2012-2013 Topic Area Released

Posted by Nick

February 25, 2012

From the IE listserv:

A total of 22 ballots were returned. The tabulation of the vote was
weighted, with a first place ranking being 5 points, 2nd place ranking
4 points, 3rd place ranking 3 points, 4th place ranking 2 points, and
the 5th place ranking 1 point. On the basis of the rankings, the
topics ranked in order as follows:

1st place topic area: Agriculture Policy = total 79 points.

2nd place topic area: Water Regulation Policy = 70 points.

3rd place topic area: Cyberplace Policy = 66 points.

4th place topic area: Nuclear Policy = 63 points.

5th place topic area: Middle East Policy = 53 points.

THE TOPIC AREA FOR 2012-2013 WILL BE AGRICULTURE POLICY.

Ballots were received from the following schools:

Central Michigan University
Chabot College
Crowder College
Emerson College
Hillsdale College
Ithaca College
Lafayette College
Marshall University
Ohio State University
Otterbein University
Purdue University
St. Anselm College
Saddleback College
South Dakota StateUniversity
Suffolk University
Texas State University, San Marcos
Truman State University
United States Air Force Academy
University of Central Missouriu
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
University of the Pacific
Western Kentucky University

Larry Schnoor, President, NFA

For better or worse, this will be the second year in a row where the topic area is essentially a repeat of a recent NDT/CEDA policy debate topic. The policy community debated China in 2005-2006; they debated agricultural subsidies in 2008-2009.

While the topic area has been decided, you still have the opportunity to influence the specific resolution. Email David Trumble (dtrumble@anselm.edu) with suggestions or other comments.

As for myself—I seem to have, erm, offended a number of individuals during last year’s topic selection process, to put it generously. I will likely comment with some degree of anonymity from here on out.

- Nick

Instructional

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