Damus Hollywood Invitational and USC Round Robin
2017 — Sherman Oaks, CA/US
Novice Policy
Event Description:
Novice Policy Debate
Varsity and novice policy debate will be switch-side, cross-examination style, with an 8-3-5 format and 8 minutes of prep time. Varsity debaters should include your finest competitors.
In the novice division, only debaters in their first year of competition may enter, meaning students in the novice division should NOT have prior debate competition experience in any event. Please email Christina Tallungan (Tallungan@gmail.com) if you need clarification when entering teams.
A school may enter a maximum of four (4) teams in the varsity division. A school may enter two (2) teams in the novice division. We have space for approximately 80 varsity and 30 novice teams.
The policy topic for the 2017 Damus Hollywood Invitational is as follows:
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its funding and/or regulation of elementary and/or secondary education in the United States.
There will be six preliminary rounds in both varsity and novice policy. Varsity policy will break to double-octafinals and novice policy will break to quarterfinals (assuming entries warrant these elimination levels). All Saturday and Sunday competition in these events will occur at the Notre Dame High School campus. All Monday rounds will occur at the tournament hotel, the Marriott Courtyard Sherman Oaks.
Novice Judging Requirements for Policy Debate
Adults as well as students who are 3rd or 4th year varsity debaters are eligible to judge in the novice divisions. Coaches/Directors are responsible for ensuring that any varsity debaters are knowledgeable and responsible enough to fairly assess a novice debate round.
Obligations:
- Each team = 3 rounds (e.g., 2 NCX teams = 6 rounds and requires at least 1 judge to cover; 3 NCX teams = 9 rounds and requires at least 2 judges to cover)
In regards to elimination rounds, all judges are obligated to judge the first elimination round and/or one round beyond their last school's best competitive finish. Whichever requirement is later will apply. For example, if your school has a competitor in the octafinals, then your school's judges are all obligated through the quarterfinals. This rule is necessary to ensure the best possible judging for the tournament. Please make appropriate travel arrangements that honor these requirements.
Novice Evidence Restrictions for Policy Debate
Novice Policy will be limited to reading NDCA Novice Policy Packet evidence as well as full source and shared UDL/MDL packets or state-sanctioned evidence packets. UDL/MDL and state-sanctioned packets must be balanced (meaning there are adequate answers to each position included) and emailed in full source by 10/2/17 at 5pm (PT) to Tallungan@gmail.com to be allowed in the novice division. This evidence will be reviewed and then provided on the tournament tabroom website for everyone by October 5th. If no alternate packets are submitted, then the field will be restricted to using the NDCA packet evidence. Please email questions if you are unclear on this policy.
Penalty for Missing Rounds
Please note there is a $40 per round penalty for any judges that miss their rounds. Please advise your judging staff that the team will be charged if they do not attend their debate rounds. We prefer not to charge any teams for missing debate rounds and this nuisance fee is only assessed to discourage judges from missing debates to ensure a high quality experience for all competitors.
Hired Judging for Policy Debate
There will be a limited number of LD and policy judges available for hire. Note that once you hire a judge, you are liable to pay for that request EVEN IF you find you do not need it as the tournament approaches. This rule applies even in the event your school decides not to attend the tournament at all; your school will still be responsible for any judge hire and relevant drop fees. You must email Christina Tallungan at tallungan@gmail.com by October 2, 2017, at 5pm (PT) to hire judging.