I was already a member of WSDC. Do I now have to pay the membership fee?
Yes, if you wish to continue as a member. Bye laws were passed at the 2011 AGM (by a vote of 21-3 with 7 abstentions) which empowered the Board of Directors to set fees for membership as a method of fund-raising. These fees come into force in February 2012 in time for the 2012 AGM.
Who can become a member of WSDC?
Any individual (in most cases, but not necessarily, someone who has attended WSDC in the past) or any organisation. Organisations don’t have to be debating associations; we also welcome educational institutions, private companies or any other body.
Can multiple organisations from the same country become members?
Yes.
Who can participate in AGMs and other meetings of the WSDC membership?
Individual members and one representative of each organisation member may participate and vote on proposals or in elections. Because multiple individual and organisation members are allowed from the same country, country votes are tallied and used to determine the single overall vote for that country.
Do we have to be a member to send a team to future tournaments?
No. Admission of teams is up to the tournament host and the Tournament Committee. In the case of competing applications from the same country, the Tournament Executive Committee will work with the host (and if appropriate, organise a vote of the Tournament Committee) to decide which team to admit. Membership status may be taken into account at that stage but non-members are still welcome to apply to send a team.
Do I have to be a member to attend WSDC as an individual?
No. But we hope anyone who has been to a WSDC and enjoyed it will join the organisation to help us bring the opportunity to others in future.
I don’t have a Paypal account. How do I join?
At the moment you need to have, or create, a Paypal account in order to pay your membership fees. Creating a Paypal account is quick and easy though. Once we have a modest amount of funds we can upgrade to the Paypal package that allows us to accept payments without you having to register with them.
You can also make a bank transfer to pay your membership fees. After registering you will receive an invoice that includes the details.