SSDI

The reason we use deposits is that we stand to lose thousands of dollars over no-show students. If a camp not making results in you not attending, we would certainly return your deposit! Similarly, if we are forced to shift modality (live to online, for example), we will notify you and you will have a few days to decide whether to shift or get your deposit back. 

Nearly all students bring cell phones, which are an excellent choice. Parents can also leave messages with the camp office phone or the hall. At registration, we will provide students and parent(s)/guardian(s) the cell phone numbers of the directors, which parents may freely use in an emergency or if their students are not responding quickly enough. We will attempt to remind the students to call or text home!

Each sleeping room contains two beds and, at most, two students. Students are never allowed in the suites or rooms of the opposite sex; a common work area in the hall will be provided.

You will be charged $10 for a replacement if you lose your meal card. Sometimes students wish to purchase snack food, soda, etc., or order pizza or other delivery items from local establishments. You should bring the amount of money you feel will be sufficient to cover these expenses. None of these purchases are required by the camp.

We have normal sessions on weekends, including all day Saturday and Sunday afternoon/evening. If you miss evenings or weekends, or depart the camp early, you will miss instructional content. We don't pro-rate tuition in these cases, as don't have a way to pro-rate our cost of providing service. This may also impact partner pairings, so it's important to notify us in advance for planning.

You can miss only with written permission from your parent or guardian. Hall residents may only leave if accompanied by a parent or designated adult. Commuters may leave in the same way they arrived, with parental permission to do so.

If you become ill during the camp a staff member will accompany you to the appropriate medical facility. After we have received your camp registration you will be asked to fill out medical forms to ensure we can get you cared for. Parents/guardians will also be promptly notified of any illness or injury requiring a visit to a medical facility.

If you are residing on campus we ask that you try to attend one of the services on campus. We are happy to help you find whatever is best for you. Of course if you are commuting or your parents/guardians want to pick you up for services in other locations you should arrange that with the camp director.

Enrollment is based on capacity of the residence halls for students staying on campus. If you are registering as a commuter you can presume you have a spot once your application and deposit have been submitted. We generally reserve facilities well above past camp sizes, so unless you are notified otherwise, you can expect to be enrolled once your registration form and deposit are received. A secondary mailing with camp procedures, health forms, and waivers will be mailed upon acceptance.

Each room is furnished with two beds, study desks, bookshelves, closets, and desk chairs. Because all students will be involved in researching and participating in a number of practice debates, it is important to bring the material and equipment you will need.

For example, you may wish to bring a notebook, flowing paper, pens, etc.

Since debate is largely paperless now, students are encouraged to bring a functioning laptop computer. A PC or MAC is far superior to a Chromebook, if available. We also suggest the computer have a working copy of MS Word, and we recommend installing the Verbatim Template. We can help with the last part on arrival, if necessary. 

We ask students to bring their own linens. Twin XL sheets, pillow(s) and any other bedding you might need to feel comfortable is encouraged. We also recommend you bring a towel or two.

If things are forgotten we will attempt to help students find any missing materials – they will still cost money and it might take a day or so to get to the relevant store and back with supplies.

Digital copies of the evidence produced by your labs and generic working groups will be available for you at no charge. If reasonable amounts of paper are required for cases or evidence the camp will cover those costs.

Yes. We are always interested in recruiting new students from our camps. Depending on availability, we can arrange for you to meet an admissions officer, department chairperson, or professor. Please speak to us in advance if you are interested.

Yes. Mail from home can be sent to the camper, care of the Shannon Self Debate Institute.

This is a common concern. The normal registration time is set to enable parents/guardians to bring students from out of town and return home the same evening. We are happy to work with you on arriving and registering late - please contact us if this will be a concern.

Early arrival and late departure require special accommodation on the part of the residence halls, and create a supervision challenge. We aren't able to promise either of these, but we are willing to explore options if contacted well in advance.

We have worked hard behind the scenes to secure some financial aid for students that are in need and would like to attend the SSDI.

Please email the following information to Lindsey Shook, lindsey.m.shook-1@ou.edu by June 1, 2024:

• Student's full name and school
• Camp Information: 
  • Which camp the student would like to attend (Policy, Lincoln Douglas, or Public Forum).
  • Which housing and meal plan the student wants (commuter, commuter with meal plan, or staying on campus). 
  • Please provide the price you can afford to pay for SSDI. We do not plan to negotiate but are trying to ensure we can provide adequate aid to the students who need it most. 
• Write a short paragraph, it can be as short as a few sentences, explaining why you are in need of the financial aid you are requesting.

If you have more questions about this feel free to contact Lindsey Shook directly, lindsey.m.shook-1@ou.edu.