JCC Tournament More Details

Jackson Community College, Saturday October 6. (Leave at 6:15). The Schedule has been changed, slightly. There are now only two sessions.

New Time Line

• Leave City High: 6:15 am
• Arrive JCC: 8:15 am (includes coffee/breakfast break along way)
• Gen'l Meeting: 8:30 am (Potter Center)
• Session I: 8:45 - 12:00 (Burt Walker Hall)
• Lunch: 12:00 - 1:00 pm (Potter Center)
• Session II: 1:15 - 4:30 pm (Burt Walker Hall)
• Awards: ASAP
• Leave JCC: 5:00 pm
• Arrive City: 8:00 pm (with hour for dinner on way)

Tournament Procedure
With only nineteen students, there will not be a super session. The students will be evaluated by two judges in the first round and two in the second round. Scores will be combined from each session with the presiding officers‚ scores doubled from their session on the floor. Presiding officers will also receive recognition for their service. They will be giving away 10 speaker awards.

Lunch Included
Lunches were ordered for everyone.


The Bills
At this point, they are still accepting new legislation. Here are the nine to date:

• Bill: Alternative Fuel Tax
• Bill: Junk Food Tax
• Resolution: Punish flag burners
• Bill: Smoking Ban on College Campuses
• Bill: Imported Goods Safety
• Resolution: End the Korean War
• Bill: Cell Phone Recycling
• Resolution: End Canadian Seal Hunt
• Bill: Establish Metric System in US

Congressional Debate Kicks Off in Jackson

Jackson Community College is hosting the kick-off Congressional Debate Season with the first Jets Invitational Congress Tournament. The tournament is hosted by Paige Beauchene.

Word about Travel
We'll be traveling by car, and so the early registration means leaving City around 6:15 a.m. If you're planning on this, get your rest.

And food?
Food will be provided on site.


Jackson Community College is located south of the city of Jackson at 2111 Emmons Rd., Jackson, MI 49201.


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Press Functions at Student Congress

This was too long for the earlier post. This is for Esther and Catherine.

THURSDAY
12:45 p.m. - Press Faculty Advisors Meeting - Radisson, Michigan I
1:15 p.m. - General Session - Radisson, Capitol I-II
2:15 p.m. - First Working Press Meeting - Radisson, Michigan I

Press "get acquainted" meeting. Discuss general outline of press activities
Begin processes and procedures. Select editors and delegate all press responsibilities.
8:45 p.m. - Press Corps Candidates Conference - Radisson, Capitol III-IV
10:30 p.m. - Press Corps Post Press Conference Meeting - Radisson, Michigan I


FIRST PAPER
7:00 p.m. -Thursday - Copy deadline for Paper #1.
8:00 a.m. -Friday - Distribution of Paper #1. 200 copies.


Paper #1 can focus on the candidates for election at the Student Congress and the bill writing process. It should be approximately two pages (four sides) long (really would like to produce smaller papers this year!), with no story exceeding 300 words.

The articles can give the positions of each of the twelve candidates for election. The most effective method of doing this is through interview-type stories. Reporters also could follow the deliberations as a particular committee drafts its legislation. These are news stories and not editorials, so it is important to be OBJECTIVE.

B. Other Possible Stories of Paper #1

• *Profiles of the different organizations mentioned in the topic.
• *A survey of directors to determine ways to fund the involvement of their school in Student Congress.
• *A lead article explaining the election procedure and the purpose of the Student Congress.
• *An editorial recommending a particular candidate(s) for each office (responsibility of editor).
• *An editorial cartoon.
• *The effects of the press conference on the image of candidates for the legislative and executive positions.
• *Comments, particularly from second and third year participants, about the election process for delegates to select the President.
• *An editorial.

SECOND PAPER
5:00 p.m. -Friday - Copy deadline for Paper #2.
8:00 a.m. -Saturday - Distribution of Paper #2. 200 copies.

The paper could include coverage of the following (i.e. suggested articles):

• *The work of the bill-producing committees. Press Office will receive copies of each of the bills by 8 a.m. Friday. Cover not only the bills, but also the actual committee procedures involved in developing and defending the bills.
• *The General Session of Congress, Legislative Assembly, and the Election of Speaker and President, all taking place Friday.
• *Comments from delegates, particularly second and third year participants, about the differences
• in policy topics on the discussions and deliberations at Student Congress.

B. Other Possible Stories for Paper #2

• *Interviews with the two House Speakers, and the President of the Executive Branch.
• *Editorials about the bills or any other aspect of the Congress.
• *Since the legislature is in session, interviews with or comments from legislators regarding changes in Michigan with the Granholm government and/or fiscal challenges.
• *Letters to the Editor with responses from the Press Corps.
• *An editorial cartoon; review of executive actions.
• *Survey of participants on the their choice for President in the forthcoming elections.

PROCESS COMMENTS

1. A process to maintain organization of the various stages of the composition of a story will be maintained by the press corps. In all likelihood, there will be a system of boxes to designate the status of a story. Members should check the press room in one-half intervals to ensure that edits or other modifications on specific stories are timely.

2. The editors will maintain a checklist of all content for a specific paper. It may be appropriate for a staff member to serve as Office Manager for the paper to ensure responsibility for materials.


3. Reporters who interview specific candidates should be responsible for asking the candidate questions during the press conference.

4. Proof reading of stories is essential. Members of the press corps should assume responsibility for reviewing stories that they write to help guarantee reliable copy. Some members of the press corps may process copy and/or input stories for one edition, while writing for another.

NOTE: The paper will be printed in black and white. If you have a computer with word processing, it can be used to expedite the production of the paper.

DIGITAL RECORD
The intent of the photographic experience is to capture a visual summary of key aspects of the Student Congress. It is our intention to create a video essay that we can post of our web page regarding the legislative simulation.

With the use of a digital camera, there can be editing of relevant pictures during the conference. We would like the visual representation to capture various aspects of the conference, including the activities and the personalities.

Student Congress Details

The following is not complete (you’ll recognize the holes) – but this is the information as best as we have it, as Tuesday noon. We’ll have another wrap-up tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow (Wednesday) we will get together during Seminar to craft a Resolution for the Congress.

Travel
We will go by car pool, myself (Mr H) and Ms P.

Our Time Line
Thursday September 20
Leave City 9:30 am– after the finish of First Block
Arrive Lansing 10:45 am
Saturday September 22
Leave Lansing 4:45
Return City High 6:00 pm.

Housing
We will be staying at The Radisson Hotel in downtown Lansing.
111 N Grand Ave
Lansing, MI 48933
(517) 482-0188

Costs
Housing
The most you will pay is $70.
We have applied for a grant from the PTSA and hope to reduce this charge significantly. More on that by Wednesday (tomorrow)
Food
There are fast food places within walking distance.
As we will arrive before lunch – so you can cut costs by packing your lunch for the first day.

Assignments

Technology (Evan, Reggie, Mr H)

Much of sub-Saharan Africa is entirely rural, with miles between villages, and even greater distances to a possible health care provider. The expanded range of cell phones could allow doctors to reach patients more quickly. Strengthened and broader Telemedicine, through use of PDAs and laptops, would allow physicians access to patient records in rural areas. The US Water for the Poor Initiative would help with sanitation technology issues if its emphasis were redirected from the Middle East to sub-Saharan Africa

Education (Julia)

Proper public health education is an important part of decreasing infection rates of many of the disease affecting this region. One change that could be implemented by the United States government would be to not support abstinence-only sexual education. By teaching proper condom usage and the risks associated with being sexually active, HIV infections may also decrease. Proper agricultural development education has many possible advantages including increasing crop production, decreased malnutrition as well as decreased poverty in many areas. Water sanitation is another area where proper education coupled with access to resources could stop the spread of many infectious agents such as cholera and diarrhea.

Environment (Riet)

One of the most effective ways to spread disease and toxins is through water. Industrial toxic waste that is dumped into a river can hurt and even kill people, animals, and the rest of the environment for miles. Although the 1989 Basel Convention was meant to stop international dumpers, there are many who violate this agreement. While the organic revolution spreads throughout America, many African countries continue to use toxic pesticides and herbicides, both for lack of an alternative and education on the issue. More than thirty percent of sub-Saharan citizens are malnourished. Not only is this a public health issue, but also the connection between malnutrition and disease is undeniable.

Science (Nathan)

As the HIV/AIDS epidemic seems to spin out of control in sub-Saharan Africa, we not only see high infection rates, but also significantly decreased life expectancy of those infected compared to those in “developed countries” who are also infected. Part of the reason for this is because of decreased access to anti-retroviral drugs. The availability of generic versions of AZT and other such medication would help to deal with this issue. There is a whole host of neglected tropical diseases that are often forgotten about when researchers begin developing new vaccines and treatments, but can be just as fatal as the more popular diseases. A focus on vaccines instead of just treatment research could potentially curb spread of certain diseases.

Executive Branch (Christina, Ms P)
Duties of the executive branch include:

• Developing an executive stance or position on various legislative items. The executive branch may suggest legislation to committees, lobby for specific concepts or language in bills, or participate in the hearing process for the drafting of proposals.
• Holding hearings, in conjunction with organizational representatives, on specific bills or issues of interest.
• Monitoring legislative debate in both assemblies, including periodic conferencing with legislators and other participants.
• Finalizing executive action on legislation by veto or endorsing proposals, including an option to "sign" bills passed by both assemblies. Review of executive vetoes by the legislature can only occur after initial deliberation on all bills.
• Making special presentations to either legislative body, usually by the elected President and Vice President, on significant issues. With legislative approval, a State of the Union address would be an option.

Press Corps (Catherine, Esther)
This description describes the planned activities can be found in the next post.