Northeast Conference - East Norriton, PA

On behalf of the Northeast US, we're excited to invite you all to our region's next Judge Conference! There is important information at the official conferences announcement post, please review it before applying.

This conference will be held on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at Alternate Universes in East Norriton, PA. Beginning at 10:30am, the conference will include a break for lunch and will wrap up by 4pm, depending on number of presentations. We are looking to host 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. However, applications are required, because space is limited.

Your organizers are Trevor Gulley and Charles Featherer. Please feel free to email us at ne.judge.conference.PHL@gmail.com with any questions or suggestions!

Standards of Conduct

We believe our community should be truly open for everyone. We are committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all attendees, presenters, organizers, staff members, and other participants, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, disability, or favorite basic land art. We expect all participants to abide by the Magic Judge Code of Conduct at all conference venues.

• 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, threatening, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory or demeaning conduct by any attendees. Harassment includes: offensive verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, disability; inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images (including presentation slides); deliberate intimidation, stalking or following; harassing photography or recording; sustained disruption of talks or other events; inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.

Attendees should have a reasonable expectation to feel safe and secure in their person, and in their belongings. Threatening or physically violent behavior, theft, or any destructive actions will not be tolerated.

Participants are expected to give each presenter their attention and respect that they deserve.

Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. Violations of the above policies should be reported to a staff member for corrective action. Corrective action consists of a wide range of actions, from a discussion with the offending participant, to ejection, at the discretion of the organizers.

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 ne.judge.conference.PHL@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. The contents of the packet are 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 ne.judge.conference.PHL@gmail.com with your updated level

• Are among the first 80 people to do so

Note that this event is part of a series of conferences distributed around the region. To give everyone in the region the best chance to attend one of these events, we are placing some limitations on attending multiple events. Please see the conferences announcement post for a full list of events, and for important policies related to foil support.

Note that the physical limitations of this venue also require us to place a hard cap at 80 confirmed attendees. 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 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 20-40 judges.

If you are interested in presenting, please email us with your proposal at ne.judge.conference.PHL@gmail.com as soon as possible, but no later than June 4. 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 10 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.

Schedule

The conference schedule will be posted to the forum once it is finalized. We will start at 10:30 AM, include a break for lunch, and end at 4PM, or possibly earlier.

Travel Plans

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

If you're arriving by car, please do not park in the spaces immediately facing the store fronts of the location. Park facing the street, behind the building (where there is additional parking), or in a nearby shopping center and walk over. We wish to be good neighbors to the other businesses that share space with Alternate Universes.

Access

The location has classroom space on the main floor and in the basement. There is access behind the store directly into the basement, so we can still accommodate any attending Judges that cannot use stairs.

Level 1 and Level 2 Testing

L1 and L2 testing will be available at this conference after the conclusion of the seminar portion of the day.

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 ne.judge.conference.PHL@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 ne.judge.conference.PHL@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 ne.judge.conference.PHL@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 ne.judge.conference.PHL@gmail.com!