December 1, 2016 

Dear Forensics Coaches, Judges, and Participants: 

On behalf of the Columbia Debate Society, it is our pleasure to invite you to the 2017 Columbia Invitational, our 15^th annual competition to be held at Columbia University from Friday, January 20th, 2017 to Sunday, January 22nd, 2017. Registration will take place in the lobby of Barnard Hall on Barnard's Campus beginning at 4:00 pm Friday, January 20th. You may also register by phone between 1:00-4:00 by calling 701-541-3407. 

The tournament will consist of competition in Varsity Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Open Public Forum Debate, Congressional Debate, and six Speech events (Declamation, Dramatic Performance, Duo Interpretation, Extemporaneous Speaking, Oral Interpretation, and Oratory). We offer five prelim rounds in Individual Events, six prelim rounds in Public Forum and LD, and three sessions in Congress.

We are pleased to announce that we can provide bids to the Tournament of Champions for participants that reach finals in Lincoln-Douglas, quarter-finals in PF, and elimination rounds in IE and Extemp.  

Joining us directing tab are Jim Menick, Joe Vaughan, Charlie Sloat, Marty Page, Andrew Monagle, Sheryl Kaczmarek, and PJ Wexler. 

The tournament packet should answer any questions you may have about the tournament. If you need any additional information, please email us at columbiadebate@gmail.com. 

We hope you have had a successful forensics season thus far, and we hope to see you in New York at the end of January! 

Best,

Thomas Startz

Tournament Director 

701-541-3407