[eDebate] Give Me Your Tired, Your Scholaraly, Your Tenureless

[Ceda2vp at cs.com]

I know some of you need to publish to get new jobs, move forward in tenure 
track positions or look good to your friends and neighbors.  I have a solution.  
Write and present a paper at the National Communication Association (NCA)  
Convention.  

NCA FOR THE EXPERIENCED: AN FAQ


1-When and where is it?

The National Communication Association will host its 90th Annual Meeting, 
November 11-15, 2004 in Chicago at the Chicago Hilton and Towers.  The theme for 
the 2004 NCA convention is <A HREF="http://www.natcom.org/Convention/default.htm">?Moving Forward/Looking Back.?</A>


2-the deadline? 

The complete call for papers for the 2004 convention is available online at 
the NCA website (www.natcom.org).  All competitive papers and program proposals 
must be submitted online to the appropriate unit or affiliate organization 
for review.  The deadline for submissions is Monday, February 16, 2004 (do it 
Friday, you know Monday you'll be nuts with other stuff).  Please review the 
convention information in the December issue of Spectra before submitting your 
proposal.  Please check the <A HREF="http://www.natcom.org/Call_FAQ.htm">Call for Papers FAQ</A> for information about submitting 
papers online, locating logins, IDs and PINS and other questions.

3-I'm having difficulty submitting my information what should I do?  

E-mail me an abstract and title for a paper or panel by Saturday and I'll 
take care of it over the weekend.  

4-Will, I can't do a paper in four days, what are you thinking?  

OK, if you keep not listening I'm just not going to talk to you.  All I need 
right now is an abstract and a title.  You can even change that DRASTICALLY.  
You just need to be in the system before the deadline.  

5-My field of expertise is not argumentation so I don't think I want to 
submit it to CEDA?  

For the life of me, if I find the person that started this backwards way of 
thinking I would give him such a pinch.  Argumentation is a field, CEDA is an 
Association.  What that means is while we think it's cool that people develop 
debate theory, we have a larger mission of professional development for all of 
our coaches, directors, graduate students and undergrads to advance and 
promote their scholarship regardless of communication specialty.     Stop 
separating.  We just ain't that big.

Additionally, debate is perceived in too many departments as disconnected 
from the rest of the university.   There are very few argumentation departments, 
if any left in the country.  We live in a world where folks work in 
Communications, Rhetoric, Poli Sci and Outreach for the most part.   CEDA's goal for 
this NCA and the next one will be to move debate back to center by addressing 
larger themes on panels, making efforts to attract noteworthy respondents and 
then including debate presentations as well.  

6-Ummm...sounds interesting but how exactly would that work?

If you are doing work in public communication, tell me who the big names are 
and we'll invite them to serve as respondents and then use your work as a 
centerpiece.  Possible linkages for debate would be papers on internal discussions 
(what community topics should be addressed and debated in open forums at 
breaks between rounds or before awards?) or external discussions (what are key 
subjects or community issues that would benefit  by more rigorous debate?).  The 
resultant panel would attract debate folks, non-debate folks and create 
conversations that do not happen enough. 

7-I was going to submit to AFA not CEDA.  Is that ok?  

NOOOOOOO, it's not ok unless there's coordination.  Pi  Kap, Parli, CEDA, 
NDT, AFA and the Council of Forensics Organizations all hosted events that 
overlapped on topics like: how to involve community colleges, public relations and 
marketing efforts, membership considerations, diversity initiatives.  Each had 
one or two popular programs that attracted 30 or more people and then a slew 
of programs that attracted 8-9 people.   Why in the world don't we get together 
strategically and link people who want to discuss similar things?  Wherever 
you submit your idea,  pressure the NCA unit planner (for CEDA it's me), to 
contact other folks, foster cosponsorship and coordinate so we can serve our 
members effectively.   I will make every effort to make cosponsorship a watchword 
of our programming.   In future years, I may even advocate that we do (SHOCK!) 
fewer programs.  


8- Any ideas for how I can be involved, Will?  I'd like to participate but I 
can't afford to go since  I'm just a (fill in appropriate answer: underpaid 
instructor, poor grad student, poor freelancer, poor undergrad tenured prof with 
three kids).  

We always have ideas.  How about these three for starters:  1) Design a 
Voices Left Behind panel consisting of five folks/constiuents who can't come to 
Chicago  but have important issues.  Find a friend who can help you make a short 
video clip. We'll provide the tech and show the papers.    Collect money for 
one person to go so they can present.  I'll submit it and maybe it can become a 
longer term strategy for inclusion.  2) Apply for grant funding for your 
paper from your department, student activities or relatives to cover cost.  Happy 
to share ideas on that front.  3) Be creative.  There are students at Loyola, 
U Chicago, Northwestern,  Roosevelt University and elsewhere that might be 
able to let you crash.   You are a debater, make some args with people with 
resources at your home base about why you should be here.  

9-Is there anything to do there?

Heck, yeah.  Chicago is a chill city with many expensive and inexpensive 
options for fun.  There is also an informal gambling task force that did 
significant research into Gary, Indiana during the Northwestern tourney...

10-Anything you'd like submissions for? 

I thought you'd never ask.  I'd love it if folks would share best practices 
on management, budgeting and team building so younger programs could share in 
the wisdom.  My dream team panel would be Melissa, Scott, Meany, and 
representatives from Northwestern, Emory, Texas, Claremont and Eastern Michigan rapping 
about how to get it done.  

Second option would be a survey reporting panel where Bruschke discusses what 
we know now about who debates, where and how much and how that information 
can be used to develop more opportunities for debaters.  


Hope to hear from you soon.  Ciao for now.    
    

Peace & Justice,



Will Baker
Chief Executive Officer, IMPACT Coalition
Steinhardt School of Education
Culture and Communication Department
Director of Debate, New York University
330 West 42nd Street
Suite 2420
New York, NY 10036
212-702-0944 (tel)
212-471-8664 (fax)
ceda2vp at cs.com
Help us have an IMPACT. Support debate in schools and in your community.

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