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• Application

  1.  When will I learn that I have been admitted?
  You should receive an email within 24 hours of registering. Contact us if you do not receive the email.
  

  2.  How do I make a payment?
  You can make a payment via credit card or check.  

  • To pay by credit card click on “make a payment” from the website and fill out the form.  
  • To pay by check make the check payable to “University of Houston” and please put the student’s name in the memo line on the check.
  • Mail to: 

                       Attn: Rob Glass - Honors Debate
                       The Honors College, M.D. Anderson Library
                       4333 University Dr., Room 212
                       Houston, TX  77204-2001
  

  4.  Who is eligible to attend the workshop?
   The workshop is open to all high school students that will be entering the 9th through 12th grades in the next academic year.     

  5.  How many programs can I sign up for?
  Students may only sign up for one program. Given that we are running one session this year, it is not possible for students to attend more than one session. Speech program students may sign up for one or two events. Each event will be taught in a five day session. It is not possible to attend the speech program and one of the debate programs.

• Costs

  1.  How do I make a payment?
  You can make a payment via credit card or check.  

  • To pay by credit card click on “make a payment” from the website and fill out the form.  
  • To pay by check make the check payable to “University of Houston” and please put the student’s name in the memo line on the check.
  • Mail to: 

                       Attn: Rob Glass - Honors Debate
                       The Honors College, M.D. Anderson Library
                       4333 University Dr., Room 212
                       Houston, TX  77204-2001
  

  2.  Are there any additional costs beyond tuition?
  While it is possible for your child to attend the workshop without spending any money, it is likely that they will need some additional money for snacks, souvenirs, and other incidentals. The tuition covers all instruction, housing, and meals. We will make linens available for an additional cost.
  

  3.  When are payments due?
  A $100 application fee is due at the time of submitting your application.  Your application will not be processed without the application fee. You will be notified of your acceptance by email.  
  You have ten days from the date of your acceptance to make a $500 deposit payment.  This payment holds your spot in the program and the residence hall. The balance is due on June 15, 2024.  You may make payments before the scheduled due dates.

  4.  What is the refund policy?
  The $100 application fee and the $500 deposit payment are not refundable at any time.  
  All other payments are subject to partial refunds based on when you cancel.
  

  • 50% refund if canceled before April 1.

  • 25% refund if canceled before May 1.

  • No refund if canceled on May 1 or later.

• General

  1.  Where can I purchase supplies (pens, paper, etc.)?
  The campus bookstore has these types of supplies available for purchase. We will also provide basic supplies such as paper and pens at no cost.  

  2.  When should students arrive and/or depart?
  Students should plan to arrive on the first day, Sunday, July 7, 2024.  Registration will run from 12 noon to 4 p.m.  
  

  • If you are flying, please try to arrive during this window. If you will not make this window, please contact us to let us know when you will be arriving.  

  • Commuters should plan to arrive no later than 3:30 p.m. so that they have time to complete registration. 

  • Students should plan to depart on the last day, Friday, July 19, 2024. Departure times are between 10 a.m. to 12 noon.  All students must be checked out of their rooms by 12 noon.  

  • Commuters do not need to come to campus on the last day as there will be no academic programming scheduled. Commuters in the speech program will attend on the last Friday as usual. 

  • HDW has partnered with United Airlines, use discount code ZPG3342478 for waived fees.

  3.  What is the commuter schedule?
  Commuters should plan to arrive by 8:15 a.m. and depart no later than 9 p.m. Commuters are welcome to come early for breakfast. Commuters must sign out through the workshop office at the end of the day.

  4.  Are students permitted to leave campus?
  Residents are not allowed to leave campus without parental permission communicated to the residence staff. Commuters must remain on campus until they sign out at the end of the day.
  

  5.  Will we meet and learn on a safe part of campus?
  Yes, the campus is safe. We will organize a tour of the campus with the dorm staff.

• Residence

  1.  Where will students live?
  Students will be housed in the ultra-modern Cougar Village dorms. They are located in the center of campus and 500 feet from the classroom buildings we will be using. https://uh.edu/housing/housing-options/cougar-village-1/
  

  2.  Who will supervise students in the Dorms?
  Unlike some workshops, the UH Honors Debate Workshop hires a dedicated residence hall staff.  The staff will be led by the residence director, a seasoned professional who has experience working with high school students in a summer debate workshop setting. Each student will be assigned to one of our Residence Assistants. RAs will be college or graduate school students with experience living in dorms.

  3.  Do students need to bring linens?
  Linens are not provided by the residence hall. We encourage you to bring your own linens if that is possible. Dorm size (extra long) single-mattress sheets are fine. (We will arrange for a linen service which will include a pillow, sheets, pillowcase, blanket, towel and washcloth for an extra cost.)
  

  4.  Will students share bathrooms in the residence hall?
  Students will be housed in two-room suites with two-bedrooms per suite. A bathroom is located between the two rooms for four people in the two rooms to share. There are no communal bathrooms on the floors.  Students will be responsible for keeping their own bathrooms clean.  https://uh.edu/housing/housing-options/cougar-village-1/

  5.  Will students have phones in their rooms?
  No. Phones are not provided. We assume that students will have cell phones. 
  

  6.  Will students have access to athletic facilities?
  Students will have access to common grounds and the basketball courts.  We will have outdoor equipment such as frisbees and balls available for checkout from the workshop office. Liability rules prevent students from access to the University Rec Center.

  7.  Is the residence hall in a safe area?
  Cougar Village is in a safe area. It is policed daily by the University of Houston Police Department and there are security guards on duty in the buildings.  
  

  8.  Can students choose their own roommates?
  Students are allowed to submit roommate preferences. We will do our best to honor these preferences assuming that both parties have requested the roommate partnership. 

  9.  What is the address for sending mail or packages?
  STUDENT'S FULL NAME
  Attn: UH Honors Debate Workshop, Rob Glass
  The Honors College, MD Anderson Library
  4333 University Dr., Room 212
  Houston, TX  77204-2001

• Food

  1.  When does meal service begin?
  We will start meal service with dinner on the evening of Sunday, July 7. Dinner will be served after registration closes and before the opening orientation.
  

  2.  What type of food will be served?
  Students will be eating in Moody Dining Hall and and they will be served the same food that UH students enjoy during the year.  We will communicate dietary preferences/restrictions that we are aware of to the dining hall. In addition to the dining hall, we will have a cookout one evening that will be catered by a local restaurant.

  3.  Is food included in the tuition?
  Yes. All students, including commuters, will be served breakfast, lunch and dinner each day.
  

  4.  Where can I purchase groceries?
  Multiple convenience stores are available on campus. 

  5.  Are commuters provided with food?
  Yes. Commuters are welcome to come early to  join us for breakfast on campus. They will eat lunch and dinner with the residents during the day.

• Health

  1.  What is the Covid-19 policy?
  We will follow the official UH policy listed here:  https://uh.edu/covid-19/
  

  2.  What if my child tests positive for Covid 19 during the workshop?
  If a commuter tests positive, we ask that the student stay home until they no longer test positive.  We will set up an online mechanism for them to continue to participate in the workshop if they want to continue. Residents who test positive that are unable to return home, will be housed in a separate room and will shift to online participation until they test negative. No refunds are available for a student who has to leave the workshop early.

  3.  What if my child needs medical treatment?
  Minor medical needs that can be met with over-the-counter medication can be addressed through the workshop office.  One of the forms for parents to fill out lists the OTCs that we have available.  We will provide any medication which has been authorized by parents to the students. For minor medical needs that cannot be addressed through the workshop office, students will be taken to the UH Student Health Center. 

  For major medical issues, we will transport students to a hospital. We will notify parents if students require a trip to the UH Student Health Center or a hospital. 

• Academic Program Questions

  1.  How many members of the faculty will students interact with?
  Programs will have lectures given by different faculty members that everyone attends. The bulk of their instruction will occur in small groups “labs”. The student-instructor ratio in a lab is 6-1. Labs will have 2-3 instructors. Lab assignments will be based on student experience and skill level.
  

  2.  Does my student need to come with a partner for Public Forum & Policy?
  It is not necessary to come with a partner. The vast majority of students in these events do not come with a partner. Partnerships will be assigned in the individual labs.

  3.  Can students choose their own debate partners?
  Students may request a debate partner. The request should be made by both members of the partnership.
  

  4.  Is Internet service available?
  The University of Houston has a free wifi network for all guests on campus.  

  5.  Do students need laptops?
  Yes, most of the research and other work will be done on a laptop. A tablet, chrome book or cell phone is not an acceptable substitute. Please contact us in advance if you need help securing a laptop.

  6.  Is there a daily schedule I can look at?
  The schedule will become more detailed as the workshop approaches. There are sample schedules available by program listed under the PROGRAMS tab and a general schedule under the ABOUT tab.