The Jesuit Debates Invitation

Gonzaga University

October 29^th – 31^st, 2016

June 22, 2016

Dear Colleagues,

Gonzaga University cordially extends you an invitation to attend the 2016 Jesuit Debates (“The Jesuit”) hosted on our campus in Spokane, Washington.  The tournament will be held on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, October 29^th -31^st, 2016.  Perks of our tournament include: a trip to the beautiful northwest; a tournament where you don’t need a rental vehicle; within walking distance of a great downtown area and the campus; a strong commitment to hospitality; and high quality competition and judging.  We are both excited and humbled to be hosting on what has been for many, many years the traditional Harvard weekend. We promise to do all we can to live up to their legacy of outstanding and we hope that you will join us in celebrating that tradition this fall.

Glen, Andrew, Leah and the rest of the GU Debate Team

If you have questions please forward them to:

frappier@gem.gonzaga.edu

ENTRIES

Entries will be managed through the tabroom.com website.  We can only accept up to 104 teams due to space constraints.  We will accept up to 4 teams per school until October 1, 2016.  After which remaining space will be allocated to teams on our waitlist. From the waitlist we will prioritize programs that do not yet have a team entered, then teams from programs that have less than 4 currently entered, and finally 5^th teams from programs already entered.

To finalize your entry do the following on tabroom.com by NOON October 25th, 2016:

(a) Double check the teams entered

(b) Make sure your judges are entered along with number of rounds.

(c) All judges must have a philosophy entered at tabroom.com. Make sure each one does

(d) Enter the TOTAL NUMBER in your party (all debaters, judges and observers, scouts, hangers on)

(e) Make sure all attendees’ dietary preferences are in the system

(f) Double check your school's contact info at tabroom.com.

FEES

Fees for the tournament will be $75 per person attending the tournament.  The team charges will cover security and cleaning costs, hotel fees, two lunches, three light breakfasts, quality awards, and an awards reception on Sunday night.

Fees can be paid in advance with credit card on the universities secure online site. To pay online please go to:  https://commerce.cashnet.com/GUDebate2

If you are paying by check please make payable to: Gonzaga University Debate.

If you have to pay with a purchase order please try to provide that information in advance.

All fees will be calculated on October 25th, 2016 at NOON PST.  Your school will be responsible for all people listed as of that time. Should you need to drop a participant, please do so no later than Noon PST on October 25th, 2016.  Drops are official ONLY if confirmed at the official tournament web site. 

JUDGES

Judges are obligated for three prelims per team, then through the double octa finals and one round beyond the elimination of the last team from their school.  If you choose to hire your judges from the ranks of persons not currently coaching at your school, those hired judges must be approved in advance by the tournament director.  This discretion will be employed solely to avoid unassignable judges who unduly degrade mutual preference judging.

Constraints.  Judges and students should enter constraints under the following circumstances:  if you are former college or high school debate colleagues, if there is a former students/coach professional relationship or a non-platonic personal relationship, if the judge has a substantial fiduciary relationship with the school, and if the student/judge have been parties to a harassment complaint filed with one their respective universities, CEDA, or other entity charged with resolving those and similar grievances. If there are other reasons you feel you would not want a person judging you (for argumentative or ideological differences for example) place them in your bottom 25% rather than constrain them. Even in “out of it” debates you will not get a judge below that floor.

 Judge placeability.  We expect that schools will bring/hire judges that can fulfill their commitment under an MPJ system. If the tabroom is unable to place judges we will default to using higher preferred judges from that school even if they have already fulfilled their commitment. 

Judge Placement: Diversity

The CEDA rules states: “The preference system must include a method to affirmatively place racial minorities in judging assignments.”   The ADA rule states: “Judges should never be subjectively evaluated by tournament directors for preclusion from teams or divisions, for mutual preference or for judge placement.”  Judges with a minority racial identity are encouraged to opt-in.  We believe that allowing judges to opt-in for diversity meets this rule and that the only information a tab room is allowed to consider is whether a judge has opted-in.  You may opt-in on tabroom.com and we request that you confirm your opt-in decision by sending an email to Gary.Larson@wheaton.edu.  Judges who opt-in for diversity will (a) be placed first when open division is paired and (b) be placed first in elimination rounds.  In both instances, diversity-enhancing judges will need to meet the 50/30 criteria to be placed.

Please note that once a judge is placed by the tournament participants/observers or judges may not alter that assignment. If there is a mistake (we placed a constrained judge, etc) please bring it to the tabrooms attention immediately for correction.  

TOPIC

We request that students debate the topic selected for the 2016-2017 season by a vote of the Cross Examination Debate Association membership.  The precise wording of this year’s topic is:  Resolved: The United States Federal Government should establish a domestic climate policy, including at least substantially increasing restrictions on private sector emissions of greenhouse gases in the United States.

TOURNAMENT HOTEL

Our tournament hotel is the Red Lion Hotel at the Park. For the old timers out there this is the same hotel we used when we hosted the 2005 NDT. It’s a really nice hotel located on the Spokane River. There is a walking path along the river directly behind the hotel . The flat rate for doubles or King is $99 per night. Some perks of the tournament hotel:

-     Only a 10-15 minute walk from back of hotel to campus along the river walking path.

-     Complimentary shuttle to/from airport.

-     Complimentary internet. Pro-tip – If you join their rewards program you will get free upgraded/faster internet.

-     Downtown area is located a short walk across the river and through park. Lots of great restaurants and bars.

-     Free on-site parking.

Note: If you are looking to save a few $$ you really can do our tournament without a vehicle. Seriously, you can get a free ride to/from the airport and you can walk to/from campus.

The cut-off date is October 5th, 2016 at 5:00 pm PT. The hotel is likely to fill up and they have not agreed to hold rooms past this date, so please make your reservations in a timely manner.  If you have overbooked rooms, please first check with other tournament participants as to whether someone else can use the room(s).  If you will not be using the rooms, please let the hotel know that as soon as possible so that they have an opportunity to sell them. 

At the hotel, wireless access will be available to guests of the hotel and to all participants in the conference rooms used for competition.

You can reserve rooms online here: https://reservations.redlion.com/ibe/details.aspx?hotelID=13746&langID=1&group=GONZ1029&hgID=280&dt1=6145&nights=4&rooms=1&adults=1&child1=0

Or call 1-800-RED-LION (1-800733-5466) and request rooms under the Gonzaga University College Debate Tournament.

We have also reserved a small block of rooms at the Courtyard Marriott for the die-hard Marriott junkies. $109 for Kings and $119 for Double/Double. You can book those rooms online here:

http://www.marriott.com/meeting-event-hotels/group-corporate-travel/groupCorp.mi?resLinkData=Gonzaga%20University%20College%20Debate%20Tournament%5Egegch%60CONCONA%7CCONCONB%60109.00-119.00%60USD%60false%604%6010/28/16%6011/1/16%6010/7/16&app=resvlink&stop_mobi=yes

GENERAL LOGISTICS

You can access Spokane easily by air via Spokane International Airport (GEG).  The travel time from the airport to the tournament hotel is 10-15 minutes.

Transportation from the airport to the hotel is provided complimentary for guests of The Red Lion Hotel at the Park. Uber is authorized to service the Spokane airport.

Campus map: http://www.gonzaga.edu/About/campus-map.asp

Campus Parking Map: http://www.gonzaga.edu/About/CampusMap/files/GU-campus-parking-2015-16.pdf

DEBATES

Preliminary debates and double octas will be held on campus in the Gonzaga University buildings and all other elimination rounds will be at the Red Lion Hotel At the Park.

All teams with a winning record will clear (up to 32 teams).

The tournament will feature six preliminary rounds of two-person, switch-sides, cross-examination debate on the national topic in the standard 9-3-6 format. While we do understand the benefits of an 8 round tournament, most coaches we surveyed felt the tradition of the Jesuit, as well as the need to humanize the debate tournament experience, required a return to the traditional Jesuit schedule. The benefits of this schedule will include: a full double octa round, an awards reception with good food/drink, the ability for many teams to schedule flights out Monday to avoid missing Tuesday classes, and overall just a more humane and less stressed schedule.

Courtesy demands, and we insist, that rounds start and be adjudicated punctually. Each team must be accompanied by a qualified judge who must agree to decide all assigned debates within 165 minutes of the announced start time for the round, rendering a decision with one winner and one loser.  In early prelims, the schedule will require that explanations be completed within this time frame as well. 

Brackets will not be broken and sides will not be equalized.

Flipping for sides in elimination rounds:  at least one representative for both teams must be present to flip for sides and declare their decision at least 30 minutes before the scheduled starting time of an elimination debate or by a flip time published by the tabroom.  If a representative is not present to flip and declare a side, that team forfeits their right to flip and the team that is present gets to declare sides for the debate. 

Gonzaga teams may compete in the tournament; they are eligible to receive speaker awards and to compete in elimination rounds, judge assignments for Gonzaga teams will be assigned by the computer and changed only by the option of an external tab room manager.

We subscribe to CEDA’s policies against Sexual Harassment and Discrimination, and the NDT Code of Conduct, and will follow laws and procedures governing Gonzaga University, its employees, students, and visitors to campus.

Participating teams and schools are expected to contribute to http://opencaselist.paperlessdebate.com/bin/view/Main/ and should provide their most recent affirmative and negative information by the Tuesday before the tournament at latest.

ON CAMPUS

Please respect the GU community. You are guests on our campus so we ask that you respect the people and facilities. There will be administrative personnel and GU faculty in the buildings we are debating in. We would ask that you respect their work by keeping the volume to a reasonable level in competition rooms and common areas.

Gender nuetral restrooms can be found in several places on campus. The following link will take you to the map. http://www.gonzaga.edu/student-life/LGBT-Resource-Center/img/GU-campus-map-restroom.jpg

Quite Rooms:  can be found in Jepson.

Internet access will be provided on campus. We will have login credentials for each school that will allow them to access the Gonzaga Commmunity Network. Guests may also access the Gonzaga Guest Network without network credentials.

Test your computers for malware and spyware before coming to the campus! Remove said malware and spyware. Do not download or file-share those things that are illegal to download or file-share.

Smoking, including use of electronic cigarettes, is not allowed in any Gonzaga facility, including residence halls, or within twenty-five (25) feet of entrances, exits, windows and ventilation intakes that serve an enclosed area.

It is a violation of Gonzaga policy to use, possess, or distribute any drug or controlled substance.

As per federal law, possession, use or distribution of marijuana and cannabis products are not allowed on campus. Marijuana is legal in the state of Washington so feel free to exercise your new found freedoms while visiting our state, but please keep it off campus as we must comply with federal law.

ON CAMPUS EMERGENCIES

You can reach the Campus Security dispatcher by calling x2222 (from campus phones) or 313-2222 (from off campus or cell phones).

Campus Security officers patrol the grounds and buildings of our campus and are duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are a number of “blue light” phones around campus that dial directly to the Security dispatcher. Security officers can assist with situations that are safety and security related but that may not be an emergency. Crimes that occur on campus should be reported to Campus Security promptly.

For situations that require Spokane Police or Spokane Fire department, call 911 first, then notify Campus Security at x2222 (from campus phones) or 313-2222 (from off campus or cell phones. The area code is 509).

We ask that you call 911 first in order to get the local emergency providers started. Calling Campus Security first often adds time to this process and the Security dispatcher won’t have the same information that you do.

Make it a point to know the name of the building that you are in, or the campus location, in order to help the emergency responders find you.

It is important to call Campus Security after calling 911. Our officers work in cooperation with local emergency responders by assisting with directions, entry into buildings, and crowd control. We are also responsible for making the proper documentation for incidents that occur on campus and for keeping event and program organizers informed.

Fire procedure:

Occupants of a building must evacuate when a fire alarm is activated.

Take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the layout of the building and the floor and determine the way to the nearest exit and fire alarm pull station

SCHEDULE

Saturday, October 29^th, 2016

7am: Pairings Released

8am: Round 1 (10:30am decision time)

11am: Round 2 (1:45pm decision time)

1:15pm: Lunch Served Behind College Hall

2:45pm: Round 3 (5:30pm decision time)

6:15pm: Round 4 (9pm decision time)

Sunday, October 30^th, 2016

8am: Pairings released

9am: Round 5 (11:45am decision time)

12:30pm: Round 6 (2:45 decision time)

3:30pm: Double Octa Finals (6:15pm decision time)

8pm: Awards Reception. Red Lion Hotel at the Park. Light appetizers and drinks served.

Monday, October 31^st, 2016

7am: Pairings released

8am:  Octa Finals

11:30pm: Quarter Finals

3pm: Semi Finals

6:30 Finals