Conference FAQ
We are so excited to host you for the National Speech & Debate Conference, to be held online August 3-5 via Zoom. This year’s conference will center upon advocating for more equitable and inclusive speech and debate communities. Here are answers to a few FAQs you may have:
How do I access sessions/keynotes/town halls?
Each morning, before the scheduled events begin, all registered attendees will receive an email from info@speechanddebate.org that provides links to that day’s sessions. We ask that you please do not forward or share those direct links with others to help us keep an accurate count of people attending. If someone is interested in attending the conference, they may register at any time and receive the same information! As a reminder, all conference attendees are required to follow the NSDA Harassment and Discrimination Policy while participating in sessions. If you have any questions during the conference, feel free to reply to the daily email or start a new email to info@speechanddebate.org.
Is registration still open? Can I invite others to attend?
Yes! Please continue to invite colleagues both in and outside of the speech and debate community. This conference isn’t simply for NSDA members! Any interested adult is welcome to attend, regardless of their NSDA membership status. They can register by visiting www.speechanddebate.org/conferences.
How do I access a caucus meeting?
In order to provide the best experience possible, we ask that those interested in attending one or more caucus meetings pre-register here. By pre-registering, you will receive a reminder email and the unique link to the relevant caucus meeting.
Can I get credit for attending this conference?
The NSDA will offer certificates for hours attended. Beginning August 13, interested attendees can complete a short “reflection course” via NSDA Learn that, once completed, will generate a printable personalized certificate. We will send an email to all attendees when the course is ready!
Will sessions/keynotes/town halls be recorded?
Some will and some will not. All town halls and keynotes will be recorded and made public. Additionally, several of the professional development sessions will be recorded and available for review on the NSDA website. Those sessions include:
- Hosting Equitable Tournaments and Implementing Equity Panels
- Springboard for Opportunities: Using the NSDA’s Expanded Springboard Free-Tournament Series to Support and Grow Speech and Debate Programs
- Applying Trauma-Informed Practices to Your Speech and Debate Team: Responding, Disrupting, and Preventing Trauma
- Topic Writing and Decision Making through an Equity Lens
- Reunited & It Feels So Good: Navigating Students with Anxiety in the Classroom and Competitive Space
All other sessions will be recorded for live-transcription purposes using Otter.ai, but those recordings and transcriptions will not be publicly available.
Still have questions? Let us know! We want to provide the best online conference possible and if there is something we can do in advance to make your experience better, please let us know!
Visit https://www.speechanddebate.org/big-questions/ to learn more about Big Questions Debate, and how you can earn thousands of dollars to support your team!