NPDA Business Meeting: March 9, 2000 (Omaha Doubletree Hotel, 8:00 p.m.)
Agenda Items:
A) Officers Reports
1) Treasurer:
$14,400.88 before the tournament
171 paid members currently
59 pre-paid members for next year
2) Executive Secretary:
complete tournament results need to be in 2-3 weeks after the tournament
this year most tournaments did get in
3) Webmaster:
New NPDA web address is: parlidebate.org
results will be posted on homepage
has completed a searchable listing of results
4) President
good job on tournament everyone
227 teams competing
looking for feedback on strike sheets
could these be made available on the homepage?
B) Business
Agenda Item 1:
Bylaw change to include all teams with a 5-3 record in out rounds at the national tournament.
Discussion-
- 6-2 vs. 5-3
- judges vary on scales for awarding speaker points
- out rounds experience helps adapt for these points variances
- should there be panel judges for elimination rounds?
- how will this effect time constraints? Extra day? Extra round?
- have more preliminary debates and break fewer teams?
- this will give students the opportunity to excel
- should there be more rounds of competition?
Proposed Amendment:
Except in the event that this would add a fourth day to the tournament
Discussion- does the host have veto power? Yes, depends on their schedule
Amendment passes
It was moved, seconded and passed to table Agenda Item 1 until Item 2 was resolved.
Agenda Item 2:
Bylaw change to require qualification for the national tournament
Discussion-
- will make it hard to get to tournament
- should nationals be open to everyone?
- have a lottery to let some unqualified teams in
- teams will lose their novice and JV teams and completions for the sake of qualifying
- may hurt two year schools especially
- why elimanate teams when you still have room?
- should every school bring one team?
- wouldn't we be preventing people from attending the tournament business meeting if we didn't?
Proposed Amendment:
Member schools not qualifiying one team would be allowed to bring one team.
Amendment passed.
Discussion:
- overly large tournaments could still happen
- larger schools are cut out in order to allow everyone in
- problems for teams deciding who will travel, money, what tournaments
- every school should be represented
Vote: Amended Motion failed
Return to Agenda Item 1
Passed with Amendment--Yes - 34, No -17
Agenda Item 3:
Bylaw change to add district selection to final round judge panel
Disscusion:
- good judge/bad judge
- become an elitist organization
- need to be given district representatives ahead of time
- what about strikes?
Vote: Motion failed
Agenda Item 4:
Bylaw change regarding topic announcement and prep time
Vote: Motion failed
Agenda Item 5:
Vote: Motion tabled due to absence of sponsor.
Agenda Item 6:
Appointment of Webmaster
Vote: Motion passed.