__ College Speech and Debate Coach-Judge Agreement Form

We want a successful, safe, and fun program. Please read this form carefully. You are expected to understand and adhere to the expectations noted below. Following the below expectations is required for your work on the __ College Speech and Debate Program. Further, you should encourage others on our program to adhere to these expectations, you should discourage and attempt to stop violations of these expectations, and you should inform the head coaches about violations of these expectations so that problems are prevented, addressed, and our team is the successful, safe, and fun environment we want.

The philosophy of this program continues to be focused on helping students be the best that they can be. We're dedicated to high quality research, excellence in debate argumentation, public speaking presentations, and being competitive with as well as supportive of other squads.

Coaches should be concerned with student academic needs (good grades, time to study, etc.); social needs (time to have fun, spend time with friends, etc.); work and outside of school needs (jobs, family care, etc.); emotional needs (helping out students who are having a rough time emotionally, encouraging someone on the team, etc.); and, of course, the need to improve communication, research, and analytic skills gained by debating and speaking.

The term “participants” refers to coaches, students, and judges taking part in the __ College Speech and Debate Program.

Technology Use: Participants are expected to follow __ College’s Ethical Use of Information Technology. See: include link to your school’s technology policy (eg no spamming, no hacking, etc.)

Eligibility: We want a diverse and academically engaged team. Participants will maintain academic eligibility. Participants should regularly attend courses, complete class assignments on time and with high quality work, and maintain at least a __ GPA. Further, participants will keep professors apprised of speech and debate absences and will makeup work for their classes in coordination with their professors. See: include link to your school’s eligibility policy.

Spending Team Money: We want finances spent ethically and for the purposes of the program. Participants will not seek to charge any expenditure to __ College except those that are 1) pre-approved by the head coaches; 2) are explicitly for the educational or business purpose of the speech and debate program; AND 3) must be receipted and explained. Expenditures for personal purposes are never reimbursed including for clothing, toiletries, medicines, personal use of vehicles, etc.

No alcohol, drugs: We want responsible, safe, professional environments for our participants. Participants will not use alcohol nor illicit drugs nor drug paraphernalia nor engage in any crime at any __ College Speech and Debate program events including from beginning of travel to end of travel for tournaments and off campus events as well as on campus events and any social events or meetings with recruits. Participants will remove themselves from any area or room in which alcohol or illicit drugs are being used or paraphernalia is visible except that participants may remain at the non-bar portion of an alcohol licensed restaurant. Coaches will not drink nor use illicit drugs nor view drug paraphernalia nor commit any crime with a student or judge at any time, including social events and non-__ College sponsored events. The program sponsors no parties with alcohol or drugs; furthermore, social events among team members or among coaches and judges shall not be called debate/speech/forensics events/parties as they are not events/parties affiliated in any way with the program.

Romantic Relationships: Coaches and judges that are hired by __ College may not be in any form of a romantic relationship with a student nor with any recruits interested in __ College.

Comfortable Environment: We want and expect participants to treat other participants on the program and those from other colleges and universities with respect and support. Participants will not engage in any harassment or discrimination. Participants may disagree with the views of others but they will not verbally or physically attack other persons. Participants will not disparage nor treat poorly nor interfere with any person from making a claim of discrimination or harassment. The below are statements of __ College’s policy concerning assuring a comfortable environment:

Provide a link to your school’s anti-harassment – Title IX policy. Include school’s definition of sexual harassment/harassment.

No Hazing: Any student can participate on the __ College Speech and Debate Program so long as that student is eligible and adheres to the program’s and school’s expectations. To that end, participants will not engage in any hazing or initiation rituals. The below is from __ College’s policy prohibiting hazing.

Provide a link to your school’s anti-hazing policy. Include school’s definition of hazing.

Treating host facilities and others right: Participants will treat hotels, schools, rental vehicles, and restaurants including their associated staff members with care and courteous behavior. Participants will avoid loud noise and disruptive behavior at schools, during debates/speeches, and at hotels. Participants will clean areas where the program congregates at tournaments, van and rental vehicles we use, and classrooms we use on campus for practice sessions.

Hotel Rooming Policy: Coaches and judges will be placed into hotel rooms with other coaches and judges (2 persons per room) based on their preferences, separate from students. Significant others, friends, etc. may not stay in our rooms—only our coaches, judges, and students. Coaches and judges should contact one of the head coaches as soon as possible if an issue arises requiring a room change or adjustment. Participants will not move from their assigned room without the permission of a staff member unless there is an emergency. Participants must be in their room and not leave after the curfew time established by the head coaches. At curfew, participants understand that their room may be inspected by a head coach to assure adherence to team guidelines.

Driving to and from Tournaments, Events, Practices Off Campus: Drivers will drive safely per __ College’s driving expectations to avoid any danger and to provide a comfortable and safe ride for participants. Riders will respect the driver’s need to concentrate on driving safely by not distracting the driver. Those who ride separately from the team or stay at a location other than the arranged hotel/location at a tournament, will inform the College on the travel application form.

Working with students: Participants will be honest in their dealings with each other on the program. Students and coaches will work to solve problems including events in which they may have done something wrong.

No Plagiarism: Participants will honestly and accurately cite specific ideas originated by others when appropriate citation is expected in debates and speeches. While argumentation can include embellishment and framing of information for persuasive goals, participants will not fabricate or lie about facts.

Maintaining Contact: Good communication is important to our team. Coaches are expected to check the __ College Speech and Debate Facebook page at least two times a day, and should respond to emails/texts/e-messages sent by coaches and other team members promptly. Phone messages should be returned. Such contact and responsiveness is needed to assure you don’t harm coach and other student educational objectives.

Partnership Decisions: Coaches will partner students based on student preferences, student skill levels, student ability to travel to tournaments, student commitment, and team competitiveness as a whole. Students will never be partnered based on anything other than their and the program’s educational objectives and shall not be discriminated against based on any legally protected classification. Partnership decision rationales shall be documented.

Practices: Coaches will work to offer and provide equal time for each student who participates in that time offered. Coaches will give students the opportunity to practice twice a week in the two weeks leading up to a tournament so long as they provide accurate information for scheduling practices, arrive at practices at expected times, and participate in practices in a productive manner to improve. If students wish more practice, coaches will provide additional practice time equally to those requesting this additional time with the understanding that coaches may not have time available for additional practices.

Coaches need to be at practices on time. If not, they should tell students that they are not able to attend. Students justifiably become upset and reluctant to practice when coaches do not show. Keep track of practice sessions. If you cannot attend because of a serious and important reason, please contact the student well ahead of time via at least two of these methods: e-mail, Facebook team post, phone call, and/or text message, and, if possible, post a note near the room where you were to practice.

Travel Opportunities: Coaches will establish travel schedules where students who complete their research assignments, engage in expected practice sessions, and who follow the school’s and program’s expectations shall be eligible for travel to any tournament that the program drives to except any tournaments that have qualification requirements. Students who show greater research and practice effort and who demonstrate more success shall be considered for any national tournaments that the team travels to with the reminder that some tournaments have qualification requirements. Available funds shall, of course, limit travel opportunities for students but such limitations should be based on the above expectations.

Dress: The program encourages “nice casual” to “business professional” attire that is attuned to the style that the participant prefers. Clothing that is wrinkled or dirty, that has messages that demean others (though it may disagree with others), or that is worn by most people primarily only at social functions is not appropriate. Participants should bathe/shower and wear fresh clothes each day.

Program and Student Focus: Coaches should actively seek to improve the program, working to achieve the goals of the program. Coaches should not work toward their own agendas not in accord with the program’s goals. Coaches should work to help all the members of the team with advice, strategies, research tips, etc. Coaches should treat students with respect. Even when students act improperly or miss assignments, etc., you are expected to treat students with respect—provide the constructive criticism they need, assure a safe environment, and work to solve problems. Coaches should refrain from talking negatively about each other as well as students behind their backs especially in front of students. Any team event such as a dinner, picnic, or get-together must be open to any team member with the reminder that team events must be approved by the head coach and do not involve any alcohol or other inebriating substances. 

Tournament Coaching and Judging: Coaches shall arrive on time to coach and judge at tournaments. For coaching in preparation time, work with the head coach to formulate strategies. Clearly articulate arguments to the students, keeping a steady pace that maximizes student ability to follow while also covering the key arguments needed. After rounds, talk with students about what went well and what could be improved and take action to improve your coaching for future rounds. For judging, arrive to rounds on time and keep the round on schedule; be respectful toward the debaters and other coaches; comments should focus on what the speakers and debaters did well and how they could improve (rather than what they did ‘wrong’). Always encourage others in their speaking and debating endeavors.

I _______________________________________ (print your first and last name), agree on this date of _____________________ that I understand and will follow and encourage others to follow the above __ College Speech and Debate Program Expectations. Further, I will discourage violations of these expectations, and I will inform the head coaches of any violations of these expectations providing all relevant information.