!!!DRAFT WORKING DOCUMENT OF DFC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE!!!
Duties of Local Hosts and officers for DFC meetings
- Secure the meeting site. This is probably best done at least 1 year in advance, and should be in the form of a written arrangement with the facility.
- Meeting room size for normal meetings should accomodate a minimum of 200 persons plus head table, speakers podium and projector and screen.
- A poster exhibit area should be provided, preferably near the meeting room. Recent meetings have had 8-10 posters.
- Secure housing for participants (preferably at the meeting site). If housing is at other than the meeting site, transportation must be provided between meeting site and housing.
- A site is needed for the banquet, preferably in the meeting facility. Number of participants may have to be fixed at less than total attendance, but if at all possible, an attempt should be made to plan for all attendees to participate in the banquet. Near complete attendance can be expected if the meeting site offers little other activities, but, especially in large cities, meeting participants may opt for alternate activities and banquet attendance may be low.
- Hotels often give complimentary rooms. The number of such rooms is typically a function of number of rooms taken by meeting participants. Please alert the Executive Secretary of these arrangements, since these rooms can generally be given to those who have been awarded travel grants, thus enabling the Council to give additional travel grants. If the hotel arrangements are contingent on a minimum number of rooms, be careful in negotiating this, and be sure to advertise in the call for papers that parti cipants should be sure to register as DFC meeting participants so credit is given.
- Secure meeting materials
- DFC (Phil Pister) will provide laser pointer and timer, but microphone and projector, backup projector, spare bulbs, carousels, overhead projector and video equipment (if requested by authors) must be provided by facility or local host.
- poster mounting/display boards and fasteners (tape, staples, etc.).
- coffee and munchies – since there are no coffee breaks, these are best provided continually during the sessions in an a convenient area (best outside of the meeting room). A diversity of foods and drink is generally appreciated.
- Secure meeting staff.
- Registration desk
- In advance of on-site registration, local hosts should prepare “registration packets” that include all event tickets, general meeting site information, name tags (provided for all pre-registrants by Membership Committee), and any materials provide d by the Program Committee.
- The Membership Committee will provide a list of all those who have pre-registered, and what they have paid. Desk staff will need only to “check in” pre-registered persons and give them their “registration packets”.
- Desk staff should be prepared to provide additional tags to walk-in registrants.
- Registration desk staff will be responsible for collecting all additional payments from those who are not pre-registered or pre-registered persons wishing to purchase additional items not paid for when they pre-registered (e.g. banquet tickets, etc.).
- Detailed accounting of all transactions should be assured, and registration desk staff should be prepared to provide receipts for payment.
- The Membership Committee will also provide a list of members and their dues status, along with membership applications and renewal forms and envelopes.
- Registration desk staff should also be prepared to provide letters or certificates (“constancias”) certifying participation in the meeting. Samples are available on request.
- Projectionists will be needed for all sessions.
- Registration desk
- Set meeting calendar (note Program Committee determines schedule of technical papers).
- Traditionally, DFC meetings are held two weeks prior to Thanksgiving, but any November dates prior to Thanksgiving weekend are acceptable. Dates should be fixed at least 1 year (preferably 2) prior to meeting.
- Registration afternoon evening of day 1 (arrival day – usually a Wednesday) and continuing throughout most of meeting.
- “Ice-breaker” social – generally evening of day 1.
- Introductory and Plenary Sessions – start at 0800 day 2 (Thursday).
- Technical Sessions (day 2, 3, 4 = Thurs, Fri, Sat., generally 0800 – 1700 with 2 hr. lunch break – details set by Program Committee with prior input from local host regarding possible constraints on times of social events, etc.).
- Optional second organized social event, evening of day 2 (Thurs).
- Business meeting (generally about 1530 or 1600 PM on day 3 = Friday).
- Banquet or barbecue generally evening of day 3 = Friday).
- Field trip (day 5 = Sunday).
- Set ticket prices and number of tickets available for special events and communicate this to the Program Committee. Plan the budget carefully. Executive Committee should be consulted regarding anticipated registration, which is often hard to predict. Build a spreadsheet which allows you to forecast financial outcome based on different numbers and categories (number preregistered vs. walk-ins) of registered participants. Set your registration fees and event ticket costs to assure that you will recover all costs under even the minimum anticipated attendance. DFC meetings should pay for themselves. The Council’s general funds are not used to support meetings. All meeting-related costs should be paid from income from registration and ticket sales. At the 2001 meeting of the Executive Committee, it was decided that local committee chairs should budget to pay the travel and housing and per diem costs for the Executive Secretary from funds generated by the meeting. It is also customary for local hosts to provide free registration, banquet tickets, etc. to those who help significantly with meeting planning and implementation, but be sure to account for these in your budget forecast as well. Don’t forget, for example, that you can let student help come to the banquet for free, but the caterer will charge you for what they eat. Alcohol at social events is a common problem. If you offer free drinks, be sure that those serving are fully aware of how much the budget will allow to be served and that they cut off service at that point or start charging individuals for what they serve them.
- Inform Program Committee of details of meeting calendar, ticket prices, and all other pertinent details. Program Committee needs details no later than Februrary in the year of the meeting so they may be included in Call for Papers. Include all contact information for hotels, room rates, ticket prices for special events, etc. (see previous Calls for Papers). As much information as possible should be provided to the Program Committee as much before this final deadline as p ossible for early advertising of the meeting. Many organizations that publicize meetings request all basic information > 1 year in advance.
- Hold the meeting.
- Reconcile financial accounting with Executive Secretary (if possible, this is best done at the meeting).
- Drink beer (more), party (again), and relax (finally)!
