Frequently Asked Questions
Conference/Model UN Basics
Q: What is WMIDMUN?
A: WMIDMUN is the William & Mary Middle School Model United Nations conference. It is held annually (traditionally in February) and is run by the International Relations Club at William & Mary (IRC @ WM).
Q: What is Model United Nations?
A: Model United Nations is an activity in which students, referred to as “delegates,” participate in simulations of various committees, including UN bodies, cabinets, and boards of directors. Delegates are assigned positions - country representatives or national leaders - to represent in their committees. Delegates will work together to pass either resolutions or directives to address issues outlined in a background guide. This is done through both moderated and unmoderated debate throughout the conference.
Q: What is the dress code for the weekend?
A: Delegates should wear Western Business Attire. Female-presenting delegates should wear a suit, dress, or skirt that is at least knee-length, a professional-looking top that may be paired with a blazer, and flats, reasonable high heels, or other dress shoes. Male-presenting delegates should wear a suit that includes a coat and tie, and loafers or other dress shoes.
Q: Who can attend WMIDMUN?
A: WMIDMUN delegates are middle school-aged students who attend with adult sponsors.
Registration
Q: When does registration open?
A: October 15, 2023
Q: When does registration close?
A: December 15, 2023
Finance
Q: Can I pay with a credit card or bank transfer?
A: No. The only acceptable forms of payment are cash or check (personal checks are ok). We operate out of a limited small business checking account and are therefore limited in our payment options.
Q: To whom should I make the check payable, and where should I send it?
A: Make checks payable to International Relations Club at William & Mary.
DO NOT make checks out to W&M MUN, William & Mary, or WMIDMUN. Our address is:
WMIDMUN XXII
International Relations Club at William & Mary
P.O. Box 3032
Williamsburg, VA 23187
Q: We need to fill out tax forms for our school. How does that work?
A: WMIDMUN is not responsible for filling out any paperwork. We are not affiliated with the college or its finances, and WMIDMUN does not have its own tax code. Our club policy states that we cannot fill out any paperwork for you or your school division. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Q: How do reimbursements work?
A: If you overpay and need a reimbursement, you will receive that reimbursement in the form of a check when you arrive at the conference. We will not mail you a reimbursement check unless you have special circumstances and end up not attending the conference.
Q: How much are late fees?
A: Late fees are $5 PER DELEGATE, and will be owed for any delegate added after the registration deadline.
Please refer to our Financial Terms and Conditions for more information.
Committee Logistics
Q: How are committee positions assigned?
A: The Secretariat assigns countries based on several factors including size of delegation, number of years a delegation has attended, record of past performance, and past country assignments. We always take your preferences into account when making these decisions and try to give you at least one of your preferences while completing this process. We also try to give preference to smaller delegations, since we understand that there is a tendency for these schools to get left behind in the assignment process. The secretariat assigns positions almost immediately after registration ends, which is why it is so important for our delegate records to be correct at that time.
Q: Why does the number of positions we have been given not match up with the number of delegates we registered?
A: When we allocate country positions, we give out all the positions that go with a country to the same school. For example, while you may only have a delegation of eight students, we may not have a country that has less than twelve positions total in each of the committees. This is not an invitation to add more delegates, nor is it an oversight on the part of the Secretariat. We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience that this may bring about within your delegation.
Q: How should we assign positions to our students?
A: Position assignment is largely up to you! HOWEVER, if you have been given an SA (or crisis) position, YOU MUST FILL THAT POSITION. If you have been given more positions than you can fill, you can choose to put a single student in a double delegate committee (most GAs) or leave one or more committee without delegates. For example, if you have 8 delegates and four GA positions (double delegate committees) and two SA positions (single delegate committees) you would start by filling the two SAs. Your remaining six students can either double up in three of the GAs and leave one GA empty or put one delegate in two of the GAs and double up students for the other two GAs. Please pay attention to the level of difficulty when assigning (or letting your students choose) their committee placement.
Starting a Team
Q: What type of students would want to participate in Model UN?
A: Many different students enjoy and benefit from participating in Model United Nations. Any student who is interested in international issues, creative problem solving, diplomatic debate, or meeting new people has a lot to gain from attending WMIDMUN.
Q: How many students can be on a team?
A: Since delegates are placed in committees with students from many other schools at a conference, there is no minimum or maximum number of students in a delegation.
Q: How can my team prepare for WMIDMUN?
A: There are many different drills and activities that can be used to practice and build some of the important skills that are also used in a MUN conference. Once the positions and background guides are released, students should carefully read the background guide and write a position paper. The position paper, which outlines the stance of the country or person that the delegate will be representing during the conference, can help the delegate to define their stance and develop some of their ideas. They should carefully research the topics in general, the country or person’s history with the topics, and solutions to the topics that are in agreement with the position outlined in the position paper. More information about MUN in general and conference prep is available on our Resources page.
Q: What should I focus on while preparing my delegation?
A: At William & Mary, we like to emphasize teamwork and diplomacy. We want this to be a learning experience for the delegates, so we hope that they will take advantage of the opportunity to become familiar with a new issue, gain a new perspective, and also have fun and make new friends.
Q: I don’t know what half of the words on this website mean. Help?
A: This is by no means a comprehensive list, but this is a brief glossary from the United Nations Association of the United States of America. For more detailed explanations, email our Director of Conference Development, Will Stubner, at confdev@wmidmun.org with any further questions about starting a MUN team.
Q: How much of a time commitment would this be?
A: That’s largely up to you as a sponsor. Some schools go to several conferences throughout the school year; others just work towards one. WMIDMUN is in March, so a first-time MUN club could easily prepare to attend WMIDMUN as their first conference. If you’re involved in other seasonal activities (e.g. coaching a sport), you can tailor your Model UN season to fit your availability. How often your team meets is also fairly flexible.