Registration is now closed. Please contact 215 715 9381 or e-mail villigerdebate@yahoo.com for changes.
Villiger Debating Society Saint Joseph’s University “Victory Demonstrated Soundly”
September 2012
Dear Forensic Directors,
The members of the Villiger Debating Society cordially invite you to attend the Thirty-Third Annual Villiger Speech and Debate Tournament. Both present team members, as well as returning alumni, are eagerly preparing for this year’s tournament.
Enclosed, you will find necessary information concerning registration, lodging, tournament rules, and important dates. To ensure that your team is placed in our tournament, it is essential to note and comply with these posted deadlines. While not expected, the Villiger Debating Society reserves the right to make changes to enhance the tournament. However, we will do all we can to ensure proper notification. We will be doing REGISTRATION ONLINE AT www.joyoftournaments.com. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact us.
***Due to the circumstances surrounding the Pennsylvania State University, below are two forms - a notice describing a new policy and a certification form. This certification form must be completed and e-mailed electronically to villigerdebate@yahoo.comprior to the start of the 2012 tournament, or students will not be able to participate. We will be sending out regular reminders to all schools. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated to ensure the safety of all students that will be attending the tournament.
The Villiger Debating Society hopes that you and your team share in, our excitement for, and anticipation of, this year’s tournament. We are hoping for the finest tournament possible. To accomplish this, we are eager to answer any questions or hear any comments you might have. Please feel free to call us. Our team is looking forward to seeing you at Villiger 2012!
To All Invited High Schools to the 2012 Villiger Tournament:
As you all know, this past year witnessed horrific revelations concerning the vulnerability of minors while present on the campus of The Pennsylvania State University. To everyone in education—committed as we all are to the safe, healthy, and productive growth of our young people—this news was alarming.
Since its inception in 1980, The Villiger Tournament has been a pioneer in ensuring the safety of all minors traveling to our campus. Many of our longstanding Tournament policies reflect that unwavering commitment to your students and the students of all other participating high schools. For example, no unsupervised minors may ever compete at the Tournament. Each Tournament opens with a presentation by our Campus Security. “No-show” entrants are immediately identified and located. Monitors attend all extemporaneous speaking rounds as timekeepers. And, for the past thirty years, our Tournament has imposed an inflexible, no-tolerance approach to underage alcohol consumption, illicit substance use, and other endangering behaviors by students and adults alike.
Nonetheless, the terrible news from State College counsels us all to redouble our efforts in the cause of ensuring the safety of our young visitors. To that end, Saint Joseph’s University is requiring The Villiger Tournament to obtain a certification from each attending high school. The certification form is attached. By this form, each high school confirms that all adults traveling to The Villiger Tournament are safe to be in the presence of minors. The particular details of the required certification are set out on the form itself. The form is brief, but it is also clear. The Tournament will collect completed forms as a condition of registration.
For sure, The Villiger Tournament is disappointed that this measure has been made necessary by recent events. But, equally true, we also enthusiastically embrace the objective of this measure—which goes further than any other forensics competition we know to protect the safety of your students, and all students attending The Villiger Tournament. There can be no question that the goal of student safety must always remain a “highest-level” concern for our Tournament, as it is for all of you.
Thank you for your cooperation with this important student safety measure and for your continued support and participation in The Villiger Tournament.If you have any questions in this regard, please call Robb Del Casale at (215) 806-8337 or rdelcasalesju4n6@aol.com, or Patty Byrnes at (267) 670-2340 or at patty.byrnes@gmail.com
HIGH SCHOOL CERTIFICATION TO SAINT JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY
REGARDING ATTENDANCE AT THE 2012 VILLIGER TOURNAMENT
I certify that I am the Principal or the official moderator of the speech and debate program of
the high school listed below. I am authorized to make this certification on that high school’s
behalf.
Students from our high school will be traveling to participate in speech and debate competition
at the 2012 VILLIGER TOURNAMENT in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the campus of Saint Joseph’s
University. Our high school has specially designated various adults to accompany our students
to the TOURNAMENT in the capacity of coaches, moderators, judges, parents, and other
chaperones.
The official representative(s) from our high school in charge of our traveling team is/are:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
I certify to Saint Joseph’s University that our high school has received criminal background
checks and/or clearances required by our State and our school on that/those representative(s).
I also certify and represent to Saint Joseph’s University that all other adults accompanying our
team as judges, parents, and other chaperones are fit and safe to be in the presence of minors.
It is our high school’s responsibility to ensure that all adults accompanying our team to the
Saint Joseph’s campus are fit and safe to be in the presence of minors, and our high school
accepts full legal responsibility for their actions.
Saint Joseph’s University is entitled to rely on this Certification in extending a TOURNAMENT
invitation to our high school.
NAME OF HIGH SCHOOL: ______________________________________
TITLE OF CERTIFYING OFFICIAL: ____________________________________
NAME OF CERTIFYING OFFICIAL:____________________________________
SIGNATURE OF CERTIFYING OFFICIAL:_________________________________
DATE THIS CERTIFICATION IS MADE: _____ / _____ / 2012
