NJFL Executive Board Minutes

This new section will host the transcription of the minutes of the NJFL executive board, which can be read below, or downloaded in .doc format via the menu on the right.

NEW JERSEY FORENSIC LEAGUE WINTER MEETING
DECEMBER 22, 2010
CHARLIE BROWN’S – MILLBURN, NJ

Schools represented: Newark Public Schools, Malcolm X. Shabazz, Millburn (x2), Montville, Delbarton, Pingry, Ridge, Elizabeth, Freehold Twp.

Meeting called to order at 4:00pm. David Yastremski reviewed the minutes from the winter meeting, examining status updates.

Old Business:
A. Electronic Retrieval Devices in Extemp
No issues raised presented regarding computers during Extemporaneous Speaking Draw.

B. Interpretation Selections
No issues raised regarding the new publication policies for interpretation events.

C. Declamation
Issue to be discussed further under “new proposals.”

D. Novice vs. JV Division in Debate
Issue to be discussed further under “new proposals.”

E. State, Borelli, Novice tournament Administration
Joe Anzalone has agreed to run all state-sponsored league events per the salary discussed at the Spring meeting.

F. Judge Training
No judge training took place this year per our discussion in the Spring. It was recommended that the NJFL publish a handbook that can be distributed for all judges at league events. Further details will be announced shortly regarding how/when this will happen.
(President’s Note: This might be a great task for committee members to complete before the coaches afternoon luncheon in May.)

G. State Tournament Format
No issues presented regarding the new state tournament format.

H. Calendar
No issues presented regarding the tournament calendar. There was one question regarding the ALJ tournament; the president agreed to reach out to confirm they are still planning to have the event.

I. Novice Tournament
Discussion continued regarding the purpose and goal of the Novice ‘event.’ It was agreed that Novice Lincoln-Douglas and Novice Public Forum should not run at the Novice tournament since there is confusion about the ‘real’ New Jersey State Champion; however, other debate events, such as the NFL Supplemental Debate category, may be offered for all students. Further discussion of the issue of ‘novice’ status was tabled until New Proposals.
(President’s Note: The president will communicate with Executive Board members and tournament director during January so a formal invitation will be ready for distribution by the first of February, 2011.)

J. Constitution Revision
No issues were presented regarding the constitutional revision of May 2010.

New Business
A. Nonprofit Status
David Yastremski commented that he and the accountant are putting the final touches on the paperwork for non-profit status. Renee Dembski stated that the old account has been closed and all money has been transferred to our new account established at Wachovia (soon to be Wells Fargo) bank. Renee Dembski, Mary Gormley, and David Yastremski are all signers for the account.

New Proposals:
Storytelling:
Jessica Wellington presented a proposal to add Storytelling as an event at NJFL tournaments. Several people commented on the NFL rules in relation to the GMU rules. Jessica noted that there appears to be a bias against children’s pieces or other fables in Prose or DI; this would allow a new venue for this material to be presented. Coaches commented on the performance versus the piece criteria in terms of judging paradigms; it was noted that the NFL uses the criteria of ‘literary merit’ in their event descriptions. The committee decided that we weren’t sure if there was a need at this time. The committee encourages tournament directors to consider running Storytelling and it may be included at the ‘festival’ event the weekend after the State Championships. The issue can be revisited in the future. Action: Failed.

Public Forum – Novice.
David Yastremski presented a proposal to change JV Public Forum to Novice Public Forum to avoid confusion at local events. The same criteria as Novice LD would be used in Public Forum (9/10th grade student team in their first-year of competition). Much discussion ensued regarding whether we needed the age/grade delineation. Kurt Shelton noted that some juniors or seniors doing the event for the first time should have a novice opportunity. Several coaches noted that there is a different maturity level, experience level, and posturing impact associated with older students that warrant prohibition in the novice division, particularly in Public Forum which is a less technical, more advocacy style of debate. Yastremski mentioned the preferred consistency with the LD interpretation so to avoid further confusion. Kevin Tidd, and others via e-mail, suggested setting up a JV division as well to fully mirror the LD structure; however, most of the committee agreed that the numbers don’t warrant a third division yet, but will most likely in the near future, seeing the progression and popularity of Public Forum on the state level. A recommendation was made to allow first-year juniors to compete in Novice until December; however, David Yastremski noted potential confusion in state bids and tournament rules (in addition to the burden on tournament administrators).

Action: Starting with the January Tournaments, JV Public Forum will now be known as Novice Public Forum using the same criteria as Lincoln-Douglas. Junior students, in their first-year of debate, who have already qualified for States via the earlier tournaments, will be grandfathered for this year’s state championship.
Vote: Passed: No Objection (physically present or e-mail)

Declamation
David Yastremski presented the proposal left over from the spring coaches meeting regarding Declamation. Yastremski noted that some coaches e-mailed about access to student oratories. Yastremski noted that Declamation on the state or national (NCFL) level does not require publication of declamations. Discussion entailed that student oratories have never been a common practice in New Jersey; however, other teams from NY or PA, who may travel to New Jersey, use the national NCFL criteria which allows student oratories in the event, which would create unfortunate disqualifications of students who weren’t informed about the specific rules. The final discussion entailed not mentioning student oratories in the constitution at all, which would neither promote nor prohibit them from being used.

The by-law will read as the following.
Aye - 9 (Yastremski, Shelton, Dembski, Paul, Drummond, Tidd, Gormley, Alfano) via e-mail (Bauwens)
No – 3 (Wellington), via e-mail (Richardson, Waite)
(e-mail votes which gave a very clear ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ were counted into the vote.)
(O’Hare did not vote since each school is only permitted one vote.)

Novice Reading
Ed O’Hare presented a proposal to begin a novice division open to 9th & 10th grade students in their first year of competition. Mirrored after a similar event in Massachusetts, students can elect to do either poetry or prose. Discussion entailed whether this was opening the door for other ‘novice’ divisions. In addition, Renee Dembski questioned whether such an event takes away the ‘competitive drive’ for students to succeed at the varsity level, which Mary Gormley concurred. Yastremski commented that he would prefer to see tournaments with such large prose and poetry entries add a semi-final round into the schedule when entries are greater than 60. Kurt Shelton recommended a pull-out section where the top non-advancing novices into the regular final round would compete in a separate section. Such an award would not qualify for States; however, give first-year competitors an opportunity to be rewarded in highly competitive fields.

Action: The committee decided that such an event may not be necessary provided that tournaments take some action to recognize novice entries (e.g. top non-advancing novice(s) or pull-out finals) when entry numbers warrant. The issue will be re-visited at the Spring meeting.
Vote: Tabled: No Objection.

Novice Qualification
Via e-mail, Kate Munro presented a proposal that the term, ‘novice,’ be limited to 9th and 10th grade students in their first-year of any forensic competition (speech or debate). Discussion entailed whether middle-school experience should be included as “previous” competition experience. In addition, it was noted that this will affect numbers at the novice event occurring the weekend after the State Championships. David Yastremski noted that the ‘novice’ event or festival can include other events/opportunities that aren’t deemed as ‘novice’ (i.e., experimental events, consolation events) that will be open to other students who want to try new or different events.

Action:
Effective immediately, participation in any “Novice” category (speech or debate) is limited to any 9 or 10th grade student in their first year of “any” high school forensic competition. Once a student has one academic year of any forensic experience, regardless of event genre, level of success, or quantity of tournaments where he/she participates, the child will no longer be able to compete in Novice divisions or be labeled as Novice for other Novice awards. Middle-school participation will not count against a first-year “high school forensic” student who wishes to be categorized as “Novice.”
Vote: Passed: No Objection.

State Tournament:
David Yastremski commented that he would reach out to James Challendes to question whether, as VP of Speech, he was planning on writing the Impromptu and Improvisational topics for States. Mary Gormley suggested Cara Restaino, as a current non-partisan friend of forensics who is familiar with the event, to write them in case James declines.
President’s Note: James has agreed to write the topics for this year’s state tournament.