Conference planning guidelines

by Read Gilgen (IALL)

Preamble

Thanks to Pam Griffin-Castro, Ed Dente, Jan Marston, Charlotte Wharton, Fawn Whitaker, Pete Smith, Bruce Parkhurst, Kathleen Ford, who prepared materials for the FLEAT session on conference planning and/or who made suggestions for these guidelines. However, if you have suggestions, corrections, or questions, please contact me ([e-mail]).

My intent in posting the guidelines at the IALL web site is to give regional conference planners something more than "Good Luck" as they prepare to host a conference. I've also included some issues that arise only at the larger conferences. Most of you will never have to plan a conference the size of IALL. But you could! I've left the comments mixed together so you can use what you need and to appreciate what you don't have to use.

Finally, I've also prepared a Conference Planning Table that summarizes these guidelines and gives you a check sheet to use as you plan your conference.

Congratulations!

So, you've volunteered (or had your arm twisted) to host a conference. Congratulations! There will be lots of hard work, but the experience can be very rewarding. The following are some guidelines, based on the experiences of others who have planned such conferences. Some names are listed at the end, in case you'd like to contact them for additional information.

General

The amount of planning, committee work, advance deadlines, etc., in part depends on the size conference you are planning.

For example, to host one the size of the IALL meeting, you should start before the conference preceding yours. Get involved with the conference hosts and attend the conference, and you'll come away with lots of useful experience.

Regional conferences still require lots of planning and hard work, but because attendance is rarely more than about 50-70 people, these are easier to pull off.

Permission

Depending on the size of the conference, you may be required to have university permission before hosting a conference. Even if not required, it's important to talk with college or university officials before committing to host a conference.

In some cases, you may want to seek permission from your immediate supervisor (e.g., the dean) and at the same time seek support (for example, allowing you to dedicate some of your time to organizing and hosting the conference, and agreeing to offer a welcoming speech).

Finally, you should contact the office on your campus that does conference planning. You may not need their services, but you should know what they can offer. Often they can give you advice and insights that are invaluable.

Set a Date

The general time of the conference should be suggested by the organization you are hosting (e.g., your regional group). Then look at your campus schedule to determine what dates would be best. Submit a couple of possibilities to your organization for approval.

Consider the size and scope of your conference. Small groups can be hosted nearly any time. But larger groups will require housing, transportation, and food services that might conflict with other campus events. Summers and between semesters/quarters are often better than when school is in session. Avoid football and parent weekends if possible. Check for other major events that might conflict.