Model OAS Current Events

Fall 2004 Conference:

Baylor Team Receives Awards At Model Organization Of American States Tournament
Nov. 12, 2004
by Julie Campbell Carlson

Baylor University’s Model Organization of American States (MOAS) team won awards in all committees and the General Assembly at a MOAS simulation held Nov. 4-7 at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.
Sponsored by the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, the tournament featured 20 universities, including five from Mexico, representing countries in the Organization of American States (OAS). Students worked on various issues of concern, such as Free Trade, hemispheric security, development and the post-Castro transition in Cuba. At this year’s model, Baylor students represented the countries of Colombia and Panama.
Head delegates Chase Browning, a senior international studies major from Colleyville, and Luis Vivaldi, a senior international studies and history major from Carthage, won Outstanding Delegates in their committees. Other outstanding delegate awards went to co-head delegate Lisette Vitta, a senior international studies major from The Woodlands, and Browning, who was named Outstanding Delegate in the General Assembly. Distinguished delegate awards went to Natalie Bates, a junior French and Spanish major from San Antonio, and Krista Glova, a senior linguistics major from Kingwood.
Additionally, Baylor junior Laura Samudio, an international studies major from Austin, was elected President for the 2005 model. Ray Lopez, a senior Latin American studies and political science major from San Antonio, and Leah Davis, a graduate business major from Waco, served as committee chairs.
Other team members included Cameron Boone, a senior history major from Houston; Ricardo Carrillo, a senior political science major from Amarillo; Patrick Cuff, a junior history major from Crawford; Stephanie Hagglund, a senior international studies major from Southlake; Caleb Jones, a senior international studies major from Albuquerque, N.M.; and Genevieve Miller, a senior Latin American studies major from Englewood, Colo.
Also competing on the Baylor team were Ryan Miller, a senior history major from Center; Tony Samp, a junior international studies major from San Marcos; Robert Slater, a junior business major from Austin; and Leticia Silva, a sophomore real estate and economics major from Houston. Dr. Joan E. Supplee, associate professor of history, serves as director of the MOAS program at Baylor.

His brother Raul had taken over the country and instituted a military dictatorship. The Cuban people, on the other hand, were rebelling against his dictatorship. And in the conflict that followed, 450 people had died.

It was up to them now to decide whether to push on with other resolutions or deal with the crisis that was thrown at them.

"We decided it was a pressing issue," she said.

Acosta, Flower Mound senior and president of the Model International Organization, along with 16 other NT students from the organization, competed in this year's Model Organization of American States' conference at St. Mary's University in San Antonio Thursday. They represented the South American countries of Argentina, El Salvador and Paraguay.

The conference is based on the Organization of American States, which could be described as the United Nations for the American Continent. However, it is not as powerful as the U.N. "The OAS cannot enforce any resolution they pass because the OAS cannot impede upon the national sovereignty of any country," she said.

The Organization's function is solely to recommend resolutions on the issues that each country may face.

The conference gives college students the opportunity to act the part of OAS delegates. At the conference, delegates debate and pass and block resolutions based on the perspectives of the countries they represent. "It's a big role-playing game," Acosta said.

According to the conference's Web site, 20 countries were represented this year. Over 200 students from 17 schools, including two from Mexico, participated in the three-day event. Each university can represent as many as three countries. Delegations consist of five committees: Security, Democracy, Drug control, Economics and Human rights. Each committee will pass resolutions on three topics given by the conference administrators. Acosta participated in the unit for the promotion of Democracy with topics of transparency in government, financing of political parties and conducting free elections.

Just like college sports, rivalries come into play, according to Acosta who said that Baylor University was their biggest rival.

According to Acosta, when Baylor's delegates, who represented Colombia and Panama, tried to pass a resolution to create a committee that would report on the elections in American countries, NT delegates did what they could to terminate it.

"We already have election monitors that report to the [Unit to Promote Democracy]," she said. Taking turns with NT's El Salvador delegate, Kenny Hegmann, Acosta was able to discourage other delegates from voting for the resolution.

"NT will take special measures to take time to find flaws and vocally point them out," she said.

According to Acosta, it all goes in line with their strategy: "get your placards up and speak even though you don't know what to say. Once you stand up, something always comes out." However, rivalries only come into play during the conference and are left there. "At the end of the day, we're the best of friends," Acosta said. "We hang out in our hotel rooms, push each other in the pool. It's a very friendly rivalry."

To prepare for the conference, delegates not only study the general information about the countries, but also the relationship their countries have with other countries. According to Acosta, Argentina, which she represented, traditionally doesn't get along with Brazil, and she had to take that into consideration.

"You have to come from the country's perspective and keep in mind what you can or can't do," she said.

Unlike some of the schools that participated in the conference as part of a class, Acosta said, NT delegates came because they wanted to. The pressure of being graded affects their performance. "We're doing this as an extra-curricular activity," she said. "We're not forced."

At the end of the conference, the best and outstanding delegates are recognized. Last year, NT received three awards. At this year's conference, NT came away again with three awards, including Best Delegation.

The crisis in Cuba resulted in two resolutions, one that involved taking immediate action and one that involved assessing the situation first before taking any action. Both resolutions were blocked in 8-9 votes.