KCAD State Debate Tournament Feb 3-4, 2017

KENDALL COLLEGE OF ART AND

DESIGN INVITE YOU TO THE DEBATE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES:

February 3-4, 2017: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

We would like to invite your policy debate program to the Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD) at Ferris State Championship series. We are grateful KCAD has extended their invitation to us again this year.

We offer a tournament designed to provide fine competition and outstanding hospitality with a focus on kindness and competition. Our vision for a state tournament offers time for students to mingle with other students, time for coaches to spend time with each other, and a dinner reception to reflect and celebrate our community. All rounds and events will be located at KCAD’s Campus in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. Registration will occur at 17 Pearl Street with debates throughout their campus.

We are committed to helping create opportunities for civic engagement in Michigan, and increasing participation in high school policy debate is one of our goals. We are committed to creating a structure to the tournament so as to ensure a relatively fair allocation of resources, student population, coaching preferences, and/or experience.

Divisions

We are offering one open division with varsity and junior varsity break-out rounds and one novice division. All divisions will run Friday and Saturday. A school will be able to enter two squad units in each division.

Teams

This is not a typical 2 person event. Our philosophy celebrates being able to enter a tournament as an entire school with a few modifications.

In each division, a school will have a maximum of two squads. These squads will correspond to the school’s colors. For instance, if the school East South Hampton entered and their school colors are red and blue, then there will be a East South Hampton Red and East South Hampton Blue. A school must choose which students will represent one color (in the example Red) and which will represent the other color (in the example Blue). A roster of who is debating on which squad must be entered at a date to be set prior to the tournament. Students may NOT substitute between colors – once a roster is set students cannot move between colors. Students may be switched within the roster of each color without limitation between rounds. Should both squads from a school qualify for elimination rounds, they shall merge and take on the better seed. In this situation, students from either squad could compete in the elimination rounds. This also means that all lower seeds would improve by one and that another squad would advance to the elims.

A school may choose to enter as one school with one team (East South Hampton) and may substitute debaters without limitation between rounds.

Fees

The only cost to you is a per person cost. A $25 per person fee will be administered to all individuals including judges, coaches, parents, and students to cover costs of food and hospitality. For example: a team of two students traveling with one coach will cost $75. This will provide dinner Friday night plus a light continental breakfast and lunch on Saturday. Checks should be made payable to: Ellen Zwarensteyn or East Kentwood High School Debate.

Judges may be available to hire on a first-come, first-come basis. Judges are charged at $150 a piece (for commitment). If you need to hire a judge, please contact us by January 13, 2017 if you are in need of a hired judge.

Tournament Structure and Schedule

Friday 2/3

12:00pm Registration Opens *Lunch on own

1:00pm Opening Reception

2:00pm Round 1

4:00pm Round II

6:00pm Dinner and Community Awards

7:00pm Round III

Saturday 2/4

8:30am Pairings and Refreshments

9:00am Round IV

11:30 Round V

1:00 Lunch and Awards

2:30 Elimination Round I *number of teams entered dependent

4:45 Elimination Round II *number of teams entered dependent

**Details for registration location will be sent by email prior to the tournament.

Judging

Each school must supply ½ judge per squad entered in the tournament – a team entering two squads in a division may supply one full judge. There will be 1 judge per preliminary round and 3 judges per elimination round. All judges are obligated for all elimination rounds – we will release judges as soon as possible, however. That is, we will create panels for all possible final round pairings during the semi-finals and release those judges that cannot judge any final round combination.

Each judge must sign a statement of ethics and responsibility regarding conduct, language and intent. This, combined with a judge philosophy (which shall include the number of rounds judged on the topic), will certify a judge for the tournament. Should any judge behave in a way that violates the code of ethics, they will be removed and not paid for their service.

Lodging

Nearby hotels include: