Invitational Tournament in the
British Parliamentary Debate Format
Saturday – Sunday, October 6 – 7, 2007
Dear Colleagues:
On behalf of Claremont McKenna College and the Claremont Colleges Debate Union, you are cordially invited to attend the US Universities National Open Debate Tournament, featuring national and international competition in the British parliamentary format. The tournament is open to US and international colleges and universities. The event provides an opportunity to participate in national caliber competition in the BP format.
The tournament features six preliminary debates and up to three elimination debates. Like other intercollegiate events sponsored by the Claremont Colleges Debate Union, the tournament will offer genuinely outstanding competition and judging, beautiful site and facilities, the finest tournament amenities, and a relaxed schedule and atmosphere.
Registration for the tournament begins on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, 12:00 PM (PST). Places will be allocated in order of registration date and time. Please consider registering early.
If you have any questions or require supplemental information, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to seeing you this fall for an event that will be extraordinarily challenging and fun.
Sincerely yours,
John K. Meany
Director of Forensics
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont Colleges Debate Union
Bauer Center
500 East Ninth Street
Claremont, CA 91711
USA
(909) 607-2667
(909) 621-8249 FAX
john.meany@claremontmckenna.edu
www.debate.claremont.edu
Tournament Information
1. Team Entries – Entries open on August 1, 2007, 12:00 PM (PST). The final deadline for entries is Monday, October 1, 2007, 6:00 PM (PST), although space may be unavailable at that time. You should register early. You may change your entry until Tuesday, October 2, at 3:00 PM (PST), after which all fees will be assessed. Entries are accepted exclusively by email. Send entries to john.meany@cmc.edu. Please note “USU Registration” in the subject line. You will receive an email confirmation within 48 hours. Please confirm all entries by email or telephone if you do not receive entry verification.
Participants must attend an accredited degree-granting post-secondary institution. If an individual attends more than one institution, he or she must register as a participant for the institution granting the higher degree. Hybrid teams are eligible to participate if they meet the following guidelines: (1) hybrid entries are restricted to international teams; (2) a partner must be unavailable at one’s own institution (e.g., in the case of representatives from universities A, B, and C, an individual from A may register with an individual from B. The tournament would not subsequently accept a registration from another hybrid team from either A or B. If a later A-C hybrid applied, the tournament would consider that the A members of A-B and A-C ought be debating together. In addition, because the second registration revealed that there is an available partner from university A to match with the first A registrant, the tournament would reserve the right to disqualify the original A-B pair.)
2. Judges – N-1 rule applies. Judges MUST attend the adjudicator briefing session. Any adjudicator failing to attend the session will not be permitted to judge debates and their institution. Those institutions without sufficient or qualified judges must pay the hired adjudicator fee to participate in the competition. IMPORTANT – Participating schools must note any judging conflicts when submitting registration materials. Judges with conflicts announced at the tournament will not be considered as qualifying for the pool and schools will be charged double the hired judging fee rate for the weekend. Please ask your judges for information regarding any and all conflicts to avoid this problem. [Conflicts include any previous coaching, debating, financial, or personal association with another institution or its staff or contestants that may create a bias or the appearance of a bias]. The tournament director reserves the right to deny certification to any judge. Teams are not considered to have an entered judge without tournament approval for the listed judge.
3. Debate Rules and Pairings – Barring an unusual event, e.g., emergency departure of a team from the tournament, the tournament will follow WUDC guidelines (http://www.debating.net/wudc/articles&docs/rules.php), with the following noted exceptions: the tournament will use the WorldTab software; the tournament will have oral disclosure in all debates; and the tournament tabulation excel file will be available on request immediately after the conclusion of the event.
4. Awards – At a minimum, all elimination round teams will receive awards, as well as speakers at the top of the tab. There are additional, special awards at the tournament (e.g., as in the past, iPods will be awarded to the championship team).
5. Event Registration on the opening day of the tournament – Financial and Attendance Registration will take place in Bauer 31, Claremont McKenna College. Registration is from 8:15 – 8:55 AM. Registration will close 5 minutes prior to the adjudicator briefing. Directions to registration are included.
6. Travel –
Air Travel Information: If you are arriving by air, you should make arrangements to arrive at LA/Ontario Airport (formerly named “Ontario Airport” but to add to confusion for travelers, the Los Angeles Airport Authority has added “Los Angeles” to all regional airports under its control – LA/Ontario Airport is NOT LAX!) The airport, in the City of Ontario, is only 10-15 minutes from the City of Claremont. Taxi and shuttle transportation is approximately $15-25 to Claremont. Driving Directions: To reach Claremont McKenna College: Take the San Bernardino Freeway (I-10) to Indian Hill Boulevard (Exit 47). Drive north on Indian Hill Boulevard for approximately 1 mile to the Arrow Highway. Proceed right to Claremont Boulevard (second light). Left on Claremont Boulevard for 3/4 mile to the college entrance at 9th Street. Please park in the first parking lot on the left – the lot closest to the campus entrance. Bauer Center is directly west of this parking lot (the same direction that you drove into the campus). Bauer 31 is located on the second floor of the circular, southern section of Bauer Center. Do not park in the lot designated “Faculty/Staff Parking” immediately adjacent to the Bauer Center. Your vehicle will be towed from this lot. Tournament registration and activities are on the east side of Bauer Center (the main campus side of the building, rather than the parking lot side). Driving Directions from the Doubletree Hotel: Travel east on Foothill Boulevard (to the left from the front of the hotel, facing Foothill Boulevard). Turn right on Claremont Boulevard. Right on Claremont Boulevard for 3/4 mile to the college entrance at 9th Street. Follow the directions above.
Accommodation Information: The Doubletree Hotel in Claremont has a special rate for the tournament. The Doubletree is located at 555 W. Foothill Boulevard at Indian Hill Boulevard, Claremont. The hotel rooms include high-speed internet connections, 32” LCD flat panel televisions, refrigerators, and hypoallergenic down bedding (according to its website, the hotel no longer provides a ‘bed’ to guests – each room now offers a ‘sleep experience.’) The tournament rate is $105 + tax for a quad room. You may register online at www.doubletree.com. You may also reserve by phone at (800) 222-TREE or (909) 626-2411. Rooms are listed under “CMC Debate.”
There are other excellent hotels and values at LA/Ontario Airport, noted on myriad websites. These hotels are approximately 10-15 minutes from the campus by freeway. For those interested in other options in Claremont: Claremont Lodge, (approximately $65-80 per single/double), 736 S. Indian Hill Boulevard, Claremont, (909) 626-5654; The Hotel Claremont (formerly the Ramada Inn, approximately $65-85 per single/double), 840 S. Indian Hill Boulevard, Claremont, (909) 621-4831; and Howard Johnson Express Inn, (approximately $65-85 per single/double), 721 S. Indian Hill Boulevard, (909) 626-2431. These hotels are at the intersection of I-10 and Indian Hill Boulevard. The Hotel Claremont is south of the freeway; the other hotels are located north of the freeway. There are restaurants clustered near these hotels. These are located about 4 miles from the campus.
Contact John Meany with requests for limited crash accommodations.
7. Fees – $90 per team and $25 per judge, coach, and observer for the extended amenities package (includes select meals, beverages and receptions throughout the tournament, etc.) The hired judging fee is $150 per team. All checks are payable to Claremont McKenna College. All fees are due no later than event registration on Saturday, October 6.
8. Tournament Schedule –
Saturday, October 6
8:15-8:55 AM Financial Registration and Breakfast
9:00-9:30 AM Adjudicator Briefing, Bauer Forum
Announcement of Motions in Bauer Forum
9:30 AM Round 1
11:30 AM Round 2
1:15 PM Lunch
2:30 PM Round 3
4:30 PM Round 4
6:30 PM Round 5
Sunday, October 7
8:30 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Round 6
11:00 AM Elimination Debate 1
1:00 PM Awards Presentation
1:15 PM Elimination Debate 2
3:15 PM Elimination Debate 3
TO ENTER
Email john.meany@cmc.edu with school name, student director/coach name or other contact information, team entries and judge names, with full names of each participant. Please use the subject line “USU Registration.”
You must include the names of all additional attendees—coaches, judges, students, observers.
You must designate which persons will be included in the extended amenities package. Individuals will not be eligible to add the amenities package after the entry deadline. Those without tickets and other designations will not be eligible for meals, receptions, and other tournament amenities. Please note in your registration document if you need to hire judges to cover the entry.
IMPORTANT DEADLINES
Wednesday, August 1, 2007, 12:00 PM (PST)
Registration opens. Registration order by date/time. Please consider early registration.
Monday, October 1, 2007, 6:00 PM (PST)
Final entry deadline; no entries are permitted after this date and time.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007, 3:00 PM (PST)
Final entry changes are due; fees are assessed.
Saturday, October 6, 2007 8:15-8:55 AM (PST)
Financial and Attendance Registration – Bauer Center 31 (to participate in the tournament, teams and adjudicators must be registered at this time)