… The NFA-LD committee has just finished receiving results from the 2010-2011 coaches NFA-LD survey that was sent out two weeks ago to all active NFA member schools. Apparently, preliminary results indicate that a majority of debaters have decided against engaging the substantiative issues of the mental health topic all year. Beyond one or two cases debaters have generally resorted to topicality arguments instead of key issues identified in the topic paper for last year …

I won’t quote the whole thing detailing what’s going on this year – just read it on the IE-L or watch this video message from the committee. I must say that I have to agree based on the word on the street. The real issue though is the course of action the board has decided to take:

Therefore, we stand resolved that in order to debaters to really learn about mental health policy in the United States (AND NOT OTHER COUNTRIES/PLANETS!) we are hereby suspending all balloting for the 2011-2012 topic. Instead, we will repeat this topic for next year in the hopes that debaters will really research the 3-4 case areas available to them and not only 1-2.

Your thoughts? Read more information here.

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Below is my first attempt at a vodcast that reflects the kind of material that would be presented at an LD workshop. It’s not particularly good, and is a bit longer than I would like it to have been. Hopefully, someone can find it helpful in reviewing the key issues in this year’s topic. I think my next vodcast will be on leveraging word processor advanced features to format debate evidence. We’ve put the information in print form on the site before, but I think a video would help.

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You can view the final round between Western Kentucky University’s Frank Murdock (AFF) and Lafayette College’s James Hilbert (NEG) here:

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=922560E1D847F1A8

Use the video as a chance to improve your flowing and judging. Enjoy!

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http://ww2.lafayette.edu/~forensics/2009 NFA-LD Debate Cooperative Evidence Set.pdf

Last year, I heard a few complaints that the camp evidence was still being relied on late into the season. My advice is to not let that happen this year. This year’s topic is several orders of magnitude larger than last year’s topic and the camp evidence will be useful for practice debates and a jumping off point. The camp evidence is by no means useful as a comprehensive approach to the topic. It is my hope that the evidence set provides a strong example to the community on how to assemble evidence, blocks and arguments to assist you and your team in the basics of research and argument. Enjoy!

NOTE: The file is intentionally locked to prevent cut/copy/paste functionality. You may view the evidence and print it, but that’s it. Please do not send requests for the .doc version of the evidence, they will be ignored.

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This website has the potential to revolutionize debate by removing the cost of transportation and housing from debate tournaments and practice. Check it out and if you can’t make it to the RCC camp tomorrow check out my lecture on affirmative case construction at 10:30am PST.

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Hello,

The following schools now have representatives attending our camp, Aug. 17-20. If you would like anyone from your school to attend, please contact me this week. The more the merrier.

Mt. SAC (two students)
CSULA (one student)
UCLA (one student)
UN-Reno (one student)
El Camino (three students)
Cerritos (one student)
Biola (one student and one coach)
LaSierra (coach only)
Glendale (coach only)

Thanks,
Sydne

If you have any questions, please respond to here or contact Sydne at: sydnekasle@yahoo.com, or sydne.kasle@rcc.edu.

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The first RCC summer LD camp will take place over four days.  The camp is open to all levels of experience, and any current or future debate coach and/or judge.  The first three days will be a mixture of topic and theory lectures, as well as lab time for cutting evidence cards, briefing, and socializing with other debaters.  The final day is reserved for practice debates with digital recording for the students and oral critiques provided.  In order to make the practices happen, we desperately need volunteer judges.  We can provide food and an imaginary badge of honor…. 

I have already been contacted by representatives from several programs:  Cerritos, Glendale CC, La Sierra, CSULA, UCLA, Cal Baptist, and Columbia University!  Send out the schedule, direct people to the SoCal LD site (http://www.socal-ld.net/), or have them contact me directly.  We are hopeful that most of the local schools will have at least one representative.  Help your students in any way you can to arrange transportation and/or housing.  Slide them $40 for some lunch money.  Do what you can to help make this camp representative of the PSCFA NFA-LD community. 

While there is no enforceable registration deadline, I would like a ballpark figure by August 3.  That gives me the time to make housing and transportation arrangements for those in need (if possible), adjust the schedule, budget for expenditures, etc.  Please keep in mind that this camp is free, and RCC Forensics is picking up the tab for assorted expenses.  There are no salaries or honoraria for the organizer or contributors, and any expenses will come right out of the RCC Forensics 2009-2010 budget.  I do not anticipate huge expenses, but I bring this to your attention so you know that if someone registers we are counting on his or her attendance.  We have no way of instituting a “fine” for dropping out, yet we may end up losing money if we are way off in our cost estimates.

I want to thank you in advance for any help you may provide in order to make this camp a success.  At this point I welcome any and all contributions.  If you have any questions, please e-mail me.  Any person registering will receive an e-mail confirmation along with a campus map, a finalized schedule, a list of suggested supplies, and parking pass for the RCC city campus. 

Students, coaches, and judges are welcome to attend all or part of the camp.  The only caveat for this is that a student cannot just show up for the final day of practice debates.  We will try to adhere to the schedule the best we can, though we may rearrange some things if the interest is greater than we expected.  Possible changes include more tracks separating Rookie/Novice from JV/Varsity, more coach- specific seminars, or adding lectures based upon interest and demand. 

 Here is the schedule:

 Monday, August 17

10:30 – 10:50      Welcome and Introductions (Quad 106)

11:00 – 11:30      The Nature of NFA-LD Debate:  What am I doing?  (Rookie/Novice seminar)                         Sydne Kasle, RCC

11:00 – 11:30      Mastering LD:  Tricks of the Trade(JV/Varsity seminar)              (

                                Michael Miller, Glendale CC

11:30 – 12:30       Topic Overview and Affirmative Case areas (Quad 106)

                                Sydne Kasle, RCC; Michael Miller, Glendale CC

12:30 – 1:00         Lunch Break

1:00 – 2:00           Researching and Briefing:  Excellence in an Evidence-Based Activity (Quad 106)

                                Michael Miller, Glendale CC

2:00 – 3:30           Lab Work (cutting evidence cards) (Quad 106)

Tuesday, August 18

10:30 – 11:30      Arguing Topicality (Affirmative and Negative) (Quad 106)

                                Sydne Kasle, RCC; Michael Miller, Glendale CC

11:30 – 12:30      Cross Examination Skills (Quad 109)

                                Michael Miller, Glendale CC

12:30 – 1:00        Lunch Break

1:00 – 2:00           Speaking to Succeed:  Basic Delivery Techniques     (Rookie/Novice seminar) (Quad 111)

                                Sydne Kasle, RCC

1:00 – 2:00           Advancing Counterplans:  I have another idea! (JV/Varsity seminar) (Quad 109)

                                Michael Miller, Glendale CC

2:00 – 3:30            Lab Work (cutting and briefing evidence) (Quad 106)

Wednesday, August 19

10:30 – 11:30      Affirmative Case construction (Quad 106)

Danny Cantrell, Rio Hondo College

11:30 – 12:30      Disadvantage construction (Quad 106)

                                Sydne Kasle, RCC

12:30 – 1:30        Judging Philosophies:  How do they decide? (Lunch will be provided.) (Quad 106)

                                Michael Miller, Glendale CC;  Sydne Kasle, RCC; Danny Cantrell, Rio Hondo

1:30 – 2:00           Flowing (Rookie/Novice seminar) (Quad 109)

                                Sydne Kasle, RCC

2:00-3:30              Lab work (briefing and case construction) (Rookie/Novice)(Quad 106)

2:30-3:30              Judging NFA-LD (open to coaches and judges only) (Quad 109)

                                Sydne Kasle, RCC

 1:30 – 3:30          Lab work (briefing and case construction) (JV/Varsity) (Quad 106)

Thursday, August 20

10:30 – 11:00      Orientation for Practice tournament (Quad 106)

11:00 – 12:00      Practice Debate I (oral critique provided)

12:00 – 1:00        Practice Debate II (oral critique provided)

1:00 – 1:30           Lunch Break

1:30 – 2:30            Practice Debate III (oral critique provided)

2:30 – 3:30           Closing Session and Celebration

If you have any questions, please respond to this post or contact me at: sydnekasle@yahoo.com, or sydne.kasle@rcc.edu. 

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This workshop will be free.  I will do my best to connect people  when it comes to tranportation and/or housing.  Since we are a CC we do not have access to dorms, but let’s just see what the level of interest is and see what we can do once it gets closer to the time. 

I would like a list of anything you want to have included, as well as preferences for number of days. You can post it here or e-mail me at:
sydnekasle@yahoo.com. Please tell me who you really are, and what school you are from as well. Anonymous web chats are freaky.

We have a range of the following dates, so with those dates in mind let me know what you think. Obviously I can’t ask everyone about this, but the few who have been discussing this issue and the Resolution issue (Shantal or someone else) can chime in now. I’ll wait a few days to see what people say (about topics and also range of dates), and then I’ll work on a schedule with any coach or DOD who wants to be a part of the planning. Then we’ll advertise it to the masses.

Range of dates: August 17-August 23.

Times:  10 or 11 AM – 6 PM or so (avoiding rush hour)

We can do four or five days during this time span.

sek

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Camp Details
Location: Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio
Dates: August 1-9, 2009
Cost: $400.00
Registration Deadline: July 17, 2009

Changes for 2009: Meals are included in the price this year. Also, we will be experimenting with a fellows program. Fellows will be selected by the Camp Director from a pool of applicants. Those selected will work closely with lab leaders to provide primary and supplemental research, help with practice rounds and act as peer mentors/coaches at the camp. Fellows will attend camp free of charge. You can download a Fellows application at the camp website, note that 2 letters of recommendation will be required.

I hope to see more representation of the left-coast at camp this summer. I know the Pacific debaters who attended last year had a great time.

John Boyer
Camp Director
NFA-LD Cooperative

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