APPE IEB^® Ohio River Valley Regional

Saturday , December 6, 2025 – Tangeman University Center

SAVE THE DATE! The Cincinnati Ethics Center and the University of Cincinnati proudly presents the 1st annual Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE) Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl^® (IEB) Ohio River Valley Regional on Saturday, December 6, 2025 inside Tangeman University Center!

This regional has been created to serve schools in Illinois, Indiana, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky—areas where demand is high and where many schools currently struggle to secure a spot in nearby regionals.

Important Team Information

Team Registration (via APPE)

University of Cincinnati Campus Map

Ohio River Valley Regional Rules

Ohio River Valley Match Guide

APPE IEB^® Regional Rules

APPE IEB^® Regional FAQs

APPE IEB^® National Rules

APPE IEB^® Etiquette

The Ohio River Valley Regional will use the cumulative total of judges’ raw scores from four rounds of matches to determine the top two teams that will face-off in a final round to determine the overall champion of the regional.

Schedule of Events

(as of July 22, 2025 – subject to change)

Activity/Location	Time
Registration/Check-in/Team Photos TUC Great Hall Registration Area —Level 4	7:00 – 7:45 a.m.
Coffee/Pastries TUC Great Hall —Level 4	7:00 – 7:45 a.m.
Welcome TUC Great Hall —Level 4	7:45 – 8:00 a.m.
Match One TUC 400 Level Meeting Rooms—Level 4	8:15—9:45 a.m.
Match Two TUC 400 Level Meeting Rooms—Level 4	10:00—11:30 a.m.
Match Three TUC 400 Level Meeting Rooms—Level 4	11:45—1:15 p.m.
Lunch Siddall Hall MarketPointe	1:15—2:30 p.m.
Match Four TUC 400 Level Meeting Rooms—Level 4	2:45—4:15 p.m.
Announcement of Finalists and Champions Match TUC Mainstreet Cinema—Level 2	4:30—6:00 p.m.
Closing and Awards TUC Mainstreet Cinema—Level 2	6:00—6:30 p.m.

Download schedule

Lunch will be provided at Siddall Hall MarketPointe, a 37,000 foot state-of-the-art dining facility that boasts 8 dining stations. From delicious, plant-forward dishes and nourishing made-to-order sandwiches to authentic global bowls and craveable Latin-infused flavors, MarketPointe has something for everyone.

Simple Servings at MarketPointe provides safe and appetizing food choices for our guests with food allergies or gluten intolerance. All foods served at this station are prepared with ingredients that do not contain 8 of the top 9 allergens, plus gluten.

Official Hotels

The following hotels are located less than one mile from the University of Cincinnati campus and are holding blocks of rooms for participating teams. Click on the logo to make your reservation.

Rate $139
Hotel to TUC .3 mile walking.
Bus parking available
Valet Parking $40/night
Self parking via Parkade app to pre-approve your spot.
Reservation Cut-off: Nov 19 or while supply last.
Hotel Contact:
Tracy Hartman, (513) 930-6568

Rate $149
Hotel to TUC .8 mile walking.
Bus parking will need to be offsite. Contact hotel for assistance.
Vehicle parking included in rate.
Hotel Contact:
Carrie Moore, (513) 487-3820

Rate $149 2 Queen Beds;
$169 King Studio Suite
Hotel to TUC .7 mile walking
FREE Hot Breakfast
Bus parking available on Rochelle Street
Self parking $9/night/vehicle
Hotel Contact:

Rate $125 2 Queen Beds;
Hotel to TUC .4 mile walking.
FREE Hot Breakfast
Self parking $18/night (with in and out) in USqure Garage.
Bus parking discounted to $60/day in a third party lot.
Reservation Cut-off: Nov 25 or while supply last.
Hotel Contact:
Anna Plogman, (513) 281-2200

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ethics Bowl?

Ethics Bowl is a debate style competition but is very different from debate. Its founder, Bob Ladenson, views it as scoring a conversation and teaching people how to engage in dialogue. It is a competitive yet collaborative event in which students discuss timely real-life ethical issues. Students are not assigned opposing views; rather, they defend whichever position they think is correct, provide each other with constructive criticism, and win by demonstrating that they have thought rigorously and systematically about the cases and engaged respectfully and supportively with all participants.

What is Association for Practical and Professional Ethics Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl^®

Also known as the APPE IEB^®, itis a unique, collaborative experience for undergraduate students that provides valuable educational experience in practical and professional ethics.
Teams spend hours analyzing and preparing for regional and national competitions to see who has thought most deeply and presented their arguments most clearly on cases based on today’s most pressing issues. Students develop ethical understanding of complex, ambiguous, and difficult to resolve issues, as well as key virtues associated with democratic deliberation.

Who participates in Ohio River Valley Regional?

This regional was created to serve colleges/universities located in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Teams from these states are given first priority to register.

How many students make up a team?

Teams need a minimum of three students and a maximum of seven. Only three to five can compete in any one round, with no substitutions during the round.

How many students can be seated during a round?

Five.

Are there official rules and regulations governing the competition?

Yes. They are administered by the NHSEB. Since there were no changes with the rules for the 2024-2025 season, the 2023-2024 Rules Manual are applicable. We also have rules specific to our regional that include:
Registering Teams
Each school can register up to two teams for the Greater Cincinnati Regional High School Ethics Bowl. Schools may also conditionally register a third team. There are 38 spots available for the 2025 competition. If all spots are not filled by the first or second teams from schools, the remaining spots will be offered to third teams. If more third teams are registered than available spots, a lottery will decide which third teams get in. Third teams will be notified about their entry status by January 6, 2025.
Small Teams
The Greater Cincinnati Regional High School Ethics Bowl has experienced significant growth, and as a result, it’s possible there may not be enough competition slots for all interested schools. If this occurs, schools with two small teams (e.g., teams of three) may be asked to combine into a single team, at the discretion of the Cincinnati Ethics Center, to accommodate more participants.
Advancing to Sunday
After Saturday’s qualifiers, the top eight schools will advance to Sunday’s finals rounds. Only one team per school can move on to Sunday. If multiple teams from the same school make the top eight, the higher-scoring team will advance. The second team will be removed, and the next highest-ranked team will move into the top eight. Teams cannot change competitors between Saturday and Sunday; the lineup for Sunday must match the team that qualified on Saturday.
Name Tags
Students must wear name tags during each round. The round will not start until all students have their name tags on.

When will the case set be released?

APPE will release the 2025-2026 Regional Case Set on Wednesday, September 3

How many cases will Ohio River Valley Region use?

Due to the five (5) rounds structure of our event, we will only use 12 of the cases released. The exact cases being utilized will be announced on or before, Wednesday, September 10.

When will team registration open?

Per APPE, regional registration opens each year on the Wednesday after Labor Day.

What is the registration fee for the Ohio River Valley Regional?

All schools must pay a $150 APPE Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl® program participation fee to APPE to participate in the regional competitions. In addition the registration fee for the ORVR is $175 per team, which includes continental breakfast and lunch buffet for up to ten (10) team members. Teams with more than 10 people (coaches and students combined) will pay an additional $15 per each additional person. This fee will be paid via the APPE registration system. Orders for additional meal vouchers must be submitted by Friday, November 28.

How many teams can a school or organization register?

The initial registration period lasts for three (3) weeks. During this period, each school may register up to two teams. After the three-week initial registration period ends, additional teams may be invited to register, subject to space availability and in accordance with the regional waitlist rules.

Is there an inclement weather policy

The safety of all participants is our top priority. Because this is a winter event drawing teams from multiple states—some of which may experience hazardous travel conditions—our Inclement Weather Policy is designed to provide advance notice and a clear plan of action.
1. Advance Weather Determination:
If weather forecasts as of the end of business on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, indicate severe or hazardous conditions that could significantly impact travel for 50% or more of participating teams, the competition will be moved to a fully virtual format. This determination will be made by the event organizers based on national and regional forecasts, not just weather in Cincinnati.
To assist in making this decision, we ask that all team coaches keep the CEC informed of weather conditions and travel advisories in their area. Timely communication will help ensure an accurate assessment of regional accessibility.
An official announcement will be made no later than midday Thursday, December 4, to allow schools adequate time to cancel transportation and adjust plans.
2. No Hybrid Option:
The event will proceed as either fully in-person or fully virtual. There will be no hybrid option to ensure competitive fairness and consistency for all teams. We will follow APPE IEB guidelines for virtual events.
3. Day-of Conditions in Cincinnati:
If the competition proceeds in person and teams have already arrived in Cincinnati, the event will be held as scheduled on Saturday, December 6. In the event of a day-of emergency—such as extreme weather, campus closure, or a public safety threat—we will follow the directives of the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Public Safety.
The Department of Public Safety understands the significance of this academic event and will work closely with us to maintain operations whenever possible. The decision to cancel or delay the event on December 6 will only occur under circumstances where safety mandates it.
4. Communication Protocol:
All weather-related decisions and updates will be sent via email and posted on the official event webpage. Teams should monitor both closely beginning Wednesday, December 3. For questions, please contact Venus Kent at ohioriverregional@cincyethics.org.

2025 Participating Schools

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Dr. Andy Cullison

To learn more about the Ohio River Valley Regional contact:

Venus Kent
Program Manager of Events
venus.kent@uc.edu
(513) 556-7443

APPE IEB® Ohio River Valley Regional