Re: Paying to present

[John Denker <jsd@AV8N.COM>]

Hi Folks --

There are many types of conferences.  There is a multi-
dimensional continuum with many shades of gray.

*) At one extreme, we have conferences characterized by
   -- small number of participants
   -- attendance by invitation only
   -- everybody presents, everybody participates in the discussions
   -- discussions are off-the-record
   -- everybody pays

A well-known example (by no means the only example) is the Gordon
Research Conferences.

*) At another extreme, we have
   -- large scale.
   -- speakers are invited but attendence is open to all.
   -- distinguished speakers address a huge audience.
   -- there is little if any opportunity for an audience member
      to discuss things with the speaker (because of numbers if
      nothing else).
   -- proceedings are published.
   -- speakers receive travel, lodging, etc. plus honorarium.

*) Sometimes the conference will charge students and other
paupers less than cost, and pass the costs on to other registrants.

*) I've seen just about every imaginable variation.  So don't
make assumptions.

==> ==> ==>  The conference should tell everybody (speakers and
others) what rules they're playing by.

==> ==> ==>  If the conference hasn't told you, you should ask.

Bottom line:  It should be impossible twice over for anybody
to be surprised at the registration desk.

===================================
Quoting Michael Edmiston <edmiston@BLUFFTON.EDU>:

> Some of the questions I have are...
>
> (1) Are conference planners making any attempts to keep costs down?

Yes.

> (2) Could registration fees be graduated according to the size or type
> of the participant's employer?

That doesn't work very well.  First of all, at the conferences I
tend to attend, the registration fees are swamped by transportation
and lodging anyway.  Secondly, the registration fees cover a lot
of very real costs, and the money has to come from *somewhere*.
Everybody is pleading poverty these days.

> (3) Should there be more regional or state meetings held in smaller
> cities where it is assumed the participants will drive, and could the
> registration fees be held in check a little better than the national
> meetings?

That depends on what the conference is trying to accomplish.
Oftentimes the people you want to attend are distributed nationally
or internationally.  Which is why many conferences rotate:  it
means the transportation costs are more-evenly distributed on
average.

Quoting Monsieur et Madame Vieuxbouc <martweiss@EARTHLINK.NET>:

> Who ever said the meetings
> of these organizations have to be held in the downtown convention centers
> or the Hyatt or such which charge an arm and a leg to rent a *ball-room*
> and serve rubbery chicken and cheap merlot from an open bar?

I don't recall any Gordon Research Conferences being held under
such conditions.

Also note that the *lecture* hall is typically provided to the
conference gratis, as a way of attracting conferences and thereby
selling rooms.  You could argue that the hotel covers the cost of
the conference facilities by marking up the room-rates ... but
those who wish to economize can stay at the cheap motel down the
block.

At a good many conferences, the rubber-chicken banquet is a
separate line item.  If some people find it overpriced, they
don't have to sign up for it ... and conversely some people
happily buy an extra ticket and bring their spouse.

>  Let's shake things
> up...  have the next meeting of the Northeast Chapter of the American
> Society of Natural Philosophers (or any such group) here in beautiful
> Cherry Hill at our town hall senior center.

Such things occur reasonably often.  Call up the NEC-ASNP and
make the suggestion.

But make sure you can deliver the facilities you promise.  You
may find that arranging all the necessary details is rather
labor-intensive.  So you will need a budget and/or a goodly number
of worker bees.  And you might want to partner with somebody who's
done it before, since there are a lot of ways to make mistakes.