Northeast Fall 2016 Judge Conference

Our official application window is now closed. You may still attend this conference, but we are no longer able to guarantee participation foils. If you wish to register, please use the following link: http://apps.magicjudges.org/events/apply/6054/?late_key=462e8321323eeb70730f8b7ca68acfbd 

On behalf of the Northeast US, we're excited to invite you all to our region's next Judge Conference!

Lets talk about Failure.

The keynote theme of this conference is Failure. At this conference we are talking about times where we don't quite hit the mark, and what we can do as judges to improve in the future. Along with this track, we will have a standard suite of topics to learn and grow as judges.

This conference will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2016 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA. Beginning at 10 AM, the conference will include a break for lunch and will wrap up after 5 PM. We are looking to host up to 25 presentations on a wide variety of topics related to Magic Judging.

This is a teaching, networking, and social event for judges of all levels and anyone interested in the Magic Judge Program. There are no restrictions on attendance based on level or region - everyone is welcome to attend. Please help us plan for your attendance by applying to this event, or withdrawing if you are no longer able to make it.

Your organizers are Bryan Hare, Alex Mullins, and Dan Collins. Please feel free to email us at nejudgeconference@gmail.com with any questions or suggestions!

Standards of Conduct

We believe our community should be truly open for everyone. As such, we are committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, religion, or country of origin. Please keep in mind that the Magic Judge Code of Conduct applies to all attendees.

We expect all volunteers, speakers, and attendees, to abide by the following expected behavior:

• Be considerate, respectful, and collaborative.
• Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory or harassing behavior and speech.
• Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants.
• Alert conference organizers if you notice a dangerous situation or someone in distress.

Unacceptable behaviors include: intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory or demeaning conduct by any attendees. All venues may be shared with members of the public; please be respectful to all patrons of these locations.

Unacceptable behavior by attendees, organizers, presenters, volunteers, or other patrons of our venues will not be tolerated.

Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately.

How to Register

If you are interested in attending, simply click the "Apply Now!" button up above! We will accept applications on a constant basis, so that you can quickly gain access to the event forums. We expect the forums to be a helpful resource for coordinating travel and hotel plans with other judges.

All are welcome to attend, including uncertified judges and judges from regions outside the Northeast! If you know an uncertified judge who is planning on attending, please encourage them to register for the event via JudgeApps so they can receive updates and information about the event, as well as help ensure an accurate headcount. If that is not immediately possible, please contact us at nejudgeconference@gmail.com with names and email addresses of anyone who wishes to attend.

Attendance Capacity

There are some potential limitations on attendance at this conference. As a sign of appreciation, Wizards of the Coast allows us to offer attendees a selection of promotional foil cards, proportional to the number of seminars attended. A recent change to distribution means that these foils will be a recent Exemplar packet, about two waves old at the time of the conference. The exact packet is not known at this time, but will include four promotional cards. These foils are available if you meet the following criteria:

• Register for the conference by applying to this JudgeApps event

• Be a certified (Level 1 or higher) Judge with a correct level in JudgeApps at the time you apply, or if you certify after applying, email us at nejudgeconference@gmail.com with your updated level

• Separate from the above, the physical limitations of this venue require us to place a hard cap at 200 confirmed attendees. This is based on the space in our presentation rooms, and is set to allow us to host a safe, comfortable, and productive event. Based on past conference attendances, it is a possibility that we will reach this cap. If you are "accepted" for this JudgeApps event, then there is confirmed to be space for you at this conference.

If this cap is reached, we will place an update at the top of this solicitation, and we will keep you advised if space opens up.

Presenters

Excellent presenters are an essential element of a successful conference. To that end, we are looking for high-quality, experienced presenters who are willing to push the envelope. We envision presenters as facilitators and discussion leaders, not lecturers. Most presentations will be given to an audience of around 35 judges.

Our keynote track for this conference is Failure. We're especially interested in talks that focus on handling failure, and the role of failure in individual growth. If you'd like to submit a talk on this topic for consideration as part of the keynote track, please do so! Of course, talks on any topic related to judging are welcomed and encouraged.

If you are interested in presenting, please email us with your proposal at nejudgeconference@gmail.com as soon as possible, but no later than Saturday, September 10th. Your proposal should include:

• Seminar topic

• Ideal audience size

• Necessary equipment (projector, AV, etc.)

• Information and materials about previous seminars you have presented

We are looking to accept up to 24 presentations, so there is plenty of space for proposed presentations. We are especially interested in presentations that will engage your audience and promote discussion. Past experience is by no means required or expected, and first time presenters are welcome!

Presentations will be limited to one presenter per talk except for exceptional circumstances. Presentations with multiple presenters may be declined for that reason, or may be asked to present twice for that reason. If you believe your presentation would be enhanced by the input of a second presenter, but it is not required, include that in your proposal.

Discussion Leaders

We are also seeking leaders for small-group peer-led discussions. These are informal group discussions which are led by a discussion leader, but are focused on discussion among the group. We expect these to last about 30 minutes, and will take place during an extended lunch period. If you're interested, please contact us at nejudgeconference@gmail.com with the topic you'd like to talk about!

Schedule

The conference schedule will be posted to the forum once it is finalized. We will start at 10 AM, include a break for lunch, and end after 5PM.

Travel Plans

A comprehensive travel guide will be posted in the forums to help you plan to attend this conference.

Level 1 and Level 2 Testing

L1 and L2 testing will be available at this conference.

Testing and interviews can be guaranteed only if we have advance notice of your desire to test. If you wish to test, or you are coming with a candidate who wishes to test, please contact us at nejudgeconference@gmail.com and we will put you in touch with one of our testing coordinators. L2 candidates, please make sure to check out this page for make sure your pre-testing requirements are fulfilled. 

Help Wanted

We are also looking for L2 and L3 judges to coordinate L1 and L2 testing. Please email us at nejudgeconference@gmail.com if you are interested!

Finally, we are looking for a few judges to be Room Leads throughout the day. Similar to a master of ceremonies, this role entails introducing each presenter, assisting with technology, and helping make sure everything goes smoothly. Please email us at nejudgeconference@gmail.com if you are interested, and we'll coordinate details as we solidify our schedule.

Contact Information

Questions? Suggestions? Let us know! Feel free to email us for any reason at nejudgeconference@gmail.com!