A: Your students will have access to our outstanding staff and their unique skill set at a relatively low cost.
Q: How much is tuition?
A: Tuition is $1,800 and includes housing and food. Students will leave with a substantial evidence set including a complete affirmative, framework file and several negative strategies.
Q: Is XDI only kritiks?
A: No. While we place an emphasis on critical arguments, we will be teaching a successful method of debate winning through ethos, applied skepticism, knowledge of historical precedents and creative impact calculus. The type of critical debate we teach interacts with every argument form, whether its deontology versus utilitarianism or logical probability versus aesthetic affect. If we are learning how to critique disadvantages, then the discussion and practice will involve disadvantages. The same is true of counterplans, topicality and so on. Critical concepts are used as one of many elements of debate.
Q: XDI is two weeks long. Will my students be able to go to other institutes?
A: Yes. We are conveniently located quite near Washington, D.C. where students may attend the Georgetown Debate Seminar June 23 - July 13. This combination may offer an excellent contrast in styles/approaches.
Q: I have students who don’t like reading critical arguments but want to get better at answering them. Will they fit in with the XDI culture?
A: Yes. Part of XDI’s mission is to foster greater literacy of these arguments for policy-minded folks and tp improve substantive debate about political values. Several of our staff members were also outstanding politics/counterplan/case debaters. Several of our students last year were primarily concerned with developing a strong affirmative toolbox against critical arguments. What students take away from XDI depends on what they want to get out of the experience.
Q: What do students do all day?
A: It’s similar to a regular institute — there is typically a morning lecture, a series of lab groups doing research and skills practice, daily speaking drills and an evening event that might range from a demo debate to a guest lecture or a group discussion about debate theory and judge adaptation. There will be occasional field trips, topic-oriented film screenings and a camp tournament.
Q: What are the facilities like?
A: Students stay in Towson University dormitories, learn in classrooms, lecture halls and media labs, and have access to world-class research facilities.
Q: Are students supervised?
A: There are several responsible administrators and lab leaders during the day, and RAs in the dorms in the evening. There will always be someone to take attendance and answer phone calls from parents. There is campus security.
Q: What are the food options? My students have allergies and dietary restrictions.
A: Cafeteria facilities are equipped to deal with allergies and dietary restrictions, and will provide a full vegetarian/vegan options at every meal.
Q: I have heard that students write their own evidence. Is that true?
A: Strictly speaking, no. However, most students will conduct some sort of primary source research while at XDI. This might mean interviewing an expert, talking about their experiences interacting with topical institutions and apparatuses, or visiting a site relevant to the resolution during an XDI field trip. Last summer we took students to the Museum of Natural & Artificial Ephemerata and they participated in a discussion with UT-Austin grad students about the progress narratives of transportation infrastructure development in colonial Pakistan, the history of the highway I-30 and toured an “autonomous infrastructure” greywater irrigation system. Students are encouraged to reflect and write on these experiences as active producers of knowledge rather than passive observers.
Q: What should my student bring?
A: The only thing they are required to bring are themselves and a pleasant demeanor. However, we’d suggest the following:
two week’s worth of clothes
shoes and sandals
swim trunks
sun screen
insect repellent
a cellphone
a camera
a debate timer
five pens, one notebook, one legal pad
a laptop computer
one book of fiction or poetry (can be a library book)
one book of nonfiction philosophy relevant to debate (can be a library book)
Q: What is your policy on drugs and alcohol?
A: There will be zero tolerance of drugs, alcohol, any sort of physical intimidation, violence or weapons. This is the first year of the xylum debate institute and we hope to have many more. It would be tragically selfish for any student to jeopardize not only their own learning experience, but the experience of their fellow students.
Q: Do you offer rides from the airport?
A: Yes. A member of xylum staff will be making trips to BWI on July 13. Students flying into Dulles and DCA may want to network to share shuttles. The ride from the airport is about 45 minutes. Once you have applied we will send you an email reminding you to send your flight information so we can coordinate pickups.
8000 York Road | Towson, MD 21252 | 410-704-2000
