Tournament Policy FAQ

What is schematic release? 

The round’s schematic, or pairing, will be released at this time. Check your Tabroom account profile (click “Profile” in the upper right once logged in) to make sure their phone/email/cell provider are filled in. You’ll get a text and email notification when the schematic is released. 

What is tech check? 

Students and judges MUST be in their competition room by the tech check time. Attendance for the tech check is mandatory. If you are missing someone at the tech check deadline, contact tab. During the tech check, students and judges test that their camera and mic are working. If applicable, set up email chains during this time. If someone is having tech issues that will prevent them from participating in the round, contact tab.

What is round start? 

The first speaker must start speaking at round start time. Start the round early if the tech check finishes early. If tech problems mean you can’t start at round start time, contact tab.

What’s the 10 min of tech time?

We hope that teams can resolve technical issues during the tech check before the round. However, we understand that technical problems can occur during the round. Judges are responsible for starting a timer for teams that need to resolve tech issues during the round. No prepping can occur during tech time. If a team cannot resolve their tech issues within 10 min of time, that team will forfeit.

Do I need to use my camera? 

Judges and students may choose whether to use their camera during the debate.

I’m missing a judge/student and I’m at the tech time deadline. Now what?

Stay in the competition room. Click the “Contact” tab in the Campus room and describe your issue there (missing judge/student, type their name or code). Click “Open email” to send. Stay in the competition room and await assistance.

How long is prep time?

4 min for LD and 3 min for PF and 8 min for CX.

When do I hit the “Start Round” button in Tabroom?

Hitting “start round” indicates that you have all of the debaters in the room.

What do I do if there are tech issues during the round?

Pause the round. Start the tech timer. No one should prep during tech time. Each team has 10 total minutes of tech time to be used to resolve technical issues. If the technical issues cannot be resolved within 10 minutes, the team will forfeit. The 10 minutes is cumulative throughout the round. Judges should keep track of each team’s tech time. Restart the round where it stopped after the technical issue has been resolved. Please alert tab if there are significant technical issues in your room. 

NSDA Campus is not working; what do I do?

Pause the round and contact tab. Do NOT under any circumstances move your debate to another room off of the platform without instruction to do so.

Can observers watch my rounds?

No. NSDA Campus does not permit observers to watch rounds.

How do I enter a forfeit on my ballot?

You do not. Contact tab; only tab may make the decision that a round is a forfeit and enter forfeits into the computer.

When do I have to submit my ballot?

At the completion of the round, judges should choose a winner and assign speaker points. Then, submit and confirm their ballot. AFTER the decision is submitted, judges can click their email in the upper right corner of Tabroom and then click “View/Edit Feedback” to type an RFD and comments to students.

 How many preliminary rounds do I have to judge?

All judges are obligated for all preliminary rounds.

How many elimination rounds do I have to judge?

All judges are obligated for the first elimination round. If there is a partial elim round, all judges will be obligated for that partial elim. Additionally, a team’s judges are obligated for one round past the last round in which their team competes. This applies to a team’s entire contingent of judges, regardless of the number of students who continue. 

When will I know what rounds I am judging?

You’ll get a text/email 15 min before you need to be in the room for the tech check. You are obligated to be available for every round you are obligated unless you have communicated to tab before Friday that you are unavailable for a certain time.

Tabroom says I’m on standby to judge this round; what do I do?

Report to the Help Room and await instruction. You will be substituted into a round if there are no-show judges. If you are not placed into a round, the judge’s lounge will let you know when you are free to go.

I didn’t get any text/email about judging this round; what do I do?

Log in to Tabroom to double check you haven’t been assigned a ballot. If you haven’t, you are likely not judging this round! Please keep your phone next to you in case you are needed as a substitute.