WSDC update

Hi everyone.

We're only two months away from Worlds in Washington so you will start to notice a big increase in email traffic - if you haven't noticed it already!

I'll be running a blog again on the WSDC site during Worlds. And if there are other blog sites, tell me and I'll advertise them if you'd like them known.

Now, time for some reminders;

1. WSDC NEWSLETTER 2. If you've just recovered from the first one, then let me warn you; no 2 is imminent. Disappointingly, there's no gossip or scandal in it but there is the next best thing: news from all over the place. If you have anything you'd like included, strike now and email me. The newsletter comes out this weekend.

And there's also a newsletter from Washington as well, so you'll be spoiled for choice with information!

2. PAYMENT DATE FOR WSDC IN DC. If you've just recovered from registration, then let me warn you; payment is imminent. You have until 1 August 2008 to pay your registration for Washington. So visit the bank today!!!

3. CODE OF CONDUCT FORMS. Remember that everyone registering to participate in WSDC 2008 - yes, that does include you - must sign and return these to Phyllis before you can participate. Debaters who require parental or guardians' signature, don't leave it too late! And can I just gently suggest that leaving your home nation bound for Washington without the parent or guardian signature is a really dumb thing for a smart debater to do.

You'll find the Code of Conduct forms as annex 3 to the WSDC Rules. See WSDC Rules

4. COMMUNICATION WITH CONVENOR.
All communication with WSDC 2008 convenor Phyllis or any other member of the Org Comm should be through your nation's team manager. With over 300 people registering, it gets a bit much if every individual emails Phyllis with his or her own questions or needs and what's more, expects a prompt answer.

So please, debaters and your families, friends and supporters, forward all your queries, comments and suggestions to your team manager and let that person send one email to Phyllis who can then send one email in reply.

Adjudicators are a bit different as many of them have registered individually and not with their team delegation. But for the rest of you descending on Washington, please do use your team manager as your first port of call before dashing off several emails to Phyllis.

I hope that all makes sense. Have a good day and see you in 2 months!

Claire Ryan
Secretary, World Schools Debating Council Executive Committee

Alumni success at Australs

Christopher Bishop writes:

At the recent Australasian Intervarsity Debating Champonships ("Australs"), held at the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines, there were some notable performances by WSDC alumni:

The winners were the University of Sydney Union 1, which included Steve Hind (WSDC 2005 for Australia)

The University of Sydney Union 2 were knocked out in the semis by Sydney 1. The team included Jack Wright and Tim Mooney (WSDC 2005 for Australia). Jack and Tim were 5th= and 7th respectively on the speaker tab;

Victoria University of Wellington 1 broke 6th and were knocked out in the quarterfinals. The team included Christopher Bishop (WSDC 2001 and 02 for NZ), as well as Polly Higbee and Stephen Whittington (WSDC 2005 for NZ). Chris and Stephen were 8th= and 10th respectively on the speaker tab.

Victoria University of Wellington 2 broke 8th and were also knocked out in the quarters. The team included Kathy Scott-Dowell (WSDC 2006 for NZ).

Queensland 1 broke 5th and were knocked out in the quarters as well. The team included Evan Goldman (Coach for Australia 2006-8)

Finally Sam Greenland (Coach for Hong Kong) also debated for Sydney 3 who broke in 9th position and who were knocked out in the octos!

WSDC 2008 motions released

Kia ora and greetings to everyone.

On behalf of the host of this year's World Schools Debating Championships to be held in Washington DC in September 2008, I hereby advise you of the motions for the preliminary prepared rounds and final.

PRELIMINARY ROUND PREPARED MOTIONS

That this house supports military intervention to deliver emergency aid in humanitarian crises

That this house believes that governments have a duty to bail out failing financial institutions.

That this house would ban the use of unethically obtained data in scientific research

That this house would make the directors of multinational companies personally liable for environmental abuses committed by their companies in the developing world

GRAND FINAL MOTION:

That this house would expand the permanent membership of the UN Security Council

NOTE:
All teams should arrive in Washington DC prepared to debate both the Proposition and Opposition sides for each of the four preliminary round prepared motions.

The draw (the document listing which teams will be debating each other in each round, which teams will be in proposition and opposition for each debate, and the order in which the prepared motions will be debated) will only be released shortly before the start of the Championship.

Whilst preparing for the debates, teams are strongly advised to read and be familiar with the WSDC Guidelines on Defining Motions & Constructing Cases.


OTHER ROUNDS

All teams involved in the championships will participate in eight preliminary round debates - four of which will be prepared debates on the motions listed above, and four of which will be impromptu debates for which the motions will be released only one hour in advance.

Please note that if the total number of participating teams is an odd number, one team will sit out each preliminary round and instead participate in a 'bye-round' so four teams will debate only three of the prepared motions if that is the case.

The octo-finals, quarter-finals and semi-finals will also be impromptu debates.

For impromptu debates, the team members will be kept in preparation rooms during the hour leading up to the debate. They will not be allowed to consult with their coaches during that hour.

Under the WSDC Rules, teams may not bring any published or handwritten materials into their preparation rooms for impromptu debates, except for one English Language dictionary, one bilingual dictionary, and one single-volume encyclopaedia or almanac. They are also not allowed to bring in any devices that are potentially capable of accessing information from outside the preparation room, such as mobile phones, laptop computers, pagers, PDAs, BlackBerries, and so on.

MOTIONS COMMITTEE

Motions for all rounds of the competition are selected by the Motions Selection Committee, which consists of five members elected by the World Schools Debating Council and two members selected by the host organising committee. For 2008, the members of the Motions Selection Committee are: Ria Nuri Dharmawan (Indonesia) Hayah Eichler, (Israel), Albert Fornis (Greece), Noel McGrath (Ireland), Aaron Maniam (Singapore), Ian Lising (USA) and Justin Rodriguez (USA).

If you have any questions regarding the rules or format for debates at the championships, please feel free to e-mail me for clarification.


Best wishes and good luck for your team's preparations for the competition.

Kind regards,

Claire Ryan
Secretary, World Schools Debating Council Executive Committee