Open Letter to IHSA Advisory Committee

[Stained Diviner]

Link

We are now collecting signatures from everybody with present and past associations with Illinois Scholastic Bowl. Please read the letter.

There already is a major backlash against this letter, which was sent to IHSSBCA members last night.

[Wackford Squeers]

There already is a major backlash against this letter

I'm sold, count me in.

[dtaylor4]

There already is a major backlash against this letter

Is that really a surprise?

[The Moviegoer]

I'll print out a copy for various ABT members to sign at practice this week

[Stained Diviner]

The Advisory Committee will meet this Wednesday. If there are any IHSA-related changes you want to see for next year, contact somebody on the committee ASAP. I have been told that the primary issues on the agenda are match length and making all bonuses the same number of parts.

[Stained Diviner]

For the first time in about ten years, the IHSSBCA Chair is not welcome at the IHSA Advisory Committee Meeting.

[Matt Bardoe]

Here are some notes about the about the IHSA Advisory Committee Meeting today. As noted about Reinstein was not present and not invited, though it seems that the reasons for that may have been a misreading of messages and that the situation may be rectified soon. Those in attendance were Cynthia Wierzba, Joe Iorio, Brendan Aydt, Ken Dentino, and myself (Matt Bardoe). Ron McGraw ran the meeting and Rob Grierson was there as well in a non-voting capacity.

Coach Grant from PORTA also came for the beginning of the meeting and proposed shortening matches and making consistent the number of bonus parts.

Coach Grant had a very well researched proposal, and the members of the committee were very taken with his explanations. As result we have recommended that the IHSA choose to

Change matches to 24TU/24 B.
The distribution would be 5 Sci/5 Math /5 SS /5LA /3 Art /1 Misc with Tossups worth 15 and Bonuses having a mandatory 3 parts worth 10 points each.

Blurts would continue but the penalty for a blurt remains 5 points.

Bonuses would not be read one at a time.

We add a line to indicate there is no requirement that every subcategorey be represented in the tournament. It was certainly our intention that this help question writers pick the best questions instead of focusing on writing questions to fit minor subcategories. This also means that the advisory committee feels that it is not NECESSARY that there be questions about Driver's Ed, Spelling, Family Consumer Science, etc. But those subcategories remain on the list. This was the only time in 3 years that I did not ask for a vote on the question of eliminating these from the distribution. It was clear that it was not going to happen. It is hard for me to believe that in 3 years I couldn't convince 4 people to vote for that, but I must not be a very good debater.

We also reworked the prompting rule. It says that you should prompt when the answer is "ambiguous" instead of "not complete". And it mandates saying "Prompt" instead of "Can you be more specific" and other phrases.

We added language to the Terms and Conditions saying that toss-ups shouldn't be too long (whatever that means).

There will still be at least 2 computational math, but not more than 3 comp math, and possibly one computational sci questions. This was the only vote that was not unanimous because I can't vote for the inclusion of comp math.

There were a few other tweaks to the break down of the larger categories that were necessitated by the the move to 24 /24 but they didn't make any big changes. I am sure the complete notes will be posted soon. Any deviation from those posted notes is my own error, and not a grand conspiracy.

On a personal note. I will be moving to Connecticut next year, so I will not be seeing many of you again. I have enjoyed being a part of this community.

Sorry about the Driver's Ed.

[Irreligion in Bangladesh]

Coach Bardoe -- thank you HEARTILY for all your great work for Illinois quizbowl. We'll miss you as well; we wish you good times and good luck in Connecticut, and we wish Latin good times and good luck next year.

Do you know if you'll be involved in a quizbowl team in CT, and do you know who will be taking over as head coach at Latin?

[Matt Bardoe]

No plans to be involved in quizbowl in CT, yet. More math team than quizbowl. Jonathan Legendre who co-coached with me the whole time at Latin will be continuing on as coach.

[Aaron Goldfein]

Wait, a maximum of three comp math per round? Does that mean we're guaranteed at least two non comp math per round? Because that would be a reduction in comp math percentage, which is good news to me.

[Stained Diviner]

The minutes are now posted. They are official, though Grierson never worked for New Trier.

The answer to Aaron's 2nd question is Yes.