Minutes

May 19, 2001

I. Cardoza called the meeting to order at 8:00am. All members were present. Sandra Niemi served as a proxy for Sandy Starke.

II. President Cardoza

            A. State Tournament report

1) Congratulations and thanks to all for a well-run tournament. Special compliments to Tournament Director Cummings, VP Activities Niemi, SCDL President Alexander, Area Three Chair Cullen and his wife. Nearly everyone involved came away with positive feelings about the event.

2) Thanks to the Area Chairs for helping with the experiment of computer registration. Two lessons learned:

a. Schools can't send in their own entries via computer due to different programs and platforms.

b. Area Chairs can use one database to send their league's entries. This process will be tried in 2002.

                        3) Six protests at the State tournament:

a. One protest was withdrawn once the protest committee was assembled.

 

b. O.I. - complainant asked that protest not be taken to committee, but wanted to point out that contestants' cards should list a speech's topic, not just their title, to avoid similar speeches being paired together in preliminary rounds.

Effect - Cardoza has created a new State Entry form that asks for Title, Author, Topic, and Source for all intrepretive events.

 

c. Congress - Presiding Officer accused of not following event rules in allowing a suspension of the rules in his/her chamber.

Ruling - The Presiding Officer was in error, but no tournament rules were violated.

Effect - Presiding Officer was admonished by the Congress Director.

 

d. D.I. - Contestant was assessed a time violation in a preliminary round where another contestant served as timer. Complainant alleges that the speech was not overtime.

Ruling - Protest upheld.

Effect - Time violation was not assessed.

 

e. O.I. - Contestant accused of using her scarf as a prop. Student claims that scarf was falling off, and she simply flung it away from her to avoid stepping on it.

Ruling - Protest denied.

 

f. H.I. Finals - Contestant's speech included two songs that were not in his manuscript. Student and coach both admitted that script was inaccurate, but student claims that songs were "heat of the moment" additions in the final round only.

Ruling - Protest upheld.

Effect - Contestant's rank dropped to 7^th on ballots of Finals' judges only.

 

            B. "Viewer Mail" - 2 letters

1) Michelle Lisp is interested in bringing an Israeli debate team to the San Francisco Bay Area for an exhibition. Any coach who'd like to facilitate such an event can see the letter for more information.

2) Derek Yuill of Gabrielino voiced some specific concerns which VP Williamson will address during her report.

 

C. OCSL President Stockton reports on the California Curriculum Coordinators' Council (aka "4 C's") meeting he attended.

1) CHSSA is well-known by the 4C's. Stockton also met a CATE representative who was interested in having CHSSA present at their annual conference. (CATE = California Association of Teachers of English)

2) New technology program: Digital California Project. Dr. John Valley, director of applications.

            a. CSU and UC directed.

b. County offices use current equipment to bring counties online in the northeastern and southeastern corners of the state.

3) Diane Fuentes Michelle, Under-Secretary of Education for California, stated that testing isn't going away.

            a. Two new tests slated for next year: reading and ELL.

b. What will happen to under-performing schools? Asked, but not answered.

4) Stockton notes that a wide range of disciplines are present at 4C's meetings. Many of these disciplines have legislative advocates, so they're good people to know.

 

D. Cardoza asks that the secretary include the membership directory in the minutes. Pinza says "OK".

 

III. Treasurer Barembaum

A. Though many expenses and requests for funds aren't in yet, "we're in good shape."

B. State Tournament expenses [ See attached Treasurer's Report ]

            1) Most of the printing costs are not included.

            2) Judges' refunds actually total $13, 100. Report lists $13,600 to cover Cummings's $500 honorarium for serving as Tournament Director. Barembaum presented the honorarium to Mr. Cummings.

C. Apologized for not having the assessment/qualifier breakdown for areas and leagues. Barembaum blames his inexperience, but also adds that Area Chairs should make sure all assessments are in before the State tournament to help expedite the process.

 

D. . Exhorts everyone NOT to send purchase orders -- CHSSA is a non-profit, therefore we aren't supposed to sell anything. Prices only cover costs, but purchase orders say something else to the I.R.S

 

E. Proposed a "three-plank plan" to improve tracking of judges and calculation of refunds:

1) Judging houses keep judge cards out of the hands of the judges themselves. When a judge fulfills their requirement, each house should stamp the card. Each house would get a unique stamp.

2) The registration form for State should include a column listing the number of judge cards issued.

            3) An "add/drop" form for the State tournament should be created.

 

 F. Errors in the published Sweepstakes results come from inexperience and a lack of staffing. Barembaum recommends using two teams of two people each, with a laptop for each team, to record sweepstakes. This way, he can supervise the entire process and not get swamped on Sunday when he must issue judge refunds.

 

G. Noted that this is Mr. Johnson's last council meeting as West Bay President, but Johnson would like to stay on the Debate and Finance Committees. He wants to attend CHSSA meetings and ask CHSSA to cover his expenses for doing so.

            ~ Stockton suggests retaining Johnson as a Legal Consultant.

            ~ Johnson states he is happy to donate his "attorney time" to CHSSA.

 

 

IV. Secretary Pinza passes the Membership Directory around for revisions.

 

V. Editor Glahn

            A. Acknowledged that coaches aren't getting the bulletin thanks to the post office's negligence of bulk mail. Bulk mail is still the cheapest option, but other solutions are being explored.

            B. The next bulletin will be sent in a tri-fold, loose-leaf format.

C. Asked all coaches to submit articles. Book reviews of the latest debate and speech texts, student-written articles, and articles from local colleges regarding speech opportunities outside of high school are all encouraged.

 

 

 

VI. Vice President of Activities Niemi

            A. Thanked Cardoza for the State tournament database. It made life easier.

            B. Recommended making the additional $2,000 funding for food a permanent budget item. Will introduce motion in the Fall.

            C. Complaints from State:

                        1) Many would have liked written judges' instructions.

                        2) Some judges' event preferences were never met.

            D. Lost and Found items:

1) "My Little Pony" wallet belonging to Julie Johnson (probably from ITS event, not ours).

2) CD billfold full of CDs.

3) Prescription sunglasses.

4) Glahn found a State T-shirt in a plastic bag in I.E. tab. See her to claim it.

5) Cardoza mentioned that a Leland student found $45 cash and turned it into the trouble desk. He commends the student for her honesty.

E. Thanked Barembaum for his three-plank plan; it should be helpful for next year's judging houses.

 

VII. 2001 Tournament Director Cummings

            A. Personal thanks

                        1) Cardoza for his computer and paper-handling skills.

2) Niemi for his work at the tournament, especially in resolving six room conflicts.

3) Alexander for his positive attitude, services as shuttle driver, and willingness to do anything necessary to help out.

4) Mr. and Mrs. Cullen for providing everyone with food.

5) The staffs of the judging houses and the tab rooms; many new faces this year, yet everyone was superb.

6) Fernandes for arranging the hotels

7) Weber for a fantastic dinner-dance.

8) The coaches who had no students competing, yet still helped out at the tournament: Gonzales in Debate Tab, Darling and Williamson in judge houses, and Keller-Firestone in Extemp Prep.

9) Logan H.S. for sorting the comment sheets into school envelopes.

10) Matt Taylor of CSULB for always being present and in good humor, negotiating rooms when needed, and delivering Final round ballots to the tab rooms.

~ Stockton asks that a letter of thanks be sent to these people. Cardoza agrees to do so.

 

B. Three incidents of vandalism at the tournament: a men's room and a classroom on campus, as well as one school's bus. (The school was not staying at a CHSSA hotel.)

 

 

 

VIII. Vice President of Curriculum Williamson

A. No changes from University of California - two course templates in place: "Oral Interpretation" for Visual Performing Arts credit (designated f/g) and "Rhetoric" for English credit.

 

B. Thanked Glahn and the San Ramon student for helping to finish the order forms. Every Language Arts chair in California now has a brochure, and nine orders for complete sets of packets have already been received.

 

C. Presented a workshop at the CSCA conference. Presentations at the upcoming WCSA Conference in Long Beach and next year's CATE conference are in the works. They will probably focus on debate materials.

 

D. Reported that the Curriculum Committee sent a letter to DeLaine Easton (sp?) asking why the Listening and Speaking standards were not inspected on the High School Exit Exam. Easton informed the Committee that State Senate bill SB2X specifically directs that only reading, writing, and math will be measured on the Exam.

 

E. Responses to Derek Yuill's letter:

            1) Yuill asks that CHSSA lobby for a Speech teaching credential.

a. Curriculum Committee encouraged Yuill to draft a proposal for the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and present this proposal at the Fall meeting for CHSSA's endorsement.

b. Committee further recommends that Yuill pursue a supplementary authorization, rather than a separate credential, since inclusion is more en vogue than specialization right now. It also is more marketable, since full-time speech teachers are rare.

 

2) Yuill expresses concern that the UC course templates don't apply to what coaches currently teach because they aren't entitled "Speech and Debate". Current templates do little more than "dress a pig in a prom dress", so Yuill advocates lobbying for a "Speech and Debate" course template. 

a. Williamson believes that "the pig looks good in a prom dress, and the State's more inclined to dance with her that way." She believes that the current templates serve our needs quite well; they save our programs and keep our elective courses viable.

~ Corleno noted that he received a speech authorization with his Social Science credential. Only fifteen collegiate units in Speech were needed for this.

~ Barembaum added that the authorization typically requires twenty lower-division or ten upper-division speech units.

~ MacDonald noted that, in the absence of a credential or authorizaiton, you could still teach the course if you sign a waiver and gain the approval of your district's Board.

~ DeGroff suggested that the name of the course could be changed, also, to better fit your non-speech credential.

~ Cardoza asked Mr. Stockton to report on the current requirements for a credential and/or authorization to teach speech in public schools. Stockton will do so at the Fall meeting.

F. "Drafty draft" of Listening packets were distributed. Curriculum Committee will meet twice before September to revise this packet, draft a Technology packet, and integrate the two.

            G. Announced that Cummings is supervising revisions to the Coaches' Handbook.

                        1) Thanks to Corey and Johnson for their new ideas.

                        2) The Debate Committee is currently perusing the Handbook.

                        3) DeGroff is reviewing the Congress section of the Handbook.

                        4) Cummings noted that the I.E. section is grossly outdated.

~ Corey asked if the Revision Committee would meet in September. Cummings said they wouldn't have to if he received all of the revisions before then.

~ Johnson offered to mass produce the revisions through his office staff.

 

IX. Vice President of Public Relations Fernandes

            A. Thanked the coaches who stayed at the dinner-dance.

            B. Upcoming hotel/meeting info:

                        1) Fall 2001 meeting: San Jose Hyatt, Sept. 19-23

a. $75 rate - reservation deadline is Sept. 7 (You can call the hotel directly, just mention CHSSA.)

b. Curriculum Committee will meet Thursday and Friday.

c. The same rate is available for the Santa Clara Invitational Dec. 7-9.

                        2) Winter 2002 meeting: Hyatt Highlandia in San Diego, Jan. 10-12

                                    a. $95 rate - reservation deadline is Dec. 11

b. Fernandes asked that all who plan to stay in hotel Saturday night inform her by Dec. 11.

                        3) State 2002: April 26-28.

a. Waiting for rate quotes from Fresno Plaza, Radisson (near Convention Center), and Ramada. Trying to find hotels near possible dinner-dance sites.

b. Implored coaches to please stay at CHSSA hotels, since the number of tenants affects the rate we get.

C. Noted that Johnson is helping her seek donations from corporations. Washington Mutual has expressed interested in contributing towards curriculum.

D. Asked that Council members check out of the hotel today at lunch.

 

 

 

X. Historian Cummings

A. Announced that none of this year's Hall of Fame nominees garnered 60% of the council vote, but they all received at least 40%. Therefore, all three go back onto the ballot for next year.

                        1) Noted that all Hall of Fame members can vote.

2) Keller-Firestone asked if leagues could add a new nominee to next year's ballot. Cummings said "yes".

B. Announced that he and Dr. MacDonald are working on a Hall of Fame video retrospective. Joe Lagne (sp?) will be involved.

C. Read a letter from Jack Stafford, former CHSSA President:

1) Stafford expresses concern that speeches have become "staged acts" that lose their connection to the real world. He cites Expository, Thematic, and Advocacy as events that could be more relevant but aren't reaching their potential.

2) Stafford asks CHSSA to adopt the motto of Marcus Tilly: "A good speech is a good (wo)man speaking well." [ parentheses added ]

3) Stafford also lauds The Art of Public Speaking by Steven Lucas as "the most complete, reliable, practical, and current speech textbook I have ever seen."

 

XI. Area One Chair Brasher

            A. Welcomed Paul Pinza and Sandra Niemi to the Council.

            B. Bid farewell to Sandy Starke and Michael Gonzalez.

            C. Announced that GGSA is currently recruiting more schools. CFL successfully recruited new programs this year, but now must work on retaining those schools.

            D. CFL is also working to establish training programs for new coaches, since many of them are arriving without the speech education that experienced coaches received in days gone by.

            E. Reported that she has begun looking for a site for the 2004 State Tournament.

            F. Media report

                        1) Brasher's video library contains:

                                    a. State Finals: '93 O.P.P., '94 O.I., '00 O.A., '01 O.P.P.

                                    b. State Semi-Finals: '95 Expos, '01 Congress, '01 L/D

                                    c. others: O.A. and Expos instructional tapes, '99 I.E. sampler

~ Ballingal mentioned that he had a tape of '93 Team Debate Finals.

2) Yuill has a cheaper way to mass-produce videos. Brasher asked if we should increase assessment fees and provide a video(s) with each membership.

~ MacDonald suggested that CD-Roms might be cheaper to produce and distribute.

3) Yuill and Brasher are putting together a video that walks new coaches through the basics of starting a team, going to tournaments, etc. Leagues will be assigned parts to film and submit.

~ Johnson asked if our website could have a training section where people could view speeches. Barembaum replied that we'd have to switch our host server in order to accomodate that.

~ Glahn asked for a written copy of Brasher's library to be published in the bulletin.

 

XII. Area Two Chair Underwood

A. Welcomed Karen Boone, new President of Southern Valley League. She hails from Buchanan High in Clovis, site of State 2002, which features lots of close, free parking!

 

XIII. Area Three Chair Cullen

            A. Welcomed Mary Corey from Atascadero, the new MarMonte president.

            B. Bid farewell to Kristi Balleweg and Ray and Judy Schaefer.

C. Reported that he hopes not to use CSU Long Beach for the next State tournament due to its space limitations.

D. Offered to manage food service at State 2002 since he used to own a catering business.

 

XIV. Area Four Chair DeGroff

A. Welcomed Don Corleno of El Camino H.S. as the new President of the San Diego Imperial Valley League.

B. Announced that CSU San Bernadino will most likely host State 2003. DeGroff will begin recruiting judges and soliciting donations in the Fall.

C. Reported that two leagues have added schools via the Urban Debate League.

~ Underwood asked if the State tournament would always be held the last weekend of April. Cardoza replied that that is, indeed, the permanently preferred date.

 

XV. Committee Reports

 

            A. Curriculum - nothing to add.

 

            B. Congress - Committee Chair DeGroff

                        1) Thanked all who served on the committee this year.

                        2) Pledged to develop topic areas for next year in the Fall.

                        3) Report on Congress at State:

                                    a. Went well, survived a protest in the first round.

b. Committee will work to standardize procedures for Presiding Officers; minimal variance between leagues should yield minimal conflicts at State.

c. Committee will also review the way P.O.s for Semi-Finals and Finals are selected.

d. In the Fall, Committee will also suggest increasing number of Semi-Finalists and Finals to thirty and fifteen, respectively, in the hopes of eliminating ties in these chambers.

 

            C. Debate - Committee Chair Ballingal

1) Thanked his committee and the tab room staff for a smooth State tournament. Extended special thanks to Gonzalez.

2) Announced that committee's revisions for the Coaches' Handbook will be ready for the Fall meeting.

3) Asked league presidents to hand in the "State of Team Debate" surveys by the end of today. Added that another survey had been given to Area Chairs for distribution to league presidents.

4) Committee is exploring the possibility of holding a debate workshop for coaches, perhaps in the Fall of 2002.

5) Ballingal announced he will attend the NFL topic meeting in Portland and gave the pertinent information to Treasurer Barembaum.

6) MOTIONS TO REVISE BY-LAWS:

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D. Individual Events - Committee Chair Niemi

1) On behalf of Montgomery, Niemi asked that a committee be formed to research how CHSSA can or should accomodate a student who qualifies for State but is forced to transfer to a different school before the State tournament.

a. The committee will consist of Montgomery (chair) and the four Area Chairs.

b. The committee will report their findings at the Fall meeting.

2) I.E. Committee recommended that three levels of Sweepstakes awards be established for schools with small, medium, and large entries.

            a. Cummings will research criteria for each level.

            b. Awards could be named after CHSSA founders.

            c. Montgomery suggests trying to find sponsors for each award.

3) MOTIONS TO REVISE THE BY-LAWS:

 

 

 

 

< J was skipped. Don't ask me why.>

 

 

XVI. Old Business

 

 

 

XVII. New Business

 

            A. Gonzalez presents two points of discussion.

1) Asked if CHSSA, as well as other leagues were having a problem with over-spending. GGSA overspent this year, and CHSSA reported problems in this area within the past year.

~ Cardoza asked that league presidents come to the Fall meeting prepared to discuss financial issues of this nature.

2) Some GGSA constituents (not Mr. Gonzalez) have asked that the Hall of Fame selection process be reviewed.

            a. Suggested that voting should be open to all CHSSA members.

b. Cardoza appointed an ad hoc committee to review the Hall of Fame process and report their findings at the Fall meeting.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Cummings, Underwood, Macdonald, DeGroff, Wilford, Fernandes, Cullem, S. Niemi, Corey.

B. Cullem suggested that Area Chairs be given special ribbons to wear at the State Tournament.

C. Election of officers.

            1) VP Curriculum: Williamson

            2) VP Activities: R. Niemi

            3) President: Cardoza

 

XVIII. Good of the Order

 

A. Brasher presented a cake in honor of Mr. Gonzalez and the Schaefers, whom she thanked, on behalf of the Council, for their years of service to CHSSA.

 

XIX. The meeting was adjourned at 2:35pm, and we all ate cake.

 

Submitted,

 

Paul C. Pinza