TOURNAMENT INVITATION 

Santa Clara University 

Dempsey-Cronin Memorial Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament 

Santa Clara, California 95053

Friday – Sunday, November 16 -November 18, 2012 (NOTE NEW DATES!)

Dear Colleague: 

Santa Clara University Philalethic Debating Society invites you and your squad to participate in the Rev. James J. Dempsey SJ- Marty Cronin Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament to be held on our new dates Friday-Sunday, November 16-18, 2012.  The move was made necessary by increasing conflicts with school calendars and finals.

The tournament is named in honor of the late Rev. James J. Dempsey, S.J. and Coach Marty Cronin. Fr. Dempsey was a long time college coach at Santa Clara University and co-founder of the collegiate Northern California Forensic Association, the regional league that exits today.  Mr. Marty Cronin was an outstanding teacher and coach at both Santa Clara University and Douglas County High School in Nevada where he was also a league officer and mentor to many debaters and secondary coaches.  He was a past officer in the Nevada state high school forensic association and active in state politics.  Both Fr. Dempsey and Marty Cronin personified what is great about forensics and debate education.

We are pleased to announce that we are again a NIETOC designated bid tournament for those interested in the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions.  

This year we're asking schools this year to call in to confirm registration the Thursday afternoon before the tourney to expedite early rounds on Friday and Saturday.   Lincoln-Douglas and Policy debate start Friday, November 16.   Parliamentary and Public Forum plus Events starts Saturday, November 17.  Sunday elimination rounds are staggered between debate and events.

Web Registration Entries will only be accepted on-line at http://www.debateresults.com. It will take you a few minutes to set up your school's account, but once that is done, the system is a breeze. Plus, the system will save all your judges and competitors - so when you enter the next tournament that uses this system, you will not have to type the judges and competitors names again. To enter go to www.tabroom.com. Please note that high school tournaments and college tournaments are separated.  Congress is listed under IE's.  

Deadlines 

The system will accept entries and changes until NOON Monday, November 12, 2012. Make drops and adds on the web page after that up until the tournament begins.  All space in debate and events will be allocated on a first come, first served basis; register early.   Changes or drops after Monday, November 12, 2012 at NOON will be charged a $10 nuisance fee.  All schools must phone in Thursday, November 15, 2012, to confirm their registration to 408.554.4693.  Schools not phoning may have their registration canceled. 

Tournament Hotel 

The San Jose Airport Park Hotel (formerly Holiday Inn) will be the designated tournament hotel with a special rate for Dempsey participants with rooms for up to four people at a $79.00 rate. Please contact the Holiday Inn Hotel group reservations at 408.993.1234 to make arrange housing. Our contact person is Sharon Javier, Meeting Connections Sales Manager, Holiday Inn San Jose. Her direct number is 408.793.3300. The Hyatt also has free shuttle service to/from SCU via the VTA #10 bus.  

Use this form to compute how much you will owe at registration:

FEES:  __1__ School Fee X $40                              = ______ 

____ number of Event entries/Congress entered X $15= _____

____ number of Duo Teams entered X $25                =_____ 

____ number of Parli. teams/P. F. teams X $40          =_____ 

____ number of LD entries X $30                              =_____ 

____ number of Policy Teams X $60                        = _____   

Penalties for Not Providing School Judges: 

____ Event entries/Congress entries uncovered X $15 = _____

 ____ Duo entries uncovered X $20                           = _____

____ Parliamentary teams/Public Forum teams X $40 = _____ 

_____L-D entries uncovered X $30                           =  _____ 

____ Policy Teams uncovered X $70                           = _____  

Total Fees = ____________ 

Please make checks payable to

 "Santa Clara Debate".  Fees are due at 'check in' at SCU the weekend of the tournament.  

Topics: 

L/D Debate Topic: NFL September-October topic  

Policy Debate Topic:   National topic on transportation infrastructure.

Public Forum: NFL November Public Forum Topic.                   

Parliamentary Debate: three topics will be provided each round; each team is allowed one strike each.

Divisions: 

Novice and Open Division in Debate and Events except Congress. Novice is defined as a student's first year of competition.  

Patterns: Debate Pattern: Policy, Parliamentary, Public Forum and Lincoln-Douglas Debate plus Congress in one pattern. 

Events Pattern: Extemporaneous/Dramatic Interpretation /Expository/Original Prose Poetry / Oratorical Interpretation/ Impromptu /Persuasive /Humorous Interpretation/Thematic Interpretation and Duo Interpretation.    All Individual Events will be combined into one pattern to make the schedule more efficient.  Double entries in Events are allowed but warned that it may be a challenge to make it between rooms.

General Tournament Rules: 

School registration in part or whole may be rejected due to space considerations - please register early! Every year several schools cannot attend or have their entries restricted.

The tournament will consist of six preliminary debate rounds and the three preliminary rounds of events. All divisions will receive trophies. We reserve the right to combine divisions if the entry warrants.  

Special Debate Rules:

Computers and internet are allowed in Parlia prep, LD rounds, and Policy rounds. Computer use is allowed in Public Forum rounds, but not internet. Computer use is not allowed in Parlia rounds. 

Events Rules: 

Generally we use CHSSA rules but there are exceptions that include:  Persuasive will include both advocacy and other "persuasive" speeches.  Extemp is combined national and international. Computers and internet are allowed in Extemp prep. 

Semifinals will be held in individual events with 50 or more entries or the discretion of the tournament director. Undersubscribed events may waive finals. 

Schools entering Duo teams should also email a list of Duo names to Mjaich@scu.edu to confirm the web entry is correct (yes, last year we had issues with the web entry being wrong).  

Congress Rules: 

Congress will have one open division only. Please designate the PO's with a 'po' for every ten entries.   

Sweepstakes Rules: The tournament awards a sweepstakes for overall performance small and large entry schools and best speaker awards for team debate divisions.  Small schools are those schools with fewer than 20 entries. Sweepstakes is based solely on students advancing into elimination rounds earning 1 point for each student per event (Events = 1, Team Debates = 2).  

Judging: Each judge covers two teams (Parli or Policy); four Public Forum teams/ four Lincoln Douglas debaters/duo entries or six event entries in each pattern. School will pay a judging penalty fee per event slot, Congress entry, Lincoln Douglas/Duo Interp or debate team not covered by school judges. Judges are committed one round past where their school drops from competition. Judges are assumed to be experienced and prepared to judge their assigned events or debate formats. Debate judges are free to determine style questions at the beginning of each round. School judges who fail to check in at the judging table when assigned may have their team fined the aforementioned penalties per round.   Please contact us if you're unsure of your judging commitment. 

2012 SANTA CLARA U. Dempsey-Cronin Invitational 

Tournament SCHEDULE (Please note that parking is $6 on Friday before 8pm; Free on Saturday & Sunday. There is also free street parking nearby)    Directions to SCU can be obtained from www.scu.edu. 

Thursday, November 15

3pm-9pm Confirm registration by phone (408.554.4693)

Friday, November 16

1pm-3pm   Fees Paid LD and Policy Schools - Benson Center, Parlor A

3pm-5pm   Round I   LD and Policy Only

5pm-7pm   Round II  LD and Policy Only

7pm-9pm   Round III  LD and Policy Only

Saturday, November 17

7am-8am  Final Registration - All Other Schools - Benson Center, Parlor A

8am-10am  Round IV LD and Policy /  Round I Parli and PuFo / Congress Round 1 (Bills 1-2)

10am-Noon  Round I  Events

Noon-2pm  Round V LD and Policy / Round II  Parli and PuFo / Congress Round 2 (Bills 3-4)

2pm - 4pm Round II Events

4pm - 6pm Round VI LD and Policy / Round III Parli and PuFo / Congress Round 3 (Bills 5-6)

6pm - 8pm  Round III Events

8pm LD and Policy Breaks

10pm Events Breaks

Sunday, November 18

8am-10am  Round IV Parli and PuFo / Octos for LD and Policy / Congress Semifinals (Bills 7-8)

10am-Noon   Events Semifinals 

Noon-2pm   Round V Parli and PuFo / Quarters for LD and Policy / Congress Finals (Bills 9-10)

2pm - 4pm    Events Finals

4pm - 6pm  Octofinals Parli and PuFo / Semis for LD and Policy

6pm - 8pm  Quarters for Parli and PuFo / Finals for LD and Policy

8pm - 9pm  Semifinals Parli and PuFo Single Flighted

9pm - 10pm  Finals Parli and PuFo Single Flighted

Congress BILLS - Note schedule of bills above.

1. Affirmative Action

Whereas, many minority students do not have the access to quality education and training,

and Whereas, many students come from disadvantaged backgrounds who would otherwise succeed in college,

Be it resolved that Admission Committees at public universities and colleges give preference to historically disadvantaged groups.

2. Supreme Court Term Limits

Whereas, Supreme Court judges now enjoy life appointments, and

Whereas, cultural and social changes sometimes require new considerations and legal reform,

Be it resolved that Supreme Court Justices be appointed for eight year terms subject to reappointment for an additional eight years with Senate approval.

3. Human Rights Abuses and American Intervention

Whereas, the United States has always been the leader in human rights promotion, and

Whereas, the United States is the world's only superpower with the ability to intervene in local conflicts,

Be it resolved that the U.S. government should institute a foreign policy that makes stopping human rights violations the priority.

4. Mandatory Voting

Whereas most citizens in the US don't vote, and

Whereas democracy is most effective when people vote,

Be it enacted by this house that failure to vote in Federal elections be subject to fines and/or jail.

5. Privitization of the Post Office

Whereas the US Post Office has lost millions of dollars, and

Whereas, private firms could be more efficient and cost effective,

Be it resolved that the US Post Office be eliminated and its duties be put out to bid to private companies.

6. End Farm Subsidies

Whereas, the US Federal budget deficit is substantial, and

Whereas, many farms in the US are part of larger corporate entities, and

Whereas, subsidies for farms were never meant to be permanent,

BE it enacted that all Federal agricultural subsides be reduced by 10% per year until they reach zero.

7. Eminent Domain for Homeowners

Whereas, the number of foreclosures in the U.S. remains at records highs, and

Whereas, home ownership is a key path to becoming and/or remaining part of the middle class, and

Whereas, Federal legislation to help homeowners has done little to remedy the problem,

Be it resolved that local and state government should use the power of eminent domain to prevent the foreclosure of private homes by mortgage holders.

8. US Russian Relations

Whereas, the Russian government has increasingly restricted individual rights and free press in their country, and

Whereas, the US should promote the growth of democracy in the former Soviet Union,

Be it resolved that the U.S. government institute increasingly severe restrictions and penalties on Russian trade until basic freedoms are fully guaranteed.

9. Ban Semi- Automatic Weapons

Whereas, the right to bear arms does not justify mass murders, and

Whereas, semi-automatic weapons are rarely used for hunting and recreations,

Be it enacted that there be a Federal ban on all semi-automatic weapons and ammunition in the United States.

10. Criminal Prosecution of CEO's/CFO's

Whereas, chief executive and chief financial officers for securities firms in the US appear immune from prosecition when their firms lose significant amounts of investor funds or go insolvent, and

Whereas, much of the 2008 market crash can be attributed to reckless and derelict behavior on the part of upper management,

Be it resolved that the US Justice Department should initiate criminal investigations against top corporate officers of firms that lose substantial sums because of failed trades.