GENERAL POLICIES

The Secretary-General and the Director-General of the conference are the only staff members empowered to grant exceptions to any conference policies or other general FLAG practices. FLAG is not liable for any erroneous statements made by other staff members, including other members of the Secretary General, regarding exceptions to fees or policies.

FLAG is a conference intended for highs school students. Consequently, all FLAG delegates must be high school students currently enrolled in an accredited high school. FLAG reserves the right to request official document(s) that verify this information, and FLAG will not provide invitation letters to delegates who are not enrolled in a high school.

All fees are owed to FLAG by 11:59 PM ET on the dates outlined below. Delegates will not be allowed to register/check-in at conference until they have paid any outstanding debts. Please note that FLAG does not currently accept checks (cheques) for payment, and cannot receive any other letters or forms sent to our office. The preferred payment method is via our online payment platform. This platform can be accessed via digital invoices that will be sent to schools via email.

All forms, such as position papers and conference policy agreement forms, must be submitted via our online registration platform, which is linked on the FLAG website. If there is a discrepancy between the conference policies and the information contained in the digital invoices, please note that the fees, deadlines, and policies listed below take precedence.

REGISTRATION FEE

A registration fee of US$[XXX] is due with the initial application for the conference. No delegate will be assigned a committee. The registration fee is non-refundable.

MISCELLANEOUS FEES

Replacement badges and placards may be purchased at the conference for a fee of US$6 for one or US$10 for both. FLAG will have certificates of participation available to all delegates free of charge at conference, provided that a delegate participates fully in all committee sessions (as determined by each committee dais). If certificates of participation are not picked up during the conference at the hours to be specified in the conference schedule, certificates can be requested for a fee of US$8 each (for a digital copy) or US$15 each (for a physical copy; an additional mailing fee will apply).

REFUNDS

Registration fees are non-refundable. Delegate fees and faculty advisor fees may be refundable according to the conditions described in the “Registration Fees” section above. Any refunds approved by FLAG must be issued via check, to be distributed in-person at the conference or via first class mail to a valid U.S. address. Participants are responsible for all costs and fees associated with any other refund method, such as wire transfer. FLAG cannot make any exceptions to the policies described in this document. Once a refund-related decision has been made by the Secretary-General, it is final and cannot be appealed.

CANCELLATION DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS

FLAG 2025 will take place from [Date] regardless of the weather conditions. FLAG is unable to provide refunds to delegates that choose not to attend due to inclement weather.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

If meeting the requirements for payment is impossible for any reason, please contact FLAG staff at [email] as soon as it becomes evident that the requirements will not be fulfilled. The Secretary General, the Director-General, is more than happy to discuss individual circumstances with a delegate.. Delegates requiring special assistance, such as those mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), must notify FLAG by a minimum of two weeks before the beginning of the final registration date.

VALUABLES

If f delegates bring valuables, they are encouraged to place them in a secure location in their assigned room. FLAG and the participating university are not responsible for belongings left in guest rooms or in committee rooms.

SCHOOL COURTESY

Individuals will be held responsible for vandalism or any other damage that occurs in their room, and any vandalism or damage they cause to other areas. The participating University and FLAG staff reserve the right to eject individuals for any disruptions to the safety and well-being of other hotel guests without refund.

CURFEW POLICY

Out of consideration for other students on campus, the FLAG Conference imposes a curfew every night. We ask that no delegates be found in the hallways after 12:00AM Friday night and 1:00AM Saturday night. No visitors are permitted in the guest room area of the hotel after 11:00PM. Please additionally keep in mind that many students are already asleep when the committee adjourns on Friday and Saturday nights. Large crowds can be quite noisy, and 11:00PM is a prime time for complaints. Please be considerate by remaining quiet in the hallways.

ALCOHOL AND DRUG POLICY

FLAG 2024 strictly enforces a no tolerance policy regarding alcohol and drug usage, including vaping and smoking, during the conference. The possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs, as defined by United States federal law, is absolutely prohibited, and individuals found violating this policy will be required to leave the conference immediately and may face potential legal consequences. Furthermore, vaping and smoking, or the use of any electronic smoking devices, are strictly forbidden indoors within the conference venues, including committee rooms, common areas, hallways, and designated spaces. Delegates who wish to smoke or vape must do so only in designated outdoor areas and must adhere to any local, state, or federal laws or regulations related to smoking and vaping. Violations of this no tolerance policy may result in immediate expulsion from the conference without a refund. FLAG 2025 prioritizes the safety and well-being of all participants and expects responsible and respectful behavior from all delegates.

COMMITTEE SESSION POLICY

Individual delegates are expected to be in their respective committee rooms during committee sessions. In order for delegates to leave their committee rooms for an extended period of time, their Committee Chair must be informed ahead of time. Extended absences may result in a delegate being deemed ineligible to receive a certificate of participation, and may jeopardize a school’s consideration for awards. Furthermore, all delegates are expected to abide by committee dress code. Additionally, delegates are expected to treat all other conference attendees with the utmost respect and diplomacy. 

PLAGIARISM POLICY

The full staff of FLAG remains committed to excellent substantive quality of debate and to the integrity of our conference. Plagiarism is a serious offense to this integrity and to the conference, and will not be tolerated. Any delegates found to have engaged in plagiarism before or during conference will be disqualified from delegate awards, and any documents found to contain plagiarism will have the plagiarized clauses/ sections removed. Additionally, the Secretary General reserves the right to disqualify a delegate from conference awards, should any individual be found guilty of plagiarism.

POLICIES REGARDING HARASSMENT, VIOLENCE, AND DISCRIMINATION

FLAG is dedicated to creating and maintaining a conference environment in which all delegates, faculty advisors, and staff members feel safe and included. We are committed to ensuring that no person at the conference faces discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or race in a manner that inhibits one’s ability to fully participate in any part of the conference, both in and outside of the committee room. The Secretary General reserves the right to immediately expel delegates from both the conference (without refund) due to unlawful and/or unacceptable behavior. Serious infractions on the part of even a single delegate may require the dismissal without refund of the individual involved. The Secretary General reserves the right to define appropriate conference behavior and is particularly sensitive to issues involving displays of disrespect to other delegates, conference staff, and university staff. Delegates may be issued a verbal warning should their conduct violate conference policies. However, delegates may be expelled without a prior warning at the discretion of the Secretary General.

Under FLAG policies, which may apply to all FLAG students as well as participants in FLAG-affiliated events, sexual discrimination and harassment is defined via the Interim Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy and the Interim Other Sexual Misconduct Policy.

Violations of these policies may warrant consequences to the individual, at the discretion of the FLAG Secretary General. Please note that while we expect delegates to follow FLAG policies, any actions taken in response at conference are at the sole discretion of FLAG and not the university Title IX Office. The university office or the Office for Gender Equity may conduct their own response actions, separate from FLAG, should the infraction be brought to their attention.

Examples of other inappropriate behavior that may warrant consequences to the individual include, but are not limited to:

• Sexual assault
• Harassment of any kind
• Cyber-bullying
• Displays of racism
• Displays of sexism
• Physical violence
• Possession or use of alcohol in committee
• Possession or use of illicit substances (as defined under United States federal law)
• Possession and/or display of weapons

SUMMARY OF CONFERENCE FEES

Registration Fee US$XX Regular   US$XX (Late)

CONFERENCE TIMELINE AND DEADLINE

January 1, 2025: Registration Opens

February 15, 2025: Priority Registration I Deadline

April 15, 2025: Priority Registration II Deadline

May 31, 2025: Final Registration Deadline

June 7, 2025: Late Registration (Late Fee Included)

CONFERENCE DATES

The goal of the Secretary General and staff of FLAG 2025 is to work with you to achieve the most well-run, enjoyable, and productive conference possible. We thank you in advance for your cooperation. Please do not hesitate to email us at email with any questions or concerns.

Please note that all conference participants must read and accept these policies upon submitting an application to FLAG 2025 via our online registration system . By paying any conference fees or requesting an invitation letter, all conference participants are again agreeing to these Conference Policies.