon March 14, 2007. Please submit your nominations to the chair of the distinguished alumni and service awards committee, Frank Thompson at fthompson@ua.edu.
Conference Awards for Competition
Appropriate awards will be presented in all conference events: all elimination rounds in debate, debate speaker awards, semi and finalists in individual events, and student congress. To be eligible for pentathlon awards in individual events students must be entered in five individual events. A sweepstakes award will be presented to the school with the best overall record; to be eligible for this award a school must be entered in at least two of the three areas of conference participation (Debate, Congress, Individual Events.) In debate, schools receive three points per preliminary win (counting only the top four teams in NPDA and the top three L-Ders). In congress a superior rating earns 18 points, while an excellent rating earns 12 points. In individual events only the top three students in an event may earn points. Points awarded will be 18 points for 1st place, 15 points for 2nd , 12 points for 3rd , 9 points for 4th , 6 points for 5th, and 3 points for 6th.
New Member Initiation
We will hold the model initiation prior to the banquet Saturday evening. Please see the enclosed Initiation Form. Initiation forms and initiation fees are due during the tournament registration.
Fees
•Fees for the conference are $70 per student and $50 per faculty member. These fees apply to Student Congress participants as well. One Student Congress Team of Four will have an entry fee of $240 associate with participation. These fees cover all of the costs of the tournament, including the Saturday night banquet and food for Student Congress, Thursday evening “working” dinner.
•An additional fee of $50 will be charged to non-member schools competing at the tournament.
•If a member school has not paid annual dues of $50 or has not initiated students in the last year, annual dues of $50 will be assessed on the entry. This will cover the cost of two initiates.
•Uncovered entries will be assessed the following fees: $10 per IE slot, $40 per L-D slot, and $50 per NPDA. Please try to cover as much of your entry as possible as there will be a great demand for judges. After the entry deadline, late entries may or may not be accepted, depending upon facility availability. Should your entry be accepted, there will be a nuisance fee of $60. Drops after the deadline of March 12, 2007 are: $20. for each IE dropped, $40 for each L-D dropped, $50 for each NPDA team dropped, $20 for each Congress drop and $60 for each judge dropped. Please remember that these nuisance fees are in addition to the original entry total.
ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5:00 P.M. Central Time
Monday, March 12, 2007
Please e-mail your entry to all three below:
Frank Thompson at fthompso@ua.edu
Mike Edmonds at medmonds@ColoradoCollege.edu
JoAnn Edwards at jedwards@olemiss.edu
CONFLICT PATTERN A: CA PER PRO ADS DI
CONFLICT PATTERN B: EXT INF POE
CONFLICT PATTERN C: IMP POI DUO
Entry Allowances
•6 Individual Events (2 each pattern)
•NPDA and B events only
•LD and 4 individual events
Fee Worksheet
_____ students @ $70. per student = _____
_____Faculty @ $50. per person= _____
_____Uncovered IE slots @ $10. each= _____
_____Uncovered L-D slots @ $40. each= _____
_____NPDA Debate teams @ $50. each= _____
$50 School fee for non members= _____
$50 Annual Membership Dues=
NUISANCE FEES : ALL DOUBLE AFTER MARCH 15
_____ Late registration @ $60. per school= _____
_____ Judges Dropped @ $60. each= _____
_____Debate teams dropped @ $50. each= _____
_____LD Slots dropped @ $40. each= _____
_____IE Slots dropped @ $20. each= _____
TOTAL FEES: __________
Tournament Schedule of Events
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
5:00 – 8:00
•National Student Congress Registration @ The Downtown Oxford Inn & Suites
•Meeting DSR-TKA National Committee
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Student Congress
7:00-8:00 Onsite Registration for Student Congress
8:00Student Congress Opening Assembly
8:30First Party Caucus
9:00General Assembly
9:30-11:30Second Party Caucus
11:30 Caucus Final Balloting and Committee Assignments
12:00-1:00Lunch (Committee Leadership setting agendas for meetings)
1:00-3:00Committee Meetings & Debate
3:00-3:30Preparation of Majority and Minority Reports
3:30 – 5:00Introduction of Bills, Majority/Minority Reports, Committee Balloting
5:00-6:00Dinner Break – (Speaker of the Assembly sets time limits)
6:30-9:30Full Session and Final Balloting
Friday March 16, 2007
8:00-9:00Debate/IE Conference Registration
8:00-10:00 Student Congress Distinguished Session
11:00DSR-TKA Student Membership Meeting/Election of Officers
11:00DSR-TKA Sponsor Meeting
11:30Student Congress Awards/Opening Assembly for Debate/IE
12:30Extemp Draw
1:00Round #1 Pattern B, LD Round #1
2:30Round #1 Pattern A, NPDA Round #1
4:00Round #1 Pattern C, NPDA Round # 2
5:30Extemp Draw
6:00Round #2 Pattern B, LD Round #2
7:30Round #2 Pattern A, NPDA Round # 3
9:00LD Round #3
Saturday March 17, 2007
8:00Round #2 Pattern C, NPDA Round # 4
9:30Extemp Draw
10:00Semis as needed Pattern A & B, LD Round #4
11:30-12:30Lunch
12:30NPDA Round #5
1:30LD Elims Start
2:00Finals of Remaining IE Events
3:30NPDA Round #6
5:00NPDA Elims Start
6:30New Student Initiation
7:00 Awards
7:30Banquet
