May 5, 2009 Meeting Summary

Held May 5, 2009

1.    Recommend that the MSHSAA staff revise and simplify the Readers Theatre and One-Act Play ballots.

2.    Recommend that the words “good literature” be deleted from the Readers Theatre ballot and from 6-E-14 in the Speech, Debate, and Drama Manual.

3.    Recommend that the judging criteria language be made identical on the One-Act Play and Readers Theatre ballots and in 6-D-8 and 6-E-16 in the Speech, Debate, and Drama Manual.

4.    Recommend that “No distinction shall be made between serious and light plays/presentations; each play/program shall be considered by the critic upon its own merits” be added to the One-Act Play and Readers Theatre ballots.

5.    Recommend that “Overall Interest” be changed on the Readers Theatre Ballot to “Overall Effect.”

6.    Recommend that rankings be added to the Public Forum Debate ballot.

7.    Recommend that a subcommittee be created to revise the Public Forum Debate ballot.

8.    Recommend that “A contestant /debate team shall not receive coaching/direction/advice from other persons during a competition round.” be added in the Ethics area (Section 1) of the Speech, Debate, and Drama Manual under “For Student” and that “Never provide coaching/direction/advise to contestants/debate teams during competition rounds.” be added in the Ethics area under “For Coaches.”

9.    Recommend that the language from “Unethical Conduct” for Cross Examination Debate in 6-A-11 of the Speech, Debate, and Drama Manual be added to the Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Public Forum Debate sections in the manual.

*10.    Recommend that 1-A-6, 1-B-10, 1-C-10, 4-G-9, 9-T, and 10-O in the Speech, Debate, and Drama Manual be amended by deleting “Cell phones and other…” and adding “…however, cell phones, if used as timing devices during rounds of competition, cannot be used for any other function.”

Amended:

Recommend that 1-A-6, 1-B-10, 1-C-10, 4-G-9, 9-T, and 10-O in the Speech, Debate, and Drama Manual be amended by adding “Exception: Cell phones can be turned on in competition rooms to use as timing devices, but cannot be used for any other functions during rounds of competition.” as the second sentence.

11.    Recommend that the deadline for submitting changes in selections for the State Tournament be established as one week after the last district tournament concludes.

*    Approved as amended

All other items approved