Covid-19 and Nats/States

[SilverBreeze]

Vermont has 8 teams registered in the whole state?!

[BennyTheJett]

https://www.wisconsinso.org/ Wisconsin just canceled.

[MadCow2357]

RI Confirmation (wasn't able to get a screenshot bc my coach copied the director's email instead of forwarding/screenshotting it sorry):

"Coaches-

At the direction of the National Science Olympiad Board, we are cancelling the RI Science Olympiad Tournament scheduled for April 18 at RIC. The National Tournament scheduled for North Carolina State is also cancelled. Seehttps://www.soinc.org/play/tournaments for details.

The students who have been working hard for months becoming specialists in scientific topics and building amazing devices will be disappointed, but the uncertainty about the impact of the COVID-19 virus, along with directives from state and university officials leave no choice. Please convey to your students our appreciation for what they have done, and encourage them to continue their study of science. On a positive note, the 2021 rules will be the same as the 2020 version, so the study and preparation students have done can be applied.

RI Science Olympiad will refund the RI portion of the fee ($115) or apply it to your next year’s registration at your choice. If we don’t hear from you we will apply it to next year."

[SilverBreeze]

Has there been talk of registration fees? My guess is tournaments that were already held and preparation for canceled tournaments used part of it, so would it be feasible to refund the unused portion? Not sure about logistics. It would be easier to apply it to the next year, but I was thinking, since most teams pay the registration fee via team donation or fundraising, maybe use refunded fees to hold a party for graduating seniors? They won't be here next year, and this was a sad way to end their career as a competitor... On the other hand, large gatherings are a bad idea...

[MadCow2357]

Has there been talk of registration fees? My guess is tournaments that were already held and preparation for canceled tournaments used part of it, so would it be feasible to refund the unused portion? Not sure about logistics. It would be easier to apply it to the next year, but I was thinking, since most teams pay the registration fee via team donation or fundraising, maybe use refunded fees to hold a party for graduating seniors? They won't be here next year, and this was a sad way to end their career as a competitor... On the other hand, large gatherings are a bad idea...

RI refunded the registration fees, I think it's reasonable for other states to do so as well.

[Torchic]

Well, Illinois is gone

[BennyTheJett]

Now might be a good time to start talking about an unofficial forums tourney?

[120241939151225]

or other options like postponing Nats to June

Reposting again for visibility:
While I completely agree that we need to keep health and safety over anything. We need to look at all the hard work and time students, coaches, mentors and volunteers has spent this year.

Think about 11'th graders who have been working hard all these years and has solely focussed on Scioly, they are at a HUGE disadvantage when it comes to their college application in fall this year.
Also, we need to consider about the students who are competing for the last time this year, their chance of winning a national medal has been taken away from them, FOR EVER.

All I am proposing is to think positive and be open to other options - for ex: wait until early April to make the decision of cancelling OR postponing regional, state tournaments to later April OR even postpone Nats to June, which gives time. Hopefully, with all the preventive actions everyone is taking, COVID-19 would not be a concern in May. If it continues to be, then we go to the final step of cancelling the tournament

[JoeyC]

Now might be a good time to start talking about an unofficial forums tourney?

I mean we kinda have one-ish
viewtopic.php?f=335&t=17332

[Schrodingerscat]

Wichita State (host venue of Kansas tournament) just released their updated policy stating that all events over 150 people are prohibited, strongly implying that the Kansas tournament will be officially cancelled shortly (if not already gone out, I have no remaining direct affiliation).

Now might be a good time to start talking about an unofficial forums tourney?

See this thread in General Chat for all discussions of the possibility of this.