Rules

LOGISTICS

This tournament will be all digital. Rounds will be announced via e-mail and SMS, ballots will be tabulated digitally. Students and judges should also register their e-mail and phone number (if applicable) with their tabroom account so that information gets pushed out in a timely fashion.

SPECTATING

For logistical reasons, spectators will not be allowed in rounds. Also, please remember that California (the state of the hosting organization) is a double-consent state when it comes to video or audio recording: all parties must be aware of, and consent to, being recorded. As such, it is against the rules to record any round.

TECH POLICY

We still expect debaters to adhere to a code of ethics that includes not looking up evidence mid-round. This is exceedingly difficult to enforce in a virtual tournament environment, but we ask that competitors be honest and forthright in competition and only use the materials they have already prepared.

To reiterate: recording of any kind in a debate round is forbidden. You cannot record yourself, you cannot record your opponents, and you cannot observe a round and record it, with video or audio. Video recording of any kind, of any kind, even if it is by a parent, is not allowed. There are also many thorny legal issues surrounding recording in private spaces, so please, just don't.

REPORTING

Reporting violations is up to the coaches; if you receive notice from a competitor that there was a violation of some kind, please note the breakout room ID, round number, event, and names of your competitors, and contact the tabroom, and we will do what we can.

LATE-START AND FORFEITS

If your opponents do not show up within 15 minutes of the round's start time, please text 1-510-458-6048 with your nsda campus room number and team information. It is incumbent upon the team, or the coach, to report no-shows in order to get a forfeit.

If a judge does not show up, either report it to the same phone number with the room number and round or connect to the tabroom help call, and they will report the missing judge to us so we can quickly find a replacement.