The Constitution of the
International Public Debate Association

(printable version)



PREAMBLE


This Constitution represents the fundamental set of operating philosophies, principles, and practices for the International Public Debate Association. The primary goals of this association are:

To provide contestants with a forum in which they can enhance their education through the laboratory of productive, "real-world" competitive debate experiences. Public Debate competitions are intended to provide rhetorically sound models of communicative debate which competitors can experience, study, emulate, and internalize. Tournament Directors are encouraged to offer a wide variety of topics and a wide range of judges to encourage participants to become familiar with and think strategically about the relationships among issues, arguments and audiences. In this way, the International Public Debate Association strives to provide contestants with a chance to develop advanced skills in audience sensitivity and analysis and the opportunity to develop a range of speaking and argumentation styles which will be successful in business, legal and professional settings.

To provide instructors with a debate activity to which they can proudly invite colleagues, administrators, and community members as observers. This Association was created to offer an alternative to traditional debate--an alternative which encourages the continued contributions of graduating team members, sparks increased campus and community interest & involvement in forensics, and serves as a bridge to fund-raising activities. Competitions are intended to provide a forum in which classroom principles directly apply and where classroom students can be entered without undue embarrassment or ego-shock. And this Association encourages instructors to become active participants as well as judges so that they might remain sensitive to the students' experience, keep their own skills sharp, provide models of excellence for students to follow, and to provide additional avenues of instruction through mentoring.

To provide economic and academic benefits to the forensic community. Public Debate is intended to offer a financially superior alternative to traditional debate. Tournament Directors are encouraged to keep Public Debate fees as low as is reasonably possible. The International Public Debate Association also encourages the scholarly and heuristic study of the pragmatics of effective argumentation and debate as it applies to real-world contexts, formats and audiences.



The philosophic foundations of the International Public Debate Association include:

Inclusivity: All interested individuals are encouraged to participate regardless of educational background, prior experience, or any other demographics. However, in order to compete a person must be at the 7th grade level and in order to judge, a person must be at the 9th grade level.

Lay Judging: Tournament directors are encouraged to use as many real-world judges as possible. Training should be minimal and should emphasize fairness and how to properly conduct the round and fill out the ballot.

Multiple Topics: Each round should open with a set of five resolutional choices and the contestants themselves should select the topic they will debate.

Limited Preparation: Debaters should be allowed sufficient preparation time to give serious thought to their upcoming round. The use of extemporaneous preparation files and collaboration with coaches and colleagues is encouraged.

Extemporaneous Delivery: The use of evidence cards and/or verbatim written materials is prohibited. Such materials may be studied, memorized and/or paraphrased, but they may not be physically present in the round. The "reading" of such materials should be highly penalized.

Rhetorical Delivery: Students should be encouraged to develop winning oratorical styles. The speaking style of the top Public Debaters should be highly effective when transferred into real world settings.

Ethos: High quality speaking styles and courtesy should be prized, promoted, and rewarded. The use of appropriate humor is encouraged.



I. MEMBERSHIP & DUES


There are five categories of membership in the International Public Debate Association:

Program Membership – ($35.00) A "program" is the basic unit of the International Public Debate Association. A program may be any institution which sponsors a debate squad. This includes, but is not limited to, Business Organizations, Colleges, Community Colleges, High Schools, Seminaries, Toastmasters Clubs, Trade Schools and Universities. A registered member program pays full dues, and receives full voting rights & all Association publications. Only program members in good standing are eligible to compete for the annual cumulative program sweepstakes championships.

Affiliate Membership - If an individual or organization wishes to compete on a limited basis without becoming a full member, it may affiliate with a registered program willing to serve as a sponsor. The affiliate member will pay a low, per-tournament participation fee. Affiliate members are eligible for tournament awards including tournament sweepstakes awards, but are not eligible to compete for the cumulative sweepstakes championship. Affiliates have no voting rights and may receive only limited publications.

Individual Membership – ($15.00) Individuals may also take out membership in the International Public Debate Association. Individuals pay full dues and receive all publications but receive only limited voting rights. Individual members are eligible to complete for the cumulative individual sweepstakes championships but not for the cumulative program awards.

Observer Membership - Programs and Individuals may affiliate with IPDA by taking out an observer membership. Observer members pay no dues and receive limited materials and information by e-mail only. They have no voting rights and are not eligible to complete for cumulative sweepstakes awards.

Student Membership – ($5.00) Individual students my take out a special membership by paying reduced student dues. Students members must affiliate with a registered program. Students receive selected publications and receive the same limited voting rights as other individual members. Students are eligible to complete for the cumulative individual championship award but not for the cumulative sweepstakes championship.





II. OFFICERS & DUTIES


A: Self-Perpetuating Board:
The three main officers of the International Public Debate Association are constituted as a self-perpetuating board.

B: The three officers of the International Public Debate Association are:
1. President - The President is appointed to a four-year term of office. The duties of the President are to chair business meetings, promote the International Public Debate Association and its goals, uphold this Constitution, serve as primary spokesperson and liaison for the organization, be the principal individual responsible for administering this constitution and it's bylaws, and to monitor the progress of the Association.

2. Executive Secretary - The Executive Secretary serves an indefinite term of office. The duties of the Executive Secretary are to take care of the budgetary and secretarial duties of the Association, to conduct such elections as may be necessary, to maintain the annual sweepstakes records, to be responsible for maintaining the membership records and the tournament sanctioning process, to record and make available the minutes of business meetings; and to coordinate with the Managing Director to ensure the efficient dissemination of materials to the membership.

3. Managing Director - The Managing Director serves a four-year term of office staggered in opposition to the President's term of office. The duties of the Managing Director are to oversee the management of the materials and supplies used by the association including the editing and production of Association publications; making such publications available to the general membership & other interested parties; and keeping such records as pertain to Association publications. The Managing Director will also be responsible for arranging and coordinating all IPDA events including the end of the season Championship Tournament.

C. Responsibility to Create and Review Bylaws:
These are the general set of objectives and responsibilities for the three primary Association officers. Unless otherwise stated, these officers shall have full authority to set rules and procedures for carrying out the duties within their domain of responsibility. Such rules and procedures which achieve the status of bylaws will be submitted to the voting membership for ratification. Ratification requires a majority vote of over 50% of the voting members. Any member of the International Public Debate Association may propose additions and revisions to the bylaws (and/or suggestions for constitutional amendments). Such proposals must be submitted in writing to the executive secretary and receive the approval of the executive committee before being presented to the membership for a ratification vote (see section XI below).



III. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE


The Executive committee of the International Public Debate Association will be made up of the three primary officers. Past officers and such additional officers as may be added to the association can serve in an advisory capacity to the Executive Committee but will not vote in Executive Committee matters. The Executive Committee members will in addition to their individual responsibilities share the following duties:


IV. ELECTIONS


Elections will be held when called for by the Executive Committee. The Executive Secretary will conduct elections in accordance with the Rules & Procedures set up by the Executive Committee.



V. FISCAL POLICY


A. Fiscal Restraint:
The fundamental fiscal principle of the International Public Debate Association is restraint. All members of the organization from the Executive Committee on down are expected to put their primary emphasis on furthering the goals of the organization as outlined in the Preamble of this document and not on enhancing their personal or program finances.

B. Fiscal Guidelines:
Association members agree to adhere to the following guidelines of fiscal restraint and responsibility:

1. Association Officers serve with the understanding that they will cover their own travel, lodging, and meal expenses.

2. The Association will try to adhere to a 'cost plus 20%' guideline. Association dues will be set 20% over the actual costs of servicing its members. Association publications, forms, and supplies will be priced at 20% over actual production and distribution costs. Fees for the end-of-the-season Championship Tournament will also be based on a 20% return over expenses.

3. Individual Tournament Directors are asked to set their fees for Public Debate divisions to comfortably cover actual expenses for supplies, trophies, judges, etc. plus up to a 50% return for time and effort. Consistent with the pedagogical goals of the Association, Tournament Directors are asked to make liberal use of volunteer lay judges and pass the cost savings along to the participants.

4. The Association will try to make maximum use of electronic mail technologies to further reduce costs to its membership. To both reduce costs and shorten response times, members are encouraged to use the Internet for as much correspondence as possible.

5. The Executive Committee will review its financial status annually, report those findings to the Membership and encourage member suggestions for cost-cutting procedures. Association financial charges will be adjusted periodically to remain consistent with the basic 20% fiscal policy. The goal will be to maintain a reasonable, operating reserve and a maximum return to the membership.

VI. PUBLICATIONS


The International Public Debate Association will provide the following materials at 20% over cost to its members: official International Public Debate Association ballots, handouts for judges, a guide for competitors, a tournament guide for tournament directors, full sets of formatted topics for tournaments, a programmed self-instruction text on Public Debate for competitors.

The Association will provide the following materials gratis upon request for its members: sample copies of most of the above materials, sanctioning materials and forms, results reporting forms, a guide for Tournament Directors, and such other materials as may eventually become available.

Members and member organizations are free to photocopy all association materials, including those which are copyright protected, for classroom, debate team, and promotional use.



VII. TOURNAMENT SANCTIONING & PROCEDURES


A. Sanctioning Guideline:
Tournament directors should obtain and become familiar with a current copy of the International Public Debate Association Tournament Guide. One goal of the International Public Debate Association is to reserve as much local latitude and control to the Tournament Host/Director as is possible. The procedures governing Tournament sanctioning are as follows:

B. Application:
Tournament Hosts/Directors may receive tournament sanctioning by making application to the Executive Secretary and having their tournament dates approved. Every effort will be made to avoid scheduling conflicts to maximize everyone's ability to participate effectively. Tournaments will be approved based on geographic location and seniority. Directors are encouraged to apply early in case adjustment of tournament dates is required. The deadline for sanctioning will be set to allow for sufficient time for an official tournament list to be published and distributed to the membership. Tournaments may be sanctioned after the official deadline on an individual basis with the approval of the Executive Committee. Individual tournament sanctioning must be approved no later than 60 days before the scheduled start of the tournament.

C. Sanctioning Requirements:
For a tournament to be sanctioned and have its results count toward the Cumulative Sweepstakes totals it must meet the following criteria:

1. It must be sanctioned through the Executive Secretary and its dates published in an official International Public Debate Association announcement.

2. The tournament must adhere to the fiscal restraint policies of the association.

3. A minimum of five (5) programs must enter competition. The host institution may be included in the five.

4. A minimum of sixteen (16) competitors must participate in Public Debate. At least half (8) of these must be from programs other than the host. To count as a participant, a competitor must compete in a minimum of 'one-half plus one' of the preliminary rounds offered (e.g. 6 prelims [4 rounds]; 8 prelims [5 rounds]).

5. Novice Division entries must adhere to the following definition: Competitors will no longer be eligible to compete in the Novice Division once they:

a. have competed in eight debate tournaments in any capacity at any level in any combination (e.g., high school or college; novice, junior or open, CX, Policy, Value, NDT, CEDA, Parliamentary, NFA, or L-D). And/or

b. have advanced to the semi-final round or better in three tournaments (in any capacity, at any level, in any combination).

c. Are no longer eligible to compete in the varsity division.

6. Varsity Division entries must adhere to the following definition:
Competitors will no longer be eligible to compete in the Varsity Division once they:

a. have been awarded a 4-year, undergraduate, Bachelor's-level degree. But,

b. this restriction does not include 2-year, Associate-level degrees.

7. Tournament Directors are expected to make every effort to adhere to the fundamental principles of the International Public Debate Association as outlined in this Constitution and its Bylaws.

8. It is strongly recommended that Tournament Directors provide orientation materials and training for their judges.

D. Reporting Requirement:
For a program to retain its International Public Debate Association Sanctioning, the local Tournament Director/Host must submit the official results to the Executive Secretary not later than 15 days after the culmination of the event or 7 days before the scheduled start of the Championship Tournament whichever comes sooner. A sanctioning form will be provided and the requirements for filling out this form will not be excessive. Tournament Directors are encouraged to submit their results over the Internet or by fax. It is the Tournament Director's responsibility to obtain confirmation that these results have been received by the Executive Secretary.



VIII. SWEEPSTAKES & AWARDS


A. Association Awards:
The International Public Debate Association will present the following awards at the end of the season, Championship Tournament:

1. The President's Cup: Presented to the victor of the final round in the open division at the Championship Tournament. This individual will be the Public Debate Champion for that year. Awards will be presented to all debaters reaching outrounds.

2. The Protagoras Cup: Presented to the program which accumulates the most sweepstakes points during competition at the Championship Tournament. Points will be based on the top four finishers from each program. Awards will be presented to the top programs.

3. The Daniel Webster Award: Presented to the individual who accumulates the best record of achievement in the open divisions of six tournaments over the course of the forensics season. Awards will be presented to the top finishers.

4. The Winston Churchill Award: Presented to the program which accumulates the most sweepstakes points in the open divisions of six tournaments over the course of the forensics season. Points will be based on the program's top four finishers at each tournament. Awards will be presented to the top programs.

5. The Edmund Burke Award: Presented to the varsity competitor who accumulates the best record of achievement in six tournaments over the course of the forensics season. Individuals who start the season as eligible varsity division competitors and lose that eligibility before attending six tournaments may still be considered for this award by submitting the results of their first six tournaments of the season. Awards will be presented to the top finishers.

6. The Mahatma Gandhi Award: Presented to the program which accumulates the most varsity division points over the course of the forensics season. Programs may count their top four varsity division finishers at each of their six top tournaments. Awards will be presented to the top programs.

7. The Susan B. Anthony Award: Presented to the novice competitor who accumulates the best record of achievement in six tournaments over the course of the forensics season. Competitors who start the season as eligible novices and lose their novice status before attending six tournaments may still be considered for this award by submitting the results of their first six tournaments of the season. Awards will be presented to the top finishers.

8. The Martin Luther King Award: Presented to the program which accumulates the most novice points over the course of the forensics season. Programs may count their top four novice finishers at each of their six top tournaments. Awards will be presented to the top programs.

9. The Isocrates Award: Presented to educators who have demonstrated a consistent commitment to and excellence in promoting genuine oratorical skills in their debaters.

For the purpose of cumulative awards, the Public Debate season will officially end 10 days before the scheduled start of the Championship Tournament. All IPDA competition must be finalized by that date. To be considered for these awards, competitors and/or programs must submit an application listing their top six performances to the Executive Secretary so that they arrive by an official deadline. The deadline date, terms, conditions, and application forms for these various awards will be distributed by the Executive Secretary.

B. Sweepstakes Points:
Cumulative Sweepstakes points will be awarded using a formula set out in the Association bylaws:

1. If a tournament meets the minimum sanctioning criteria, all divisions (open, varsity & novice) will be eligible for cumulative sweepstakes points regardless of that division's size. Larger divisions will qualify for a greater number of sweepstakes points. The cumulative sweepstakes point systems are outlined in Article 2 of the Bylaws below.

2. The top four finishers in each division (open, varsity & novice) from each member program of an International Public Debate Association sanctioned tournament will contribute to their program's cumulative sweepstakes points for that division of that tournament.

3. Each program's point totals from its best six International Public Debate Association sanctioned tournaments for each division will count towards the cumulative sweepstakes program awards for each division.

4. The tournament director will report tournament results to the Executive Secretary using or following a form provided (preferably by e-mail). Eligible varsity & novice competitors should be clearly indicated regardless of division. Eg., if an eligible novice is entered in the varsity division, it should be so noted.





IX. THE FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT


The Final Championship Tournament will be the culminating event of the International Public Debate Association competitive season. All cumulative awards will be presented at the Awards Assembly of this event. The Final Championship Tournament will also be associated with an annual Convention and Business Meeting of the Association members.

The Managing Director will organize and coordinate the various activities required for hosting the Championship Tournament and Convention.



X. CONFLICT RESOLUTION


A. Guidelines:
The International Public Debate Association is open to everyone, regardless of race, gender, age, religion, political affiliation, or demographic discriminator. As a membership, we are committed to equal opportunity and the maximization of personal growth for all of our members. Respect must be extended to all.

B. Grievances & Challenges:
Any member with a grievance or belief that there has been some violation of the rules or philosophy of this Association has the right to register that complaint with the Association. The procedure regarding such complaints is as follows:

1. First, it is expected that a reasonable, good-faith effort will be made to discuss and remedy problems at the lowest possible level. Tournament directors are encouraged to resolve tournament disputes on site if at all possible.

2. The member with the grievance has the option of making informal contact with one or more of the association officers who may, at their discretion, offer advice and/or attempt to mediate a resolution of the dispute.

3. If the informal problem-solving process has failed, the grievance may be written up and submitted to the executive secretary. No 'official' action will be taken until such a written complaint is received. Association members should, consistent with making every effort to resolve the problem at lower levels, try to file their complaint in as timely a manner as possible.

4. The Executive Committee will attempt to investigate, discuss, and resolve complaints as quickly as possible. The Executive Committee may, at its sole discretion formally mediate the dispute, issue a summary judgement, or set up some other adjudication process. As a condition of membership, all members of the association agree to accept the decisions of the Executive Committee as final and binding.



C: Sanctions:
The Executive Committee will make every effort to settle disputes without resorting to sanctions. If sanctions are in order, the Committee will try to avoid making them unnecessarily harsh. However, here again, all members of the association agree to abide by the rules and decisions of the Executive Committee as a condition of membership.



XI. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS AND BYLAW CHANGES:


Proposals for amendments to this constitution may be generated by the Executive Committee, the Governing Board, or by any of the voting Association members. Such proposals must be submitted to the Executive Secretary in writing and approved by a majority vote of the Executive Committee before being submitted for ratification to the general voting membership. A 3/4 vote of at least 3/4 of the voting members is required to ratify a change to this Constitution.

Proposals for changes to the association bylaws may also be generated by the Executive Committee or suggested by any of the voting Association members. Such proposals must be submitted to the Executive Secretary in writing and approved by a majority vote of the Executive Committee before being submitted for ratification to the general voting membership. A ½ vote of at least ½ of the voting members is required to ratify a change in the bylaws.

Adopted April 2, 1998

Amended April 11, 1999

Amended April 23, 2001

Amended April 29, 2003



Bylaws Of the International Public Debate Association

Article 1. Event Description


The critical principles and elements of Public Debate were listed in the preamble to the Constitution. The following more specific event description is intended to provide a practical set of guidelines for competitors and tournament directors. Public Debate is an academic public speaking exercise which is defined by the following elements, rules, and procedures:

A. Eligibility: Individual competitors must be at the 7th grade level (in age or education) or higher. Otherwise, there are no restrictions on competitors within the organization.

B. Judges: Individual judges must be at the 9th grade level. Otherwise, anyone of reasonable intelligence can be used as a judge. It is actively recommended that judging pools be made up of as wide a range of backgrounds, abilities, and perspectives as possible. Tournament directors are encouraged to use lots and lots of class or volunteer undergraduate students as judges.

C. Ballots: An official ballot will be used in judging Public Debates. Copies of this ballot will be made available by the Managing Director. They may be purchased at cost plus 20% from the Association or members are free to have their own versions produced. Any substantial deviation from the official ballot must be approved by the Executive Committee.

D. Seating: Contestants must seat themselves such that, from the audience's point of view, the Affirmative is on the left and the Negative on the right.

E. Topic Areas & Resolutions: The topic areas and specific resolutions for Public Debate are left to the discretion of Tournament Directors. The International Public Debate Association will provide complete formatted master sets of resolutions for Tournament Directors upon request on a cost plus 20% basis. Topics should be fair to all parties attending Public Debate tournaments. Tournament Directors should avoid local issues which are inaccessible to visiting competitors. Resolutions should be as balanced as possible giving equal ground to both the Affirmative and Negative.

F. Topic Draw: Contestants will meet for an extemporaneous topic draw before the scheduled start of the debate. The official recommended draw time is 30 minutes but the exact time is up to the Tournament Director. Contestants will be offered five (5) topics. Each pair of opponents will independently select the topic they wish to debate. Starting with the Negative speaker, each contestant will alternatively strike one of the five until only one remains. That will be the debate resolution for the round. Contestants must complete the topic selection process independently and without outside assistance. Tournament Directors may set their own policies concerning the mechanics of the draw, including what to do about competitors who show up late and topic draw protests.

G. Preparation: Debaters are permitted to use reference materials during their preparation time before debating. They may utilize extemporaneous speaking type files, dictionaries, reference books, libraries, or anything else for that matter. They may also consult with teammates and/or coaches for ideas and advice.

H. Format: Public Debate will use the following Lincoln-Douglas formats:


Time Format #2

5 minute 1st Affirmative

2 minute Cross Examination

6 minute 1st Negative

2 minute Cross Examination

3 minute Affirmative Rebuttal

5 minute Negative Rebuttal

3 minute Affirmative Summary
 Time Format #1

5 minute 1st Affirmative

2 minute Cross Examination

7 minute 1st Negative

2 minute Cross Examination

3 minute Affirmative Rebuttal

4 minute Negative Rebuttal

3 minute Affirmative Summary







Tournament directors must receive Executive Committee approval to deviate from this format. The IPDA makes no recommendations concerning prep time between speeches. This is a matter of the Tournament Director's discretion and it is recommended that the policy be included in the tournament invitation. In the absence of an announced rule, special prep time between speeches is not allowed. Judges should be made aware of prep time rules and count off for abuses.

I. Use of Evidence During Debates: Contestants may not bring written reference materials into the round with them. No 'reading' of evidence will be permitted. They may only bring and reference case outlines and limited notes which they may have worked up during the preparation period before their round. Evidence must be memorized or paraphrased for use during debates. This is another case where judges should be made aware of this rule and instructed to count off for abuses. Serious violations of this rule should cause the judge to automatically award the decision to the opponent.

J. Fairness: Debaters will, as much as possible, be left to their own devices. Affirmative's are allowed to define resolutions pretty much as they see fit. However, Affirmative interpretations and definitions must leave Negatives fair ground for the debate. If an Affirmative's case is too lopsided and/or tautological (used to define itself as winning by definition), this opens the door for the Negative to provide an alternate set of definitions. But the Negative can only redefine terms if the Affirmative has abused its prerogative. If the Affirmative can demonstrate adequate Negative ground when challenged, then Affirmative definitions will have presumption. The judge is the final arbiter of definitional squabbles.

K. Nomenclature & Procedure: The two sides in a Public Debate will be known as the Affirmative and Negative. There will be no "rising" to points of order, standing with one hand on your head, or heckling during speeches. If debaters have questions or problems they should ask about them during cross-examination and/or raise them as points during their next speech. Debaters can always appeal to a judge after a round, but the decision of the judge is final.

L. Style: The goal of the International Public Debate Association is to promote a highly rhetorical and oratorical style of public speaking. For this reason, it is recommended that judges be instructed to award the decision in a close round to the superior speaking style rather than to the negative.

M. Etiquette: Public Debaters are expected to maintain a highly polite, civil, and professional demeanor during rounds. Judges should be instructed to reward appropriate ethos and count off for abusiveness.

Adopted April 2, 1998

Modified April 23, 2001

Amended April 29, 2003



Article 2. Cumulative Point System


Consistent with the principles set out in the constitution, the following rules will govern the cumulative sweepstakes points for all divisions of IPDA competition.

A. Individual and program cumulative sweepstakes points will be awarded using the following formula:

1. Each preliminary round win will count as one (1) point (including byes or forfeits) up to a maximum of six (6) prelim points per competitor per tournament. Competitors who achieved records of 6-2, 7-1, and 8-0 in an 8 preliminary round tournament would each receive 6 points. A competitor who achieved a 5-0 record in a 5 preliminary round tournament would receive 5 points.

2. Based on the qualifying size of the field, each competitor will be awarded one point for breaking to outrounds plus 2 additional points for each outround victory.

3. The number of qualifying outrounds will be determined by the size of the field in the division. If a tournament qualifies for sanctioning based on its total field, each of the three sweepstakes divisions (open, varsity & novice) will automatically qualify for points. Sanctioned outround points for each division will be based - to the largest power of 2 - on 50% or less of the total field in that division. I.e.:





Field Size:Qualifying Outrounds:
below 40
4-71
8-152
16-313
32-634
64-1275
128-2556




4. At least half of the qualifying field must come from schools other than the host institution. If, for example, a division had 37 entries but only 12 came from other than the host school, the qualifying field size would be 24 (2 x 12). It would be up to the Tournament Director's discretion whether to break to quarterfinals or to octofinals, but only 3 outrounds in that division would qualify for cumulative sweepstakes points.

B. The following formula will be applied to break ties in the end of the season cumulative sweepstakes point totals:

First, the following points will be calculated for the top 6 tournaments:

5 points for each first place
4 points for each second place
3 points for each semi final finish
2 points for each quarter final finish
1 point for each octofinal finish
0 points for double-octofinals or any other outrounds

Second, drop the high and low tournament points and compare the point totals for the middle four tournaments.

Third, compare the seventh tournament for each competitor of there is one.

Fourth, compare the eighth tournament for each competitor of there is one.

Finally, if there is still no difference in cumulative sweepstakes points (or if there is no seventh or eighth tournament for either or both of the tied individuals or programs), the tie shall be declared unbreakable and recorded as such.

C. The following requirement and restriction shall apply to home tournament sweepstakes points:

1. A program will only be able to count individual and/or team sweepstakes points, for any division, toward their end of the season total if the IPDA event director (with full control and final say in running the event) comes from somewhere other than the host program. And

2. An individual or a program will be able to count no more than one home tournament for any of the seasonal sweepstakes awards.

Adopted April 2, 1998

Modified April 23, 2001

Article 3. Governing Board


The International Public Debate Association will establish a 9-member Governing Board.

A. The Governing Board will be charged with deliberating over policies, rules, and procedures which affect the Association. Items for consideration may originate with the Governing Board; they may be suggested by the Executive Committee; or they might originate with any other individual, program, or group within the Association. Items intended for Governing Board consideration may be submitted directly to that body, or it may be submitted indirectly by way of any IPDA officer. But submission of an item does not guarantee deliberation. The governing board itself will decide which items to consider and on what basis and on what schedule.

B. Recommendations for change which come from the Governing Board will be referred to the Executive Committee. With Executive Committee approval and depending on the nature of the change, these recommendations will either be:

Presented to the membership for a vote (consistent with the provisions of the Constitution), or Implemented by the Executive Committee (if they fall within the scope of that body's discretionary powers to set policies, rules, procedures and fees).

C. The nine members of the Governing Board will serve staggered 3-year terms, such that every year, at the end of the season, Final Championship Tournament, three seats on this board will come open. One of these will be filled by an election of the program members. One of these will be filled by an election of the individual members. One of these will be filled by an appointment of the Executive Committee. Nominations for membership to the Governing Board may come from any International Public Debate Association individual or program member. Current Executive Committee members will not be eligible to sit on this Board. The procedures governing the submission of nominations and the election & appointment of Governing Board members will be the responsibility of the Executive Secretary.

D. Every year, the Governing Board will elect one of it's members to serve as Chair. The duties of the chair will be to coordinate schedules, set agendas, chair meetings, communicate with the Executive Committee, and set the policies, rules, and procedures which will govern the business meetings of the Board for that season.

Adopted April 2, 1998

Article 4. Programs


The following provisions will govern the formation and registration of International Public Debate Association program members.

A. A program can be any affiliation of individuals who wish to compete in the Public Debate event at IPDA sanctioned tournaments.

B. Programs must be officially registered with and members in good standing of IPDA before they can begin accumulating sweepstakes points.

C. A program can be affiliated with an institution or an independent debating club. Each institution can only sponsor one official program. The only exception to this will be in the case where there is a college forensics program in existence which does not support IPDA. If a separate public debating club is formed on campus and later the official forensics program decides to include IPDA, they will be allowed to co-exist. In this case, they will be encouraged (but not obligated) to merge.

D. Before a college-affiliated debating club is formed, every effort should be made to contact the official forensics sponsor of that institution to see if IPDA can be added to the existing program. If such a sponsor does not exist, is unwilling to include IPDA, or is only willing to do so with unfavorable restrictions, individuals may apply for program status. It will be up to the Executive Committee to investigate this situation, contact the current sponsor (if any), and decide whether to allow the club to form as an institutional program.

E. The directors of college-affiliated IPDA programs have complete jurisdiction over individual participation and independent program formation on their respective campuses. Individuals who are currently enrolled in their institutions of higher learning can only engage in IPDA activities with the consent of the program director.

F. Within the limits specified above, anyone can, without prejudice, form an independent debating club and apply for program status.

Adopted April 11, 1999

Article 5. Membership Affiliation


The following provisions will govern the program affiliation of individual International Public Debate Association members.

A. Individuals are welcome to affiliate with any independent debating club that will have them. There is no obligation for an independent debating club to accept all comers.

B. To affiliate with an institutional IPDA program, an individual must be, or have been, an official member of that institution.

C. Individuals who are or have been members of two different institutional programs have the option of competing for either.

D. Individuals do not have an obligation to debate for a program with which they are, or have been, affiliated. Nor is there an obligation on the part of a institutional program to accept everyone who applies from that institution as a member.

E. Individuals also have the option of competing as independent entries in sanctioned public debate events without program affiliation.

F. Individuals must be officially registered with and members in good standing of IPDA before they can affiliate with a program, compete as an independent, and/or begin accumulating sweepstakes points.

Adopted April 11, 1999

Article 6. Official Outround Policies


In order to promote consistent standards and fairness, the following IPDA policies shall governing sanctioned tournament outrounds:

A. Following standard debate tournament practice and based on the final preliminary round results, the high seed will always be scheduled to hit the low seed throughout the outrounds. I.e.:

Final Round 1-2
Semi-Final Round 1-4, 2-3
Quarter-Final Round 1-8, 2-7, 3-6, 4-5
Octa-final 1-16, 2-15, 3-14, Etc.

B. Brackets will NOT be broken to protect programs.

Adopted April 23, 2001