All chapter advisors with a student entering a written event, Merit Awards Project or Chapter Awards Project (including events that competed at the district level) will be required to attend and assist with the Written Event Screening on Saturday, February 23, 2008. Projects are due by 10:00 a.m., and will not be accepted after 10:30 a.m. Advisors not assisting with the screening will be charged a $50.00 screening fee. Please note that Michigan DECA does not receive ANY deliveries on Saturday, so any events that are not hand-carried to the screening must be received by 4:00p.m. Friday, February 23.
Room reservations are to be sent directly to the Hyatt Regency Dearborn. The hotel must receive the reservations on or before February 15, 2008. They are to be prepaid with the enclosed form. Full payment is required before reservations are confirmed.
Student housing is based on four (4) to a room. If a chapter does not have multiples of four (4) delegates of the same sex, it will be the chapter’s responsibility to fill a room by contacting other chapters, or absorb the additional cost (per person) for occupancy less than four (4). Chapters must house the majority of their delegation in quad rooms so Michigan DECA can ensure that there will be adequate room for all delegates. Students will not be permitted to be in a single room.
If you make arrangements with another school to fill a quad room, please include the name of the school the student is from, after his/her name, on the form. Be sure that both schools include the mixed room on the registration form. One school should be designated as responsible for prepayment of the shared room. The other school(s) should then pay the designated school.
Advisors should plan to be assigned to a double (2-person) room. Please indicate the name and school of the individual you want to room with, so the hotel can properly match you up. Remember to check with your intended roommate first. Each year, reservations are received where an advisor did not confirm with the second advisor. Also, remember to register your spouse if they will be staying with you during the conference.
Special requests are based upon the availability at the time the housing form and full prepayment are received at the hotel. Hotel rooms will be assigned on a first received basis. Once the Hyatt is full, Reservations will be made at the DoubbleTree Hotel
The Hotels will accept housing changes until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 10, 2008 after that time there will be a $25.00 fee per change (name or room) and there will be no refunds for cancellations.
All housing registrations are to be delivered to the Hyatt. The Hyatt will forward overflow registrations and payments to the overflow hotel. There will be a shuttle bus available during the conference.
All incidental charges, (i.e. telephone and movie) must be paid before checking out. There is to be no room service or phone calls made from the room. All phones will be restricted so no outside calls can be placed unless a credit card imprint is left if you want to make outside calls. Phone calls can be made from pay phones located throughout the hotel. Hotel operators have been instructed not to connect outside or room to room calls after curfew.
Please note that all sleeping rooms may not be available upon arrival, delegates should plan accordingly if they are competing Friday afternoon.
Conference registration must be received at Michigan DECA by February 15, 2008.
Registration Fee: The registration fee is $80.00. The fee will cover three (3) meals, registration materials, and conference administrative expenses.
A late fee of $15.00 per delegate up to a maximum of $100 will be assessed for any registration and/or payment received after February 15, 2008.
Only students who were finalists at the district conferences are eligible to compete in the Series or Management Decision Making Events. Delegates may not enter more than one event, i.e. Series, Written, or Chapter. The only exception is the Merit Award Program. Each student delegate must participate in a competitive event at the State Conference. Each delegate’s role(s) at the conference must be listed on the registration form. Refer to the attached page for proper event codes to be used when registering for the conference.
Refunds will be given only if Michigan DECA is notified of the cancellation in writing. Cancellations must be submitted on the Refund Request Form to receive your chapter’s refund.
Amount of Refund
February 15 $80.00
February 29
$40.00
March 10 $20.00
After March 10 No Refund
Each delegate, student and adult, must sign the Code of Conduct & Medical Treatment Forms. These forms must be hand-carried to the conference. Do not send them to the Michigan DECA office.
Download the form here>>>
Chapter Advisors have volunteered to double check each state conference registration to be sure that chapters are following the substitution policy (pg. 69) and that the correct qualifiers from the district conference are advancing on to the state conference. You should fully explain to students that they will not be able to compete if one member of the team is unable for any reason to attend the next level of competition. Please see page 69 for the full substitution policy.
will take place Friday at the Hyatt from Noon until 4:00 p.m. and at the DoubbleTree hotel from Noon until 2:00 p.m.
The conference registration will start at Noon, with the first student activity at 2:00 p.m. A tentative program will be included in the February issue of Spotlight on DECA and will be posted on the Michigan DECA web site. Delegates must read the conference program carefully.
The following is a list of activities that will take place at the State Career Development Conference.
All students are encouraged to take the 50 item Economics Evaluation on Saturday. A certificate will be awarded to those who achieve minimum proficiency on the test. The top ten participants will receive special recognition.
A certificate will be awarded to those who achieve minimum proficiency on the test. The top ten participants will receive special recognition.
A dance will take place Saturday evening. Delegates must have their wristband to attend the dance. All types of music will be provided for the dancers’ enjoyment. All delegates are encouraged to attend the dance. Casual clothing may be worn, but please, let’s not interpret the meaning of “casual” to be “sloppy.” Neat casual clothing is acceptable. Shoes must be worn. Items not acceptable include hats, bathing suits, and suggestive attire. Shirts must have sleeves and no bare mid drift. Skirts and shorts must be at least finger tip length.
Three (3) meals are included in the registration fee; dinner will be served on Friday evening and breakfast on Saturday and Sunday morning. Lunches and Saturday dinner will be the responsibility of each delegate/chapter.
Schools that achieve a top two levels in this year’s membership campaign and submit the proper documentation by the deadline will have reserved, priority seats at an awards session refer to the membership campaign guidelines for more information. Seating for other schools will not be assigned. One seat will be allocated for each paid delegate.
There will be two Opening Sessions on Friday evening. Four districts will be assigned to each session. New chapters will have reserved seating at this session.
Saturday evening - Written Events, Chapter Awards, Merit Awards and DECA Quiz Bowl
Sunday’s First Session - Management Team Decision Making, Team Decision Making, &
New State Executive Council
Sunday’s Second Session - Series Events
The Michigan Marketing Educators (MME) and Michigan DECA will host a reception and recognition session for all advisors on Saturday night.
All delegates (adult and student) must wear their name badges and wrist bands at all times. No one will be admitted to conference activities without a name badge and wrist band.
If a delegate loses their wrist band or name badge, a replacement may be obtained in the Thomas Suite for $2.00; the student’s advisor must be present for a name badge to be issued. Delegates will be required to show identification for a name badge.
Business attire is required for all scheduled sessions and activities. Shirts must have sleeves and no bare midriff. Skirts and shorts must be at least finger tip length. No cargo pants, jeans (denim material), T-shirts, sweatshirts, flip-flop sandals, or athletic shoes of any form will be allowed during the competition or at sessions! Delegates’ clothing must be neat and in good repair in order to compete, attend the sessions, or be allowed on stage. Delegates wearing any of these items will be sent to change, before being allowed to compete or attend any conference sessions.
Please refer to the Michigan DECA Dress Code for more information.
Each chapter can enter only one team in either the DECA Quiz Bowl or Team Decision Making Event. These competitors will not be able to compete in any other event. Quiz Bowl teams consist of 4 participants.
Each chapter can enter only one team in either the DECA Quiz Bowl or Team Decision Making Event. These competitors will not be able to compete in any other event. Team Decision Making teams will consist of three (3) participants.
All participants in these two events will take the Marketing Management test as part of their competition.
The Series & MDM Events occupational (multiple choice) evaluation will be given on Friday, with two (2) participatory events taking place on Saturday.
Each participant is expected to have a pencil with an eraser, calculator, and the official conference program available for each event. Other items (workbooks, notebooks, handouts, etc.) are not allowed. Cell phones, graphing calculators, & PDA’s may not be used as calculators.
February 23, 2008.
All entries (including the Merit and Chapter Awards Program, and written events that competed at the district level) must be completed and received at the Michigan DECA office by 10:00 a.m. on February 23. Entries will not be accepted after 10:30 a.m. If you are mailing the entries, they must be received by Friday, February 24 - there is no delivery service to Michigan DECA on Saturday. We recommend mailing with a return receipt or using a tracking method.
Preliminary competition for the Advertising Campaign, Entrepreneurship Participating and Fashion Merchandising Promotion Plan will take place at all district conferences. The events are to be hand-carried to the district conference. The top two entries at each district conference will advance to the State
Career Development Conference, as written events, they must be received at Michigan DECA by February 24, 2007 for the written event screening.
All Written Events will compete on Friday, from 2:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Written Event participants will have their orientation and interview on Friday. There will be one interview. All written event participants are required to take either the math or economics evaluation.
Participatory Written Events will compete on Friday afternoon.
These events include Advertising Campaign, Entrepreneurship Participating, and Fashion Merchandise Promotion Plan. There will be one interview with two judges. Technical Sales Event will compete on Saturday afternoon.
All written events must follow the Michigan DECA Written Event Guidelines in addition to the national guidelines. The first page of each event must be the signed Statement of Assurances Form or fifteen (15) penalty points will be assessed. This form should be typed or word processed. An e-form is available on the Michigan DECA website.
One (1) Entry per School Three (3) Entries per School
Community Service Project Business & Financial Services
Creative Marketing Project E-Commerce Business Plan
Entrepreneurship Promotion Project Entrepreneurship - Written
Learn & Earn Project Public Relations Project
General Marketing Research
Hospitality & Recreation
International Business Plan
Retail Marketing
Competitors in the Advertising Campaign, Entrepreneurship Participating, Fashion Merchandising Promotion Plan, and Technical Sales Events must qualify at their respective District Conference to compete at the SCDC. These competitors must submit their projects by
Participants in the School Based Enterprise Certification Program, 7 Up Challenge, and Virtual Business Challenge will not compete at the State Conference. Qualifiers will proceed directly to the International Conference.
Michigan DECA will issue Certificates of Excellence to all competitors that receive an average score above 70% during competition. The certificates will be distributed after the conference.
Gold level participants must have their names submitted by February 15, 2008, to the Michigan DECA Office. The projects will be due to Michigan DECA by February 23, 2008, and must be submitted in the proper DECA binder. All 22 activities are to be included and divided into three sections: bronze, silver, and gold. Each section is to start with the state approved MAP Progress Form. Delegates recognized at the State Conference for completing all activities of the Gold Award and meeting the minimum standards will be eligible to attend the International Conference. Names submitted after February 16, 2007, will receive a certificate, but will not be eligible to attend the State or International Conferences as a Gold Merit Award Participant or be listed in the conference program.
Silver Award Participants will not be allowed to attend the conference as a special permission delegate. These participants will be recognized at the conference only if their name is submitted on the Merit Award Participant Form. The form must be returned to the Michigan DECA office by February 15, 2008.
All Gold MAP Participants not competing in another event are required to take (they do not have to pass) the Economic and/or Math Evaluation. All Gold Merit Award Participants will be scheduled for an interview on Friday, March 16, 2007 between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
The screening is scheduled for Saturday, January 26, 2008 and registrations for the screening must be received by January 22, 2008. Candidates must bring ten (10) copies of their completed application to the screening. A copier will NOT be available at the screening. Complete information on the process is available online at www.mideca.org
The role of a voting delegate is an important one. Voting delegates are required to attend the candidate speeches and are encouraged to meet each candidate prior to the election session. Notice: All Voting Delegates must attend the conference as a competitor.
Voting will take place on Saturday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Each year, some voting delegates do not show up or are late for the election. Our policy is that voting delegates will not be admitted after 4:00 p.m.
According to the Constitution, each chapter is allowed one voting delegate per 18 members or a major fraction thereof. Each chapter must register their voting delegates on the registration form. Chapters that do not pre-register voting delegates on the registration form will not be allowed to vote. A voting delegate must be registered as a voting delegate and a competitor. See the table below for the number of voting delegates based on chapter size.
1 voting delegate for 1 to 26 members
2 voting delegates for 27 to 44 members
3 voting delegates for 45 to 62 members
4 voting delegates for 63 to 80 members
5 voting delegates for 81 to 98 members
6 voting delegates for 99 to 116 members
7 voting delegates for 117 to 134 members
To have a successful conference, each advisor will need to assist with the conference. All advisors will be pre-assigned by the event chairperson to work a competitive event. All advisors are required to assist during their assigned time. Because this assistance is important, advisors who do not assist during their entire assigned time will have letters, stressing the importance of their assistance and their absence sent to their school principal.
At least one (1) adult must attend and pay the registration fee for every ten (10) student delegates attending. If eleven (11) or more students are registered, at least two (2) adults must be registered, then one (1) additional adult must attend for every twelve (12) additional students.
Chaperones: All chaperones attending the conference will also be responsible to assist with conference management and supervision. Please select you preference for the area you would like each of your chaperones to assist with on the registration form. The area’s include: Competitive Event Assistance, Hall Duty, Dance Supervision, Monitoring Clothing at the General Sessions. All chaperones are required to pay the conference registration fee.
All advisors are required to conduct room checks at curfew and patrol the floors of the hotel after curfew on Friday and Saturday evenings. Trying to manage a large number of students is a difficult task, therefore we need every advisor’s support and assistance.
No alcoholic beverages or drugs may be possessed by any delegate at the conference. This is a school function. Delegates may not enter the lounges at the Hyatt. Students suspected of being under the influence of alcohol will be required to take a breath alcohol test as specified by state law. A uniformed police officer will be on site during the evening hours of the conference.
The use of private automobiles will not be permitted after arrival at the conference. Car doors shall be locked upon arrival, and the keys turned over to the chapter advisor.
Michigan DECA has arranged for a shuttle bus to travel between hotels and the mall. Delegates need to realize that the shuttle will carry limited numbers at a time, so they should allow adequate time to travel. The bus will operate during the following schedule. The bus is scheduled to leave the Hyatt at the top and bottom of each hour.
Friday: 12:30 p.m. - midnight Hotel to Hotel
Saturday: 7:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Hotel to Hotel
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Hotel to Mall to Hotel
7:00 p.m. - midnight Hotel to Hotel
Sunday: 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Hotel to Hotel
Michigan Alumni DECA is selling State Conference T-shirts again this year. The shirts will be designed around the Conference theme, and will be heavyweight, 100% cotton t-shirts. The t-shirts are $12.00 each, but if everyone from your chapter attending the conference orders a shirt, you will receive a discounted price of $10.00 per shirt.
This fundraiser is designed to build the Alumni’s endowment so that they can sponsor a competitive event to provide more travel scholarships for qualifiers to attend the International Career Development Conference.
An order form can be found online at www.mideca.org. Payment should accompany the order, or you may pay when you pick up your shirts. Shirts will be available for pick-up on Friday afternoon at the Conference.
