Tournament Logistics

1. Tab Room is the Faculty Lounge in the Jefferson Building. 
2. Hospitality for judges and coaches will be in Aronson Hall, in the Oreck Building (new location this year).  Concession stand for students will be in the Dining Hall in the Levy Bldg.
3. Speech Ballot pick-up and return is outside of Aronson Hall between Stone and Oreck Bldgs.
4. Tabulated speech ballots will be available in Aronson Hall.  Coaches may take the ballots from the ballot folders, but should leave the folders behind so we may continue to stuff ballots.  Ballots from speech finals will not be available until after awards – no exceptions.
5. Extemp Draw throughout the tournament will be in the Devlin Library (Stone Building).
6. Speech elims:  2 judges per section of semis.  Ranks will be added to previous rounds to determine who advances.  Low rank total in semis will be used to break ties.  If still tied, we will use reciprocal fractions (recent elim, all rounds).  Only 6 will break to finals.  Once in finals, all previous ranks will be wiped clean.  3 judges in finals with ties broken by judges’ preference (2 way) and reciprocal fractions (3 way).
7. OI Rotation: Rd 1 – Prose, Rd 2 – Poetry, Rd 3 – Prose, Rd 4 – Poetry, Semis – Prose, Finals – Poetry
8. Info will have 4 prelims, and then break to finals. Info finals will be held during the semis of Pattern A.
9. All speech events have a 30 second grace period. No judge should impose any automatic penalty for finishing speech/performance within 30 seconds beyond the maximum time.  If a speech/performer exceeds the grace period, no rank higher than third may be awarded.  If a speech/performer exceeds the max time by 2 minutes, the speech/performance should be stopped.
10. Duo reminder:  Use of binder in any round will lead to a rank of last in the round.  The event is Duo Interp, following NSDA rules.
11. Congress elims: 2 judges per prelim session. Top 7 from each chamber will advance to finals. Ties will be broken using (1) judges’ preference, (2) reciprocal fractions, (3) drop hi/low rank, (4) drop hi/low recip, (5) parli rank (parli rank will be ignored when totaling ranks). In finals, 3 judges. Ties will be broken using (1) judges’ preference, (2) reciprocal fractions, (3) parli rank (parli rank will be ignored when totaling ranks). Top 8 will be recognized at awards.
12. PF reminder:  No coin flip in any prelim round.  Flip for sides in elims only, unless met previously in the prelims at this tournament.  Pro speaks first in ALL rounds.
13. In LD and PF, we will break the lessor of the top 16 or all contestants with a winning record. In NCX, we will break to semis. In VCX, we will break to quarters.
14. Prep time:  Policy – 10 minutes, LD – 5 minutes, PF – 2 minutes
15. All events have a 15 minute forfeit rule.  Please get to rounds on time and insist that your students do the same.
16. There is a basketball tournament taking place in the Palaestra, across the patio from the Dining Hall. There is also a state-wide election taking place in the foyer of our auditorium. Please do not enter the Henson Foyer.
17. No smoking on campus anywhere.
18. Contestants must not enter the competition rooms unless a judge is present.
19. Some teachers placed “Do Not Touch” signs in various areas inside of the classrooms.  Speech students must not write on the SmartBoards in the Stone, Oreck, and Stern buildings.  Please respect their wishes or risk disqualification from the tournament.
20. We have made an effort to provide good food at a reasonable cost to your students. We ask that you do not bring food from outside vendors as it violates Newman’s contract with Sage, our food service provider.