February 9, 2016
Hello friend,
Congratulations! If you’re reading this, then that means that you’re now officially registered for the 41st Annual Liberty Bell Classic at the University of Pennsylvania. We’re glad you’ve chosen to spend your Valentine’s Day Weekend in the City of Brotherly Love. For those who are LBC regulars, welcome back!
The Liberty Bell Classic is hosted by Penn for Youth Debate (PFYD), a student organization at Penn devoted to providing Philadelphia debate students with the resources they need to succeed. PFYD does this by sending Penn students to volunteer at area schools and also by running free tournaments for Philly students throughout the year. All proceeds from the LBC fund this mission. We are so appreciative of your support of the Philadelphia debate community.
This registration packet is kind of long. Sorry. But it is really important that you read absolutely everything inside this packet as it will provide you with the information you need to make it through the weekend.
Happy Reading!
All our best,
The PFYD Board
PS – If anything goes wrong this weekend (locked doors, missing judges, rogue babies, etc.), contact Rajan Sheth (480)-467-9916.
IF YOU ELECT TO READ NOTHING ELSE, AT LEAST READ THIS (BUT YOU WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES…)
- You must arrive by 7 AM on Saturday if you need to pay; the arrival time is 7:30 AM for those who paid on Friday evening. Postings will occur at 7:45 AM.
-BASE CAMP IS NOT IN THE SAME PLACE AS LAST YEAR-
*PAYMENT TABLE will be in the lobby/ground floor of Houston Hall, by Bodek Lounge.
*JUDGE LOUNGE will be inside Bodek Lounge, also in Houston Hall and the first judge calls for Public Forum is at 7:30 AM on Saturday in Bodek Lounge. All future judge calls will always be 30 minutes before the round is expected to start.
- All debate events will operate under NSDA rules, including a 10 minute forfeit rule. That is, if you are 10 minutes late to your round, you FORFEIT the round.
- Extemp Prep is located in David Rittenhouse Laboratories A1.
- It will bevery cold. So bring a coat or something.
- Lincoln-Douglas and Policy Debate will be using e-balloting. Make sure that you have a way to charge your electronic device throughout the day and make sure your judges have tabroom accounts and judging philosophies (for VLD). Parli judges may also use e-balloting if they so choose.
- Everyone – including coaches, judges, and parents - must be wristbanded.
- Awards will take place in College Hall 200 on Sunday afternoon around 4 PM.
- Read the finalized schedule.
- Speech codes are in your registration packets! Fill out your ballots with your name and code! If you are competing in speech, please read page 10!
- To access the Internet, connect to “AirPennNet-Guest”, and the magic code is
C-EQHQKTVY
The 2016 Liberty Bell Classic at the University of Pennsylvania
Official Tournament Schedule (Finalized)
Note: You can pay either on Friday night inside Houston Hall between 6 PM and 9 PM or at 7 AM on Saturday morning inside Houston Hall.
Saturday, February 13, 2016
7:00 AMPayment Table Opens (Houston Hall)
- A representative from each school must come by the payment table to pay for their entries and to pick up their students’ speech ballots and wristbands if they did not do so on Friday evening.
Judge’s Lounge Opens (Bodek Lounge in Houston Hall)
7:30 AMPayment Table Closes
- Any unpaid entries will be dropped from the tournament at this point; appropriate drop fees will be assessed.
Arrival Time for Everyone Who Paid on Friday Night
Round 1 Judge Call (Public Forum)
- Judge’s Call is in Bodek Lounge in Houston Hall
7:45 AMStudent Congress Meeting (College Hall 200)
- All Student Congress competitors, parliamentarians, and judges must attend this meeting.
8:00 AMRound 1 (Public Forum, Lincoln-Douglas)
Round 1 (Speech Pattern A)
- Pattern A is comprised of DUO, EXT, and OI.
8:15 AM Round 1 (Student Congress)
8:45 AMRound 1 Extemp Draw (Room TBA)
9:15 AMRound 1 (Speech Pattern B)
- Pattern B is comprised of DP, OO, and DEC.
10:00 AMRound 1 (Parli, Policy)
Round 2 (Lincoln-Douglas)
Round 2 Judge Call (Public Forum)
10:30 AMRound 2 (Speech Pattern A)
Round 2 (Public Forum)
11:15 AMRound 2 Extemp Draw
11:45 AMRound 2 (Speech Pattern B)
12:00 AMRound 2 (Parli)
12:30 PMRound 3 (Lincoln-Douglas)
Round 2 (Policy)
1:00 PMRound 2 (Student Congress)
Round 3 Judge Call (Public Forum)
1:15 PMRound 3 (Speech Pattern A)
1:30 PMRound 3 (Public Forum)
2:00 PMRound 3 Extemp Draw
2:30 PMRound 3 (Speech Pattern B)
Round 3 (Parli)
3:00 PMRound 4 (Lincoln-Douglas)
Round 3 (Policy)
3:30 PMRound 4 Judge Call (Public Forum)
3:45 PMRound 4 (Speech Pattern A)
4:00 PMRound 4 (Public Forum)
4:30 PMRound 4 Extemp Draw
5:00 PMRound 3 (Student Congress)
Round 4 (Speech Pattern B)
Round 4 (Parli)
5:30 PMRound 4 (Policy)
6:00 PMRound 5 (Lincoln-Douglas)
6:45 PMRound 5 Judge Call (Public Forum)
7:15 PMRound 5 (Public Forum)
7:30 PMRound 5 (Parli)
Sunday, February 14, 2016
7:30 AMRound 6 Judge Call (Public Forum)
Arrival Time for Policy, Student Congress, and LD Judges and Competitors
8:00 AMRound 6 (Public Forum)
Runoff (Lincoln-Douglas)
Round 5 (Policy)
8:30 AMSemifinals (Student Congress)
Arrival Time for Speech and Parli Judges and Competitors
9:00 AMSpeech Quarterfinals
- Note that some speech events may break directly to semis.
Quarters (Parli)
10:30 AMDoubles Judge Call (Public Forum) (Time TBA)
Octos (Lincoln-Douglas)(Time TBA)
Semis (Policy)
11:00 AMSemis (Parli)
Doubles (Public Forum)(Time TBA)
11:30 AMSpeech Semifinals
12:15 PMStudent Congress Finals Session Begins
12:30 PMOctos (Public Forum)(Time TBA)
Quarters (Lincoln-Douglas)(Time TBA)
1:00 PMFinals (Parli)
1:30 PM Finals (Policy)
2:00 PMSpeech Finals
Quarters (Public Forum)(Time TBA)
Semis (Lincoln-Douglas)(Time TBA)
3:30 PMSemis (Public Forum)(Time TBA)
Finals (Lincoln-Douglas)(Time TBA)
4:00 PMAwards Ceremony (College Hall 200)
5:00 PMFinals (Public Forum)(Time TBA)
When I show up on Saturday, where should I go?
- If you need to pay on Saturday morning, go to Houston Hall at 7 AM. Otherwise, you can show up by 7:30 AM.
- If you are a judge and would like to enjoy breakfast, go to the Bodek Lounge inside Houston Hall.
- If you are a judge for Public Forum, Judge’s Call is in Houston Hall in Bodek Lounge
- PF and LD postings will happen at 7:30 AM.Both flightsshould go directly to their rounds at this time.
- PF postings will happen in Williams Hall. If you are a PF debater, go to Williams Hall at 7:30 AM.
- If you are competing in an event that is not Public Forum, go to the main floor of Houston Hall. Postings for Parli and Policy will be online at 9:30 AM.Postings for all other forms of debate will occur in the lobby of Houston Hall around 7:30 AM.
- Postings for Speech events will occur in the lobby of Houston Hall around 7:45 AM.
How do I pay?
That’s an excellent question. You have two options, although we highly suggest the first option as it involves getting about thirty more minutes of sleep on Saturday.
- Option 1: Pay on Friday night inside Houston Hall on the first floor (near the Houston Hall information desk) between 6 PM and 9 PM and be incredibly well-rested as you won’t have to arrive at Houston Hall until 7:30 AM sharp on Saturday.
- Option 2: Pay on Saturday morning inside Houston Hall at 7 AM (ew…)
We will be dropping unpaid entries at 7:30 AM on Saturday. If you have any significant issues (like a severe traffic problem) that will prevent you from being able to make it before 7:30 AM, you must call (630)-337-5081 immediately.
After paying, you will receive an envelope containing…
- Wristbands for your students, judges, chaperones, etc.
- A finalized invoice
- Speech ballots
- Speech codes (FOR YOUR STUDENTS TO WRITE ON THEIR BALLOTS)
- Another copy of this registration packet
You will need to sign off at the payment table, indicating that you have received your documents in good order. Check to make sure that you have the proper number of wristbands, vouchers, and speech ballots.
What’s up with this wristband business?
Everyone – and we mean everyone –has to wear a wristband this year.
Your interper? Yes.
Your PFer? Yes.
Your great aunt Marcie who loves to watch LD rounds? Yes.
Every single person affiliated with the tournament? Yes.
Should you or someone you care for dearly lose a wristband, a limited supply of extra wristbands will be stocked at the info desk inside Houston Hall. Note that the bingo supply store could not give us an unlimited supply of wristbands. As such, treat your wristband as you would treat an invaluable diamond bracelet/family heirloom. If you’re feeling particularly creative, decorate your wristband, name it and make it your own. But don’t lose it.
Hold up? We’re going to get all of our speech ballots at the very beginning?
Yep. And your students’ names have NOT BEEN FILLED IN.This registration packet includes a list of competitors and their codes.They need to fill in the rest. If you ever lose this sheet, the info desk at Houston Hall will be able to help you out. Fill out the ballots with names and codes before the round!
If a student has received ballots for the wrong event, let the person at the payment table/info desk know, and he or she will give you the proper ballot.
Give your interpers all four of their speech ballots at the beginning of the day, make them fill out names and school codes, and they will then hand a ballot over to a judge each time they compete. Should one of your students lose a ballot, spares will be located at the info desk but will be available in limited quantities.
Also, our speech ballots are color coded this year. The key is:
Declamation: LAVENDER
DP: GREEN
Duo: CORAL
Extemp: BLUE
OO: GREY
OI: YELLOW
Where can I pick up my cheesesteaks?
The cheesesteaks will arrive at 11:30 AM on Saturday morning. Cheesesteaks can be PURCHASED at the info desk in Houston Hall. If you filled out the concessions form on Tabroom, you will NOT BE CHARGED for a cheesesteak on your invoice, but you will have to pay IN PERSON. Unclaimed cheesesteaks will be promptly consumed at 2 PM. (If you ordered on Tabroom, one will be reserved for you)
Oh, and on that subject, the info desk inside Houston Hall will be a place to do the following –
- Ask questions about pretty much anything
- Turn in speech or debate ballots
What’s this e-balloting thing I’m hearing about?
NOTE: Unlike last year, only Lincoln-Douglas and Policy Debate will be using e-balloting. JUDGES FOR PF AND PARLI SHOULD PICK UP A PAPER BALLOT.
E-balloting means that instead of going to a ballot table to find a schematic and grab your ballot, you will get a notification on your phone sending you directly to your round. After the round when you’ve made your decision, you just enter it directly into the tab system. Neat, clean and fast! Plus, the ballots go online for the debaters to consult later—no more lost ballots. The first step in casting e-ballots is to register with tabroom.com. It is best to do this in advance of the tournament.
1. Go to Tabroom.com
2. Click Sign Up in the top right corner to create an account.
3. Once an account is created, click Link your account to a judge under the Your Account header.
4. Search for your judge record within the tournament you’re attending to connect your account.
As soon as you arrive at a tournament, connect to the wireless network.
After the tournament starts, you will get notifications whenever you have a ballot.
1. Go to your assigned room.
2. After the competitors arrive, go to tabroom.com. The ballot assignment page will be the first thing to pop up. When everyone is ready (and the sides are determined and set in PF), click START ROUND and the round can begin. This will let the tab room know that everyone is there and accounted for.
3. As soon as the round is over and you have made your decision, click on the ENTER button to submit your results. YOU MUST CONFIRM THE RESULTS AS DIRECTED.
4. RFDs and comments to the debaters should be entered after you've submitted the results (and even later, if you're rushing to your next assignment).
Ok, got it. But how will I get onto the Internet?
It’s easy as pie. Look for a wireless network called “AirPennNet-Guest”. When prompted, enter the following group code, and you’ll be set –
C-EQHQKTVY
SEE YOU AT THE LBC!
1