Conference Planning

AcknowledgmentsThese materials have been adapted from or provided

by the following individuals or organizations:

David ArendaleElaini BinghamAnne FergusonCarlette Hardin

Joan Eisenstodt and AssociatesInternational Reading Association

Jean Opliger

February 1996

Table of Contents

Section One: Overview of the Conference Planning ProcessConference Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1National NADE Conference Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Section Two: Hosting the National NADE ConferenceProcedures to Follow in Submitting a Bid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Bid Application Packet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10

Section Three: Organizing for a ConferenceNational Conference Planning Time line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12Selection of the Host City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Selection of the Host Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Negotiating the Hotel/Meeting Location Contract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13Risk Management Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14

Section Four: Organizing the Conference CommitteesOn-Site Conference Chair(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-17Program Chair(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-18

Section Five: Overall Conference IssuesConference Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-20Promotion and Publicity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Public Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21Conference Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Section Six: Conference Program-Related IssuesPresentation Meeting Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23Exhibit Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-25Companion Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-26Food and Beverage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-29

Section Seven: Attendee-Related IssuesAttendee Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-32Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Hospitality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33-34Services for Those with Special Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34-35VIP Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35-36Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-37

Section Eight: AppendicesA. Helpful Resources on Conference Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38B. Sample National NADE Conference Hotel Contract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39-47C. Final Conference Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48-49D. Sample National NADE Conference Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50-51

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Section One: Overview of the Conference Planning Process

Conference Essentials: What Conference Attendees Want

IntroductionConference management is an exciting opportunity forpersonal and professional growth. The hundreds ofdetails that are done in order to make a conferencesuccessful for the attendees are often unseen byothers.

Following are a summary of comments made byNADE conference attendees over the past severalyears. Consider them as you plan your conference.

Conferees want:� Advance knowledge of program offering and the

social activities.� Comfortable, convenient housing near or at the

conference site.� To be welcomed as individuals.� A quick, efficient registration process that is

handled by positive, helpful personnel.� A diversified conference that includes innovative

programs, current educational materials,techniques and theory, and opportunities fordiscussion of current legislative and socialdevelopments.

� Program offerings that are oriented to variousgroups: administrators, counselors, tutors,classroom teachers, and parents.

� Practical and specific ideas.� Opportunities to speak with other conferees,

speakers, and VIPs.� Roundtable sessions where there is an emphasis

on the group discussion. Veteran conferencegoers often want opportunities to talk andnetwork with others.

� Offer plenty of sessions each hour.� Offer strands of sessions throughout the

conference (e.g, math, study skills, counseling)� Have committee and SPIN meetings at different

times throughout the conference so that peoplecan attend more than one of them.

� Have comfortable furniture located throughoutthe facility to provide conversation locations.

� A daily newsletter provided to all conferenceparticipants provides updated information.

� Provide opportunities for use of technology byconference participants.

� Have a large Exhibit Hall with many vendors.

Conferees do not want:� Crowded meeting rooms.� Long registration lines in the hotel and at the

conference itself.� Expensive meals, poor meals, or poor service.� Lack of parking facilities.� Speakers who do not show up, run overtime or

change topics.� Insufficient program offerings in all areas and at

all times.� Programs allowing no time for breaks.

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National NADE Conference Sites

1977 Chicago, IL1978 Chicago, IL1979 Chicago, IL1980 St. Louis, MO1981 Dayton, OH1982 Charleston, SC1983 Little Rock, AR1984 Philadelphia, PA1985 St. Louis, MO1986 Chicago, IL1987 New Orleans, LA1988 Orlando, FL1989 Cincinnati, OH1990 Boston, MA1991 Nashville, TN1992 San Antonio, TX1993 Washington, D.C.1994 Kansas City, MO1995 Chicago, IL1996 (February 28-March 3) Little Rock, AR1997 (February 26-March 1) Denver, CO1998 (March 4-8) Atlanta, GA1999 To be Selected2000 To be Selected2001 To be Selected2002 To be Selected

Site Selection Chairs for Future Conferences1999 Dr. Ada Belton2000 Dr. Gene Beckett2001 David Arendale2002 Dr. Don Garnett

As NADE continues to expand, its membershipthroughout the country is increasing. In fact, through theefforts of the International Access Committee, theassociation is attracting professional from othercountries. The organization recognizes the importance ofhosting its annual conference in various sections of thecountry; therefore, NADE encourages chapters fromopposite areas of the country to bid for the conferenceson alternate years.

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Section Two: Hosting the National NADE Conference

Benefits of Hosting the NationalConference

1. Develop new chapter leaders through involvementin conference planning and management activities.

2. Personal and professional development forindividuals.

3. Build a national network of personal andprofessional friendships.

4. Highlight developmental education activities forthe host institutions to others outside theinstitution as well as institutional leaders.

5. Recruit new members for the chapter fromconference attendees and those who read theconference publicity materials.

6. Provide a service to the developmental educationprofession and to NADE.

Procedures to Follow in Submittinga Bid

1. The NADE chapter (or coalition of chapters)meets and decides if they want to submit a bid tohost a national conference. Issues to considerinclude:a. The number of people and level of commitmentof chapter leaders and volunteers for theconference planning and on-site management.b. Possible dates that hotels in the proposed citycan accommodate between 1,300 and 1,700attendees. In the recent past the nationalconference has attracted up to 750 rooms (bothsingle and multi-person) on the peak nights.c. The number of concurrent session rooms thatwill be needed each hour. In the recent past anaverage of 22 rooms have been needed.d. Proposed large group meal functions and

specialevents scheduled during the day or evening.

2. The chapter completes the Conference BidApplication and the Hotel Interview Form andsubmits them to the NADE Site Selection Chair(NADE Immediate Past President).

3. The NADE Site Selection Chair reviews thesubmitted material and makes requests foradditional information as necessary.

4. For bids that meet the minimum standards forhosting a national conference, the chapter will beinvited to make a presentation to the NADEExecutive Board at the annual nationalconference.

5. The NADE Executive Board considers thepresentations from all chapters that make a bid. The Board will make a final decision concerningthe host chapter and city before the end of thatnational conference.

6. After the host chapter and city is selected by theNADE Executive Board, the NADE ConferenceContract Negotiator will then become involvedwith this process. The Negotiator will work withthe host chapter to select several hotels from thehost city with which to negotiate a contract. TheNADE Conference Site Chair’s (NADEImmediate Past President) responsibilities arenow finished.

7. The NADE Executive Board will hold theirSpring board in the host city immediatelyfollowing the national conference at which thechapter and city were selected to host the nationalconference. While in the host city, the ExecutiveBoard will conduct site visits at the hotels selectedby the Negotiator and the chapter conferenceplanning team.

8. The NADE Executive Board will considerrecommendations made by the Negotiator and thechapter conference planning team as well asinformation gathered through the Board’s sitevisits of the prospective hotels. The Board willthen meet to make a final decision of which hotelto serve as the conference site.

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9. The Negotiator, in consultation with theExecutive Board and the chapter conferenceplanning team, will negotiate the best contractpossible with the proposed conference site hotel.

10. The NADE President will sign the conferencehotel contract.

Items to Include in the NADEConference Bid Application

1. Name of group submitting a bid.

2. Contact person(s), addresses, telephone numbers,E-mail addresses.

3. Proposed city and state for conference.

4. Proposed year to host the conference.

5. Proposed hotels and convention centers. Provideinformation regarding the possible host hotels and-- if used for meeting rooms -- convention centers. Complete the brief hotel interview form for eachhotel that the potential host groups wants to haveconsidered. The conference site should be able toaccommodate between 1,300 to 1,700 conferenceattendees. In the recent past approximately 750sleeping rooms (singles and doubles) have beenneeded for the peak nights.

6. Transportation-related information. Identify theairports and major airlines available at theproposed conference site. Do most airlinesrequire Saturday night stay over to receivediscounted rates? Estimate number of conferenceattendees who would drive to the conference site.

7. Conference experience of host group. Identifyindividuals within the chapter who haveexperience with local, regional or nationalconferences. What levels of responsibility didthese individuals have with the conferences.

8. Chapter/institutional support. Provide letters ofsupport from the NADE affiliated chapter(s),institutions which will provide staffing support,and other groups who may provide assistance.

9. Tourist attractions. Provide information ontourist attractions that would make the host cityappealing to those from across the U.S. Contactthe state department of tourism or the host city’schamber of commerce to obtain brochures,videotapes which could be used to promote thesite.

10. Additional factors. What additional factorsshould be considered which are special andunique?

11. The conference application materials should beforwarded to the Immediate Past-President of NADE. This person serves as the Site Coordinator for all bidapplications submitted. The Site Coordinator may askfor additional materials to be submitted forconsideration by the Executive Board.

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NADE Conference Bid Application Form

Name of Group Submitting Conference Bid Application:

Contact Person(s), Addresses, Telephone Numbers, E-mail Addresses:

Proposed City and State for Conference:

Proposed Year and Date(s) for the Conference:

Recommended Hotels and/or Convention Centers. [Complete a Conference Hotel Interview Form for each one. Limit to the top three or four hotels that can accommodate the estimated conference attendance.]

Transportation-Related Information. [Major air carriers, estimated drive-in traffic.]

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Conference Experience of Host NADE Chapter and Volunteers.

Describe the Level of Chapter and Institutional Support. [Include letters of support from NADE chapter(s),institutions that will provide support staff, and other groups who may provide assistance.]

Tourist Attractions. [What attractions are there at the conference hotel, within walking distance from the hotel,in the host city, and nearby driving distance.]

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Additional Factors To Consider When Evaluating This Conference Bid Application.

NADE Conference Hotel Interview Form

Hotel Name and Location:

Contact Person, Title and Telephone:

Number and type of sleeping rooms:

Number of meeting rooms, seating capacities, floor location(s), methods to reach rooms on different floors:

Fees, if any, associated with meeting rooms:

Fees, if any, associated with room set-ups, chairs, water, etc:

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Observations about the hotel registration desk (e.g., number of check in stations, layout of area)

Comments concerning potential Exhibit Hall [e.g., hold at least 50 10'x10' booths, space for continentalbreakfast functions, space for conference attendee sitting area]

Possible locations for conference registration area and additional office room

Comments concerning ballroom (e.g., seating size for banquets and plenary sessions)

Recreational facilities and costs, if any, for using them:

What other groups that may be using facility at same time as NADE conference?

What other groups that may be meeting in adjoining meeting rooms at same time as NADE conference?

What other large local events occurring at same time as NADE conference?

Any union contracts up at same time as NADE conference?

Any major renovations planned between now and time of NADE conference? Guarantee on completion time?

Ratio of servers to tables when meals are served for lunch or dinner? [No more than 1 to 20, or 1 for two tables]

Comments regarding the cleanliness and orderliness of the “back of house” tour

Availability and fees associated with audio-visual and sound equipment:

Accommodations in sleeping rooms and meeting rooms for those with a disability. Number of ADA sleepingrooms.

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Room rates:

Rates at present timeSingle room:Double room:Triple room:Quad room:Suites

Rates at time of the conferenceSingle room:Double room:Triple room:Quad room:Suite:

Present condition of rooms:

How long room block is held before release?

Food Service:Number of eating areas in hotel with total seating capacity for each venue

Range of costs for breakfast:

Range of costs for lunch:

Range of costs for supper:

Restrictions, if any, on food/drink for hospitality sessions:

Hotel’s provisions for general security:

Availability of nearby restaurants for use by conference attendees, especially during lunch hour:

Hotel’s policy on over booking:

Hotel space for conference registration area:

Hotel provide shuttle or limo to airport and its cost, if any:

Average cost of taxi ride one-way from airport to hotel:

Hotel parking facilities:

Hotel vendor or exhibitor space:

Other special features of the hotel for the conference guests:

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Relationship of hotel with city convention bureau:

City convention bureau services available to the conference staff:

Availability of hotel for proposed dates of conference:

Hotel willing to provide complimentary sleeping rooms for an Executive Board Meeting or site visit byConference Site Chair:

Hotel policy on sleeping room comp policy [e.g., one comp room for each 50 booked]:

Other factors that encourage consideration of this hotel:

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Section Three: Organizing for a Conference

Suggested National ConferencePlanning Time line

Keeping pace with the conference planning time line iscritical. Once behind, it is difficult to catch up,especially during the final, tumultuous six monthsbefore the conference. Following is a short outline:

48 to 60 months before the conference:C The chapter makes a decision to bid for the

national conference. The next six months is spentpreparing materials needed to submit to theNADE Conference Site Chair.

42 months before the conference:C The chapter sends the conference bid packet to the

NADE Conference Site Chair.C The NADE Conference Site Chair evaluates the

packets and recommends to the NADE ExecutiveBoard chapter bids that meet the minimumstandards.

C These chapters are invited to make a presentationto the Executive Board at the annual nationalconference.

36 months before the conference:C The finalist chapters make a presentation to the

NADE Executive Board concerning the host cityand potential hotels.

C The Executive Board selects the chapter and hostcity.

C The chapter begins to recruit people forconference committee assignments.

C Publicity and promotion committees work toidentify recommendations for the conferencetheme, logo, etc.

C Conference committee members for the next 36months take notes concerning ideas fromconferences that they attend (e.g., NADE chapter,NADE national, other organizations) that can beused with their national NADE conference. Conference committee members shadow and serveas volunteers in upcoming NADE conferences tosee how to staff and run various activities.

33 months before the conference:

C The NADE Executive Board locates their Springboard meeting in the host city that had just beenselected at the previous conference.

C The Executive Board conducts a site visit of thepotential hotels with the NADE ContractNegotiator and others.

C In consultation with others, the Executive Boardselects the most desirable hotel for contractnegotiations.

18 to 24 months before the conference:C Select plenary speakers.C Develop conference promotion materials.C Consider extra-curricular activities that can be

offered in conjunction with the conference.

18 months before the conference:C Receive NADE Executive Board approval of

conference theme, logo, speakers, preliminarybudget.

C Request initial conference seed money fromNADE.

16 months before the conference:C Create and print applications and forms (e.g.,

conference volunteer, Call to Exhibit, Call forPresentation Proposals, Call for Pre/PostConference Institutes).

C Create and print promotion materials (e.g.,conference promotion flyer, promotion items)

14 months before the conference:C Send applications and forms to the next national

NADE conference to be stuffed into attendeeregistration packets.

C Send Call to Pre/Post Conference Institutes totargeted group of potential presenters.

C Work with print publications to placeadvertisements to promote conference beginning 6to 11 months before the conference.

C Begin meeting at least once a month with theconference steering committee.

12 months before the conference:C Job shadow and serve as volunteers at preceding

year’s national conference to gain experience andideas to implement.

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C Staff a conference promotion booth in the exhibithall. Provide promotion literature about theconference and the city. Recruit conferencevolunteers.

C Disseminate conference flyer, conferencevolunteer forms and Call to Proposal applicationsat plenary meetings.

C Conference chairs make 10 to 15 minutepresentation at end of Saturday morning AwardsBreakfast meeting to promote the conference.

C Distribute Call to Exhibit applications to thecurrent year’s exhibitors.

11 months before the conference:C Mail the Call for Proposal and Call to Exhibit

applications.

6 months before the conference:C Begin meeting by telephone at least twice a month

with the conference steering committee.C Transfer information and money collected for

national NADE dues on a regular basis to theNADE Treasurer.

C Repay the seed money loaned by NADE withmoney collected from exhibitors or conferenceattendees.

During the conference:C Hang on and enjoy the ride of your life!C On the last day of the conference, transfer as

much money as possible to the NADE Treasurer.C Give a summary of the conference activities and

budget to the NADE Executive Board.

30 days after the conference:C Settle all bills with the hotel and other vendors.C Make refunds to conference attendees following

conference procedures.C Transfer all but a small amount of money to the

NADE Treasurer.C Complete the conference final report and submit

to the NADE Vice President so that it can bedisseminated to upcoming national conferenceplanning teams.

June 1 after the conference:C Settle all bills and close out bank accounts.C Transfer all remaining funds to the NADE

Treasurer.

Selection of the Host CitySite selection should precede all other phases ofconference planning. Scheduling a site at anyappropriate location facility and date may requireaction three to five years in advance of the conference.

Selection of the Host HotelThe following information items must be establishedbefore viewing potential hotels and meeting sites. This is essential information since it establishes yourneeds before viewing the properties. 1. Duration of the conference and hours the facility

will be needed (include set up and break down);2. Alternate dates for the conference;3. Approximate number of conferees expected each

day;4. Arrival and departure times of conferees,

presenters, exhibitors, conference coordinators,executive board members, and conferencecommittee members;

5. Number and size of meal function roomsrequired;

6. Number and size of meeting rooms and theconvenience of these rooms to one another(include registration, exhibit, and other displayareas);

7. Complimentary rooms, hospitality suites, parking,special areas required, decorating, and securityfor exhibits;

8. Number and length of scheduled conferencecommittee meetings prior to, during, andfollowing the conference, should these meetingsrequire space at the conference site;

9. Special services required: audio-visual equipment,storage of shipped materials, and movement ofmaterials and audio-visual equipment from areato area;

10. Type and number of overnight accommodationsfor conferees, presenters, and the conferenceexecutive committee.

Negotiating the Hotel/MeetingLocation ContractDuring the meetings with site/facility personnel, thefollowing questions must be considered and negotiatedto mutual agreement. The negotiation process must beone where both sides compromise to some extent andyet feel that the final product is one that both sides canfeel good about.

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Please see the sample NADE contract located in theAppendices section of this manual. It provides atemplate that has been successfully used in recentyears with hotel negotiations. The items listed in thesample contract are in line with generally acceptedpractices in the hotel and convention business. Following are general comments about contracts foruse at either the chapter or national level.1. What is the nature of the contract? How binding

is the contract and on whom? What happens ifthe Association or the facility cancels? Get it inwriting. Hotel and conference center employeesoften change jobs or locations, which means theAssociation’s written contract or agreement iscritical.

2. Is an advance deposit required to confirmconference space and overnight accommodations? Some facilities require a 30 percent deposit basedon total costs six months in advance of theconference. Other facilities may require anorganization to establish its credit. Use theAssociation’s history of successful conferences toavoid an advance deposit.

3. Who makes reservations for overnightaccommodations? Overnight accommodationswill be made by the individual conferees directlywith the facility. Hotels can provide reservationcards for insertion in the preregistration packageto conferees, or a hotel registration form can beplaced in the preregistration flyer. Thereservation form should state the price and type ofroom, the number of people sharing a room, acut-off date for reservations, and the cancellationpolicy of the facility.

4. What is the cut-off date? Most facilities reserve ablock of rooms for a specific time frame. Afterthe cut-off date, the rooms are released to otherclients. Be sure that your conference attendeescan reserve rooms at the conference rate AFTERthe official cut-off date if the rooms are available.

5. How many complimentary sleeping rooms will beavailable, and on what basis? Onecomplimentary room to every fifty rooms sold toconferees is the usual ratio. However, somehotels will negotiate this.

6. What room setups, menus, and other services areavailable? Facilities provide brochuresidentifying the various room setups and menus. Room setups vary (e.g., classroom, theater, boardroom, and U-shaped styles). Plan on using onestyle per room as there may be both cost and timeinvolved in changing styles during the same day.

7. What audio-visual resources are available? Facilities often have audio-visual equipment orhave a contracted supplier. They may have apolicy dictating that you use their resources. Request a price listing for all equipment,including microphones, screens, and overheadprojectors. Keep the audio-visual setups the samein the same room each day as there may be bothcost and time involved in changing.

8. Is there a policy on posting signs? Some facilitiesprovide signs and post them on meeting roomdoors. Other facilities provide easels with theconference committee providing signs.

9. Names of contact people at hotels and conventionsites for conference space, room arrangements,audio-visual equipment, meal functions, andovernight reservation updates. The conferencechair deals directly with the hotel staff person incharge of each function.

Risk Management Issues

Before the city is selected and the hotel contract issigned, the following risk management issues shouldbe addressed. It makes no sense to select a hotel if itlacks basic items needed to ensure the safety andsecurity of the conference guests and the conferenceplanners make conference programming decisions thatmay be unwise.

Basic principles to consider when planning events andmaking programming decisions includes “the duty ofreasonable care.” Four elements of this care are:C Investigating all aspects of the event.C Informing and warning attendees of known

hazards.C Planning for the safety and well-being of

participants.C Not subjecting attendees to unreasonable risks

and harm.

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Checking the Meeting RoomsIt is critical that the meeting rooms are in fullcompliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The facility manager must disclose any problems. Apersonal site inspection of every room is warranted bythe conference staff.

Examples of items to consider:C Hearing amplification in telephonesC Tactile signage in hallways and elevatorsC No head-high obstructions in walking areas that

can not be detected with a cane.C Provision of interpreters and signers upon request

Checking the Sleeping RoomsIn addition to checking that there are an adequatenumber of A.D.A. compliant sleeping rooms availablefor conference attendees that request them, all roomsshould have the following items:C Deadbolt door lockC Chain door lockC Peep hole in the door that is located no higher

than 5 foot from the bottom to provide for easyviewing by most conference attendees

Dealing with Health EmergenciesMost major hotels and convention centers haveprocedures to cope with both emergency andnonemergency medical problems. The conferenceplanners must become aware of these procedures andhow to use them.

The conference needs to be able to provide a list ofdoctors and dentists who are available to help withordinary problems. Typical ambulance response timeand the location of the nearest hospital are importantitems to know.

Issues Related to Serving Alcohol at ConferenceEventsIn many states the law now holds the hotel, meetingsponsor, meeting planner, bartender liable for thedestructive actions of a person served too much liquorat a function.

It is usually best to have a hotel bartender who hasbeen trained in such issues to serve alcohol to guests,whether or not the persons are purchasing it. Trainedbartenders know the warning signs of when to refuse

to serve guests. Ensure that the hotel only providesbartenders who have undergone extensive training.

Serve high-protein foods, which help slow theabsorption of alcohol into the bloodstream. Avoidserving salty food which encourages drinking.

Make available attractive nonalcoholic beverages, andhave the serving staff offer them to attendees. Alwayshave coffee available at such events.

Finally, as a last comment, consider not providingalcohol in any fashion, cash bar or free, during theconference. While such a suggestion is somewhatextreme, the liability issues revolving around this areahas led many large organizations to simply eliminateall alcohol-related events.

Security Personnel at the ConferenceThere are several locations where security personnelwould be appropriate. At the national conference around-the-clock security presence is provided in theExhibit Hall from when exhibitors begin to set upuntil they move out. This security service is extendedthroughout the night even when the exhibit hall isclosed to the public. Another location is with theregistration table where large sums of money arecollected and then moved to a secure location.

Dealing with Crime Outside the Conference FacilityRemind conference attendees to take their name tagbadges off when they leave the conference property. It is an advertisement that they are tourists in anunfamiliar city.

Ask the hotel management about the safety of joggingpaths around the property. Most will inform theplanners whether the area is safe for early morning orlate evening running events.

Purchasing Appropriate Insurance PackagesWith the national conference, several insurancepackages are generally purchased:C Music license. This provides protection for music

played by the conference planning team duringplenary events or by exhibitors.

C Conference cancellation insurance. This providesfinancial protection in case the conference iscanceled due to unusual causes.

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Consider purchasing single-event liquor liabilityinsurance to protect the conference planners and theassociation.

Review Evacuation Plans of the FacilityReview with the hotel management the proceduresregarding fires and evacuation plans from the facility. Ensure that all exits are clearly marked andunobstructed. Be sure that other members of theconference planning team are familiar with theseprocedures in case of an emergency.

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Section Four: Organizing the Conference Committees

Introduction

Planning of conference details begins with committeeorganization. Successful conferences depend on theteam work and communication made possible bycommittees. Strong committee structure ensures aunified vision of the conference goals and policies andtrains future conference committee members andleaders.

The number, size, and responsibilities of committeeswill depend on the size of the conference. For thenational NADE conference there are at least twochairs: Program Chair and one or more On-SiteConference Chairs.

Sample Planning StructureFollowing is an example of how the duties associatedwith hosting the national conference might be dividedamong individuals on the conference planning team. While every conference chooses the best organizationmodel based on the individuals who wish to beinvolved, the following can serve as an initial planningmodel.

I. Program Conference Chair(s)A. Program

1. Proposal process2. Pre/post workshops3. Moderators/evaluation4. Audio-visual/media needs5. Major speakers6. Special sessions7. Concurrent sessions8. Scheduling program

B. Publicity/Media1. Printing2. Graphics3. Advertising4. Exhibitors5. Mailing coordination6. Audio recording of sessions7. Daily newsletter & electronic mail8. Promo items to promote conference

II. On-Site Conference Chair (s)A. Registration

1. Record keeping2. Packets, badges, print information, etc3. Area management, beautification4. Electronic/communication resources5. Work schedule for registration process6. Information table7. Signs and bulletin boards

B. Hospitality1. Food and beverage functions2. Media set-ups3. Hospitality for VIP’s4. Local transportation5. Entertainment6. Provisions for those with a disability7. Local highlights

C. Public Relations1. Donations, sponsorships, door prizes2. VIP relations3. Media relations4. Political relations5. Local media coverage6. Institutional dignitaries7. Local highlights

On-Site Conference Chair(s)

The On-Site Conference Chair(s) responsibilitiesinclude everything not covered by the Program Chair. These responsibility areas might include:C Gather recommendations from previous

conference evaluation survey forms.

C Call an organization meeting with all otherconference subcommittee chairs and coordinatorsto:a. Select a conference theme;b. Distribute and discuss committee charges;c. Explain conference budget procedures;d. Review conference policies;e. Establish a schedule of conference committeemeetings; andf. Develop a committee roster with names,addresses, phone numbers, E-mail addresses, andbest times to contact.

C Make sure that all those who have contributed tothe success of the conference receive appropriate

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recognition and thanks in conferencepublications, during the conference and followingthe conference.

C Make a final report to the NADE ExecutiveBoard, including a financial accounting. Makerecommendations for changes in procedures orpolicies. Balance and close conference bookswithin sixty days following the conference.

C Develop a report, with recommendations, to beused by the future conference chairpersons.

C Major subcommittee chairs that usually reportdirectly to the conference chair include:a. Local arrangementsb. Registrationc. Hospitalityd. Public Relations

Local Arrangements Subcommittee Chair

The local arrangements chair serves as the on-siteconference chair’s assistant, and thus must be awareof all the chair’s responsibilities. Because the localchair deals with conference site details, the chairusually lives in the community where the conferencewill be held. Responsibilities often include thefollowing:

C Coordinate the conference at the local level.

C Serve as liaison with hotel sales and cateringpersonnel, the convention bureau and thosecoordinators who need hotel and conventionbureau information.

C Assist conference committees.

C Coordinate the actions of local committeesdealing with overlapping activities (e.g.,hospitality, speaker registration, andtransportation).

Development of the Meeting ResumeThe Meeting Resume is a helpful document thatprovides an overview of the conference and the needsthat it has for the departments within the hotel and/orconvention center. This relatively short documentshould contain a summary of the followinginformation categories:

C Listing of group’s key contact persons (title,address, telephone, fax, arrival/departure time).

C Brief description of the group with a profile ofattendees and the purpose of the meeting.

C Review of the master conference accounts andwho has signature authority.

C Agenda of conference with the name of roomsused each hour.

C Audio-visual company selected to serve thegroup.

C Preliminary counts for banquets and catering.C Special requests that may come to the concierge

or bell stand from the attendees.C Mail and package procedures.C Security provisions for the conference (e.g.,

registration area, exhibit hall, other needs).C List of all conference suppliers and a contact

name and telephone for each.C Review room reservations and procedures.C Alert to the names of VIPs who will be in

attendance.C Other special issues to alert the hotel

management.

On-Site Management IssuesThere are a variety of tasks associated with the on-sitemanagement of the conference. These tasks can begrouped by the time period in which they should becompleted.

Two to four days before the conference begins:C Check arrival of shipments.C Set up the staff office.C Provide updates on counts and guarantees to

hotel or outside food providers.C Conduct last-minute training for registration

personnel.C Check on arrangements to be made for

conference VIPs.C Walk around the conference facility with the

Convention Service Manager to check on thecondition of meeting and sleeping rooms.

Activities During the Preconvention Meeting:C Include key conference planning team members

and all department heads from the hotel.C Meeting is run by the Convention Service

Manager and should last about an hour. Reservedetailed discussions involving only a few peopleafter this meeting.

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C Brief review of the purpose of meeting, agendaand description of attendees.

C Introduction of hotel staff and brief descriptionof their job functions.

C Review of meeting resume.C Updated room pick-up report. Remind of check-

in and check-out pattern.C Review of meeting room function sheets.C Review of master account procedures. Remind

who is authorized to sign for expenditures foreach account.

C Distribution of printed lists of contact names andextention/pager numbers.

C Hold detailed discussions with specificdepartments (e.g., food service) after this generalmeeting.

C Make available copies of the conference programbook to those who would like a copy. Be sure toleave several copies at the bell stand and thehotel help desk as they are often asked forinformation.

Activities During the Meeting:C Conduct daily review meeting with key hotel

staff.C Meet at the end of each day of the conference to

review expenditures for each of the conferenceaccounts for accuracy and adjustment.

C Check all meeting rooms 60 minutes prior to thefirst meeting to ensure proper setup.

C Check all food/beverage areas and banquet areas60 minutes prior to use for proper setup.

C Review that signage has been placed in publicareas and outside of meeting rooms.

C Pick up from the front desk the daily hotelprintout of guest rooms used by your group.

C Hold an early morning and late afternoonmeeting with conference staff members to reviewand correct issues.

C Confirm food and beverage guarantees for thenext day’s events with the Convention ServiceManager.

C Review with the front desk is there are anyproblems with “walking” guests to otherproperties and the steps being taken to returnthem to the hotel as soon as possible.

Activities After the Meeting:C Prepare thank-you notes for hotel staff and

suppliers and distribute individual gratuities.

C Conduct post-conference meeting with hotel,conference and association groups.

C Pack all appropriate materials and ship themfrom the hotel.

C Review final bill with accounting and payrequired payments on non-contested portion ofbill.

C Confirm guest room pickup for conference reportand use by next year’s conference planners asthey adjust the sleeping room block with theirhotel(s).

Program Chair

Because a dynamic, well-planned program “sells” anyconference, an effectively functioning program chairand program committee are crucial to the success ofthe conference. The program chair and the programcommittee depend upon input from all othercommittees, and every other committee depends uponthe program committee.

The program committee is responsible or designing aprogram that carries out the stated conference theme. The word of the program committee can be organizedinto three major areas:C Program developmentC Program design and printingC Program support

Program committee responsibilities:C Solicit and evaluate program proposals or

determine a system for selective invitations.C Invite individual speakers based on evaluation of

program proposals.C notify individuals with rejected proposals.C Invite monitors or session chairs.C Organize program elements.C Design strand and interest level matrix.C Schedule sessions, workshops, meetings, and

other events.C Assign rooms (work with hotel staff so that

popular speakers are assigned to largest rooms).C Prepare typed (word processed) rough draft of

presentations as they will appear in the program.C Prepare a day-by-day list of functions that

association officers and other VIPs are expectedto attend. Include arrival time, head table orreserved seating arrangements, duties, andnecessary tickets.

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C Send a thank you letter to each speaker, monitor,and chair.

Conference theme:A well chosen conference theme will help the programcommittee select prospective major speakers, guidethe development of effective publicity, and unifyconference activities.

Balancing conference activities:Conference goals and the needs of the anticipatedaudience determine the types of sessions and activities.

C Workshops provide in-depth examination of asingle topic but are usually limited in size andrequire an extended time.

C Major speaker sessions are designed to appeal tomost participants.

C Individual presentations offer currentinformation, in-classroom practices, researchprojects, and other issues.

C Meal functions, social activities, and exhibits areintegral parts of the total program and should notbe short-changed in an effort to squeeze in asmany sessions as possible.

Inviting major speakers:Major speakers will be needed for a keynotepresentation, meal functions, general sessions, andspecial workshops. They are usually the only personswho receive expense reimbursement and honoraria. Inestimating expenses consider the cost of meals andlodging, transportation, and the speaking fee. Publishers often will provide speakers affiliated withtheir organization at no cost to the conference.

C Initial contact can be made by a letter that shouldcontain clear information about financialarrangements. All financial arrangements mustbe confirmed with a contract.

C Only one person (the Conference Chair or theProgram Chair) should contact major presenters.

C Letters of confirmation should: indicate thenumber of speaking sessions per day; the numberof autographing sessions; amount of honorarium;a list of items the association will provide such

as meals, lodging, registration, andtransportation; list the items that the Associationwill not pay such as valet services, extendedvacation stays in the hotel, expenses of atraveling companion, first class transportation,personal care items, alcoholic beverages, andlong distance telephone calls.

C Choose major presenters for a specific date, time,and function. Some speakers are outstandingmeal function presenters; others prefer not tospeak after a meal. Major speakers will need toknow the time allotted for their presentations andwho will provide sufficient hand outs. Storytellers sometimes require additional spaceor simple props. Place outstanding speakers oneach day of the conference. Define otherresponsibilities of major speakers if needed, e.g.,an Association staff person, officer, or ExecutiveBoard member should welcome conferees at thefirst general session.

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Section Five: Overall Conference Issues

Conference Budget

Financial management of the conference variesdepending on:C The sponsoring organization’s structure;C The size and location of the conference;C The person designated with this responsibility.

This persons may be the local arrangementschair, the registration chair, the conferencetreasurer, or a person with only this specificresponsibility.

Responsibilities of the budget chair include:C Assisting in preparation of the conference

budgets.C Adhering to association policies in all conference

financial matters.C Keeping accurate records of deposits and

disbursements.C Obtaining and keeping all receipts for

disbursements and reimbursements.C Developing a system for approval of conference

disbursements and payment of bills andinforming conference chairs.

C Keeping committee chairs informed of theirbudget status.

C Paying all conference bills by check andallocating to budget line items.

C Closing the conference books.C Making a financial report to the conference

chair.

Major expenses:C Major resource people. Two to four major

speakers for meal functions, general sessions, orspecial workshops usually receive honoraria,traveling expenses, accommodations, and mealexpenses. These items are all negotiable.

C Facilities. In a hotel, meeting rooms, exhibithall, decorating, security, and audio-visualequipment charges are major expenditures. These are negotiable.

C Printing. Printing of the Call for Proposals, theconference promotion flyer, and the final Call toConference are usually handled by the ProgramChair. The Finance Subcommittee Chair should

get an estimate of these costs from the ProgramChair. Additional printing costs for invitations,meal function tickets, and other items are usuallyhandled by the Local Arrangements orHospitality Subcommittee Chair. Local schoolsystems or post secondary institutions mayprovide free or low cost printing.

C Postage. Costs will vary depending upon thenumber of the targeted market. The estimatedcosts of mailouts to members can be obtainedfrom the NADE Membership Chair. Bulk mailpermits should be used to save on postage costs. Check with local postmaster to identify steps totake in obtaining the permit.

C Meal Functions. Expenses include the actualcost of the meal (including tax and gratuity“++”) and may include the additional amount tocover costs of printing tickets and menus,flowers, table decorations, and meals of guest atthe head table. Refreshment breaks not paid forotherwise would be included in the budget.

C Audio-visual equipment rental. AV equipmentmay be donated by the local school system. Thecost of rental from local suppliers should beobtained and included in the budgets. Manyhotels require use of their AV equipment. Obtainprice list and include specific details in thewritten contract. Labor costs and the need forunion operators should be checked. Alternatives,such as the use of high school or collegestudents, should be explored.

C Reception(s). Include in the budget.

C Transportation. Shuttle service required in useof multiple facilities should be included in thebudget. Local school systems may provide buseson a rental basis.

C Taxes. An inquiry of the state/provincial taxdivision should be made to determine if anexemption from sales and local taxes can beobtained. This should be done for theorganization for permanent purposes, not fromyear-to-year for conferences.

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C Conference fee waivers. For the national NADEconference, the fee waivers are established by theExecutive Board. The NADE President-Elect isresponsible for preparing and sending the feewaivers to the appropriate persons. In the past,the following persons have received fee waivers:ten members of the national conference planningteam, Executive Board members, at least onemember of each chapter executive board,national NADE committee chairs (limit of twoper committee), and a few special guests [plenaryspeakers, presidents of national organizationswho have liaison agreements with NADE, andothers.]

C Comp sleeping rooms. It is important for theconference planners to develop their own criteriaon giving free lodging to key members of theirconference planning committee well before thetime for room requests.

Major Income SourcesC Registration. A registration fee, based on a

conservative estimate of the number of peoplewho will attend the conference and the cost of theconference, should be charged. Someorganizations depend on the conference tosupport annual operating costs. This should bereflected in the registration fee.

C Exhibits. Make a reasonable estimate of thenumber of booths that can be sold, based on pastyears. The charge per booth will vary on theregion and the number of conferees. The chargecovers the costs involved in rental of tables,drapery, space, and set-up plus a reasonableprofit for the organization.

C Gifts, donations, and fund-raising. Gifts shouldbe listed under the Income Budget. Fund-raisingprojects, such as the sale of bumper stickers,pins, books, etc., should be listed under income ifdone in conjunction with the conference and tosupport the conference.

Promotion and Publicity

Key Committee Activities:

C Graphics;C Advertising;C Design of brochures and registration forms;C Mailing coordinator;C Daily conferene newsletterC Electronic mail before the conference; andC Promotional items for distribution at preceding

national confernce and other chapter conferences.

Good publicity is vital if a conference is to besuccessful. Information about the conference shouldbe sent to as many relevant groups as possible.

Make it InterestingConference publicty must focus on those elements thatdetermine whethr someone is interested. Theconference theme is often not specific enough orcompelling enough to do it alone. Conferences can bepromoted by:C Empasizing major speakers and their topicsC Reputation of the organization sponsoring the

meeting;C The number of people and exhibitors likely to

attend;C Benefits that the conferees will derive from

attending the conference; andC Attractiveness of the conference location.

Quality and effectiveness of publicity are important! Conference publicity reflects the professionalism ofthe Association. It must catch the eye of the potentialconferee and stimulate positive response.

Public Relations

Key Committee ActivitiesC Gifts, donations, sponsorships and door prizes;C VIP relations;C Media relations;C Political relations;C Local media coverage (TV, cable, newspaper,

radio)C Conference planners’ institutional dignitaries;

andC Local highlights.

Gaining Publicity from the Local MediaThe local media may be interested in covering yourconference as an important news event. The key iscontacting the reporter in charge of education affairs.

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A meeting or telephone call six months in advance ofthe conference is needed in order to plant seeds ofinterest. The reporter will be interested in backgroundof the organization and any major speakers inattendance. With the state of education, manyreporters would be interested in the chapter andnational conferences.

The plenary speakers will probably provide theProgram Chair with a detailed vita. Ask the ProgramChair to see if the plenary speaker, or other notablenational speakers who will be speaking, if they wouldlike to speak with the press while they are in the hostcity. If they do, then you can create “media kits” forthe newspapers, radio and television stations in thehost city.

The media kit should include a one-page overview ofNADE, a short biographical sketch and black andwhite photo of the plenary speakers, and basicinformation about the conference. Use the conferencestationary since it will probably include the conferencelogo, meeting dates, and meeting theme. Each pageshould have a contact person for more informationwith their telephone number. These kits should beaddressed to a specific person and followed up with apersonal telephone call. The media reporters areextremely busy so it is best to send the kitapproximately two weeks before the conference. It isbest if the person in charge of media relations wouldcall the person a day ahead of time to alert them towatch for the media kit to arrive in the mail.

Gaining Public ProclamationsIt is a nice touch to have the local mayor and governorof the state have the week proclaimed as“Developmental Education Week” or somethingsimilar. In addition, these government leaders willsometimes sign proclamations regarding theconference and the importance of the issues discussedat the conference. Usually draft copies of theseproclamations are made by the group asking for theendorsement. These activities usually take severalmonths of preparation. However, they are done oftenso there is a procedure to follow in making therequest. Contact the policy maker’s office andsomeone will be able to explain the steps to take andmay even provide some sample to follow.

Conference Evaluation

The purpose of conference evaluation is to improvethe next conference. The data gathered must beemployed objectively in continuing good processesinto the next conference and eliminating or improvingproblem areas.

Construct a formal instrument for use by conferees toassess conference effectiveness. Include:C preregistrationC registrationC conference siteC meal functionsC hotel facilitiesC accommodationsC hospitalityC exhibitsC conference personnelC social eventsC program speakersC publictyC tours and visitations.

Compile results of all evaluations and present at thefinal conference meeting and have printed in theconference report.

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Section Six: Conference Program-Related Issues

Presentation Meeting Rooms

Concurrent Meeting Room RecommendationsRegarding Size and Number Needed Each HourWhile some of the following comments apply mostdirectly with the national conference, many also applywith smaller chapter conferences as well.

Because of the number of people attending NADE atthe present time (about 1,300 or so), 22 to 24breakout rooms are needed to provide enough spacefor concurrent sessions of 30 to 50 people. Forexample, if all 1,300 people wanted to go to aconcurrent session at the same time, and the desirewas to keep the session size to about 40 people each,it would take 32.5 concurrent sessions at the sametime. Luckily, not everyone goes to a concurrentsession each hour. Based on research from previousnational NADE conferences, only about 50 to 60percent of people go to concurrent sessions during anygiven hour. This is why offering 22 to 24 breakoutsessions is probably sufficient for the current size ofNADE national conferences.

It would be possible to offer less sessions but havelarger rooms. That is possible, but the impact uponthe learning environment should be considered. Sessions of 30 to 50 provide an opportunity foradequate (though limited) interactions andquestion/answer periods. It is more difficult withlarger groups.

Obviously some of the rooms will be larger thanothers. It seems that sessions in some academic areas(e.g., math) draw crowds of 75 or more for populartopics. Other strands draw less. Well recognizedexperts in developmental education draw largecrowds (e.g., Hunter Boylan, Barbara Bonham,follow-up session by plenary speaker). Thesespeakers may need rooms that had 100 or more chairs.

Room size also has an impact on the need for audioamplification. It is suggested that rooms with 60 ormore attendees ought to have a microphone. Anotherimpact of larger rooms is the need to inform thepresenter that additional handouts may be needed forthe audience. It is a decision for the conference

planning team whether the conference will provide theexpense for additional duplication if the number ofpeople in a session exceeds the number of handoutsthat the presenter was asked to bring. At recentconferences the concurrent presenters have been askedto bring a minimum of 50 copies.

If NADE conferences continue to grow, by the year2000 NADE might attract 1,500 to 1,700 to a nationalconference. There will be a need for either largerrooms or more than the 22 to 24 concurrent sessionsper hour.

Another factor enters this discussion. Money. Themore concurrent presentations that you allow, themore people come. A current trend for manypresentations is to have more than one speaker. Somehave panels of 5! This is because some people can notattend a conference unless they present. On average,every concurrent presentation has two or threespeakers.

In addition to considering how many presentations areoffered each hour, a decision must be made on howmany hours of concurrent sessions you will have. Inrecent years there has been ten sessions. Some yearsthere has been two plenary sessions and only nineconcurrent sessions.

During concurrent presentation sessions other groupsmeet as well: SPIN groups, national committees, etc. Space needs to be planned for these groups to meet aswell.

Issues Related to Room SchedulingA challenge with room scheduling is to be as efficientas possible regarding the use of audio-visualequipment as well as considering the comfort and easeof access for the attendees.

Conference attendees often like for presentations fromsimilar strands (e.g., study skills, mathematics,reading) to be located in the same or nearby rooms. This prevents the person who is solely interested inone strand from walking throughout the meeting areato attend the sessions of interest.

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A competing interest however is the need to beeconomical in terms of providing audio-visualequipment for the presenters. Sometimes the roomscheduling plan will have the audio-visual equipmentstay in the same room throughout the day and theappropriate sessions are then scheduled into the roomas needed. The reason for this is that most audio-visual companies cannot easily move the equipmentfrom room to room. Often the electrical cords aretaped to the floors and there is generally insufficienttime between sessions to move equipment about thefacility, especially a large one located on multiplefloors.

With the considerable expense for audio-visualequipment (in recent years it has exceeded $14,000!),the conference planners will have to balance the issuesof providing unlimited audio-visual equipment to anyroom at any time and the need to make it easy forconference attendees to locate rooms. A suggestion isto locate strand sessions in nearby suites of rooms togive flexibility for scheduling equipment and rooms.

Selecting the Type of Meeting Room Set-upBesides considering the size of the room or the numberof room, decisions need to be made regarding the typeof seating set-up in the room.

While many participants -- and presenters -- like the“school room” setup (participants set at narrow tablesfacing the front of the room), it also cuts the numberof people who can sit in the room by half. Because ofthe number of conference attendees, it is nearlyimpossible to have all rooms set in this fashion. Analternative is to schedule a few of the larger rooms inthis fashion to provide some variety of room setupsand also a place to put presenters to alert the programcommittee initially with their proposal that they needtables in order to have the participants engage inwork.

Often the pre and post-conference workshops shouldbe setup in this fashion since they will do work andalso provide a more comfortable setting for a threehour session.

Exhibit HallCommercial exhibits are an important and expectedpart of conferences. Exhibitors display their products

to professional educators responsibile for selectingand using the materials.

Exhibit coordinator responsibilities include:C Become familiar with the exhibit area twelve

months before the scheduled confernece.C Work with the finance chair and the confernece

chair to establish fees.C Issue letter of invitation containing all required

information.C Assign exhibit spaces, collect payments, and

acknowledge receipt of reservations and orchecks.

C Prepare a list of exhibitors and locations as wellas a list of those who deserve special recognitionfor providing complimentary materials.

C Assign booths on a “first-come, first-served”basis. Identify all tables before exhibitors beginto arrive. Be available to welcome exhibitorsand show them to their booth.

C Arrange and operate an exhibitor registrationarea during the conference.

C Secure evaluations from exhibitors for use by theevaluation committee.

C Arrange for security guards, especially ifexhibits are in hallways or unsecured rooms.

Exhibit Areas and FeesAreas designated for exhibits should be near freightelevators or exits that allow easy set-up anddismantling. Lighting, ventilation, and the availabilityof electric outlets must be considered. If aprofessional decorator is used, the cost is reflected inhigher fees charged to exhibitors. If a decorator is notused, the exhibit coordinator must secure tables andchairs from the hotel or from an outside rental source. Table coverings can be rented or provided by theindividual exhibitors.

Invitations to ExhibitorsInvitations to exhibit should be mailed to publishers atleast six to eight months before the conference andshould contain the following information:C Description of the conference including location,

dates, and projected attendance;C Floor plan of the exhibit area with booth location

marked;C Policies set by the conference site and the host

organization;C Exhibit times and set-up hours;C Housing information;

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C Invitation and application form that includes feesand payment information; and

C List of all possible ways exhibitors may chooseto be of additional services to the conference.

EntertainmentEstablishing ambiance and comfort is important foryour conference attendees. More than justentertaining them, it also places them at ease and helpsthem to be more comfortable and enjoy the conferenceexperience. Creating an enjoyable atmosphere canhelp people to be more attentive and receptive to theconcurrent and plenary speakers.

Entertainment can come in many forms. Some cost agreat deal of money, others do not. The entertainmentevents may be held at the hotel or at another locationin the host city. Part of the fun is taking advantage ofthe unique local entertainment locations andentertainers that each host city affords. The decisionon how much energy will be used in providingentertainment for the conference registrants may beimpacted by how many options are available withinwalking distance of the conference hotel. If there arefew options, the need for the conference to provideentertainment will be higher than those fortunatelocations that has many eating, shopping andentertainment options literally outside the hotel.

Following are some ideas of how to entertain yourconference attendees:C Provide soft instrumental music in the hotel

lobby, food receptions and other events wherepeople are gathered. Many hotels have pianosavailable for free use by conferences. Hirepianists from local music conservatories, collegesmusic programs or local commercial musicians. The hotel may have a list of local entertainers. Many people linger in the lobby areas as theycheck in, visit with others or wait to meet others. A classical music trio of a violinist, cellist andflutist can add real class to a formal reception. A jazz group with or without a vocalist is astrong trend with many conferences across theU.S. Understanding the background of theconference attendees as well as the type of eventwill make the selection of the entertainment eventmore clear. Be sure to preview entertainersahead of time to ensure that the quality meetsyour level of expectation.

C Promote the entertainment that the hotel alreadyprovides to its guests. Some hotels provide freeentertainment in lobby areas that have bars whenthere are high occupancy levels in the hotel. Many hotels have lounges that feature excellentlocal talent. Some may also have sufficientspace for dancing as well. This entertainment isoffered on a regular basis and can be promotedthrough the daily conference newsletter.

C Take special note of the sound system that willbe used by the entertainers. If the entertainer(s)will only be speaking, the hotel sound system willprobably be adequate. If singing or musicalinstruments will be used, consider asking theentertainer to provide their own system. Theymay require that you rent a commercial soundsystem. “House systems” are notorious for beingmediocre, at best. Be sure that the sound systemwill make your entertainers sound good and thatthe audience can clearly hear them.

C Check on union requirements of the entertainers. Some union entertainers will not play with non-union ones. Unions have stringent rulesgoverning minimum prices, overtime, and such. Be clear about the contract.

C Check on the special needs of the entertainers. Will they require rehearsal space and time? Most require at least one rehearsal at the site andthey prefer to use the performance site. Suchrehearsals can be disruptive to people inadjoining rooms as well as the need to book theroom for additional hours. Will the entertainersrequire dressing rooms, refreshments, food, andother amenities. Besides monetary payment,food and beverage are usually given toentertainers as part of their compensation. Willthey request permission to sell their music CDSor other merchandise? Accommodate as much aspossible.

C Consider using children and students asentertainment at the beginning of plenarysessions or during luncheons. The genuineexcitement and energy generated by the youngpeople can help to energize the beginning ofplenary sessions. A few years ago at a NADEconference the planners started the first plenarysession with a elementary school choir singing a

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trio of songs in Spanish and had a high schooljazz band play while people enjoyed lunch. Thisis a nice way to showcase the talent of localyoung people. The cost for such events may beas low as providing a meal for the youth and anice plaque for the music leader. In addition toproviding good entertainment, the musicprovided by the young people helps to drawconference attendees into the room to begin themeeting. Many conference delay beginning theirplenary sessions waiting till more people gather. Reward the people who show up on time bybeginning promptly with the music.

C Folk or square dancing is a big rage across thecountry. With a good caller, even novices canenjoy dancing within a few minutes. Budget atleast $200 for a caller who provides their ownmusic and sound system.

C If you allow music to be played or performed atany event at the conference [even by thecommercial exhibitors in the exhibit hall], besure music licenses have been purchased fromASCAP and BMI. They do not cost very muchand the risk of lawsuit is too great. Contact yourinstitution’s music department for moreinformation concerning this issue.

C Provide at least one planned evening event duringone of the evenings of the conference. Allow forpreregistration for the event with the generalconference registration materials. The eveningevent could be attending a dinner theater,sporting event, gambling junket, or adinner/shopping tour.

C “No host” entertainment. Conference plannerscan help attendees make their own plans byproviding plenty of information about localattractions. This information may be included inthe initial conference brochure, conferenceconfirmation packet or onsite at the conference. The “Hospitality Desk” is an important part ofthe services provided to conference attendees. Please see that suggestions for this area in thenext section of this manual.

C Commercial tours of the city. Rather than tryingto make all the arrangements for local tours toattractions, work with a commercial tourcompany. Contact the Convention Bureau

and/or the Chamber of Commerce for a completelisting of commercial tour companies. Requestthat each company submit a written proposal ofthe types and costs of tours. Rather than pickingand choosing, it is usually best to select onecompany to work with. In order to buildattendance at the events, advertise them in theinitial conference publicity materials. Provide aseparate tour registration form with theconference registration materials. Rather thancollecting the tour registrations and money, havethe arrangements be made directly between theconference attendees (and perhaps their travelingcompanions or family members) and the tourcompany. Generally tour companies willestablish a registration deadline before thebeginning of the conference in order to cancelevents with insufficient enrollment. Money canthen be refunded or credit card charges canceled. The availability of tours can help enhanceconference registration by promoting otherattractions that might draw the conferenceregistrant [and the possible traveling companionsor family members] to the host city.

Companion ProgrammingIt is important to remember that more conferenceattendees are bringing companions along onconference trips in order to combine business withvacation time. The word “companion” has beencarefully chosen since it more accurately representsthe person that may be accompanying the conferenceattendee to the conference. The companion may be amale or female, spouse or not, married, child orparent, traveling friend or more. It is estimated thatless than one-third of conference attendees have alltheir expense paid by their institution. Approximatelyanother third have part of their expenses reimbursedby their home institution. Recent surveys estimatethat as many as 70 percent of conference attendees arebringing a companion, child, or parent. Offeringactivities for companions and family members mayattract some individuals to the conference since theyare looking to leverage their limited vacation dollars. The following are ideas to consider:

C Be clear in the conference policies regarding theadmission of people to specific events. Clearlyidentifying certain events as for conferenceregistrants only makes it clear that companions

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and children cannot attend. Generally plenarysessions with keynote speakers are not goodevents for children to attend. Concurrent andplenary sessions are not good events for childrento attend while evening social receptions aremore appropriate.

C Find out what educational, recreational andshopping activities are offered at or near thehotel (e.g., health facilities, golf, tennis, livetheater, movie theaters, etc). Promote theseopportunities in the conference literature toattract the attendance of companions andchildren. Have brochures, maps andtransportation information available at theconference information desk for people whenthey arrive.

C Call the local chamber of commerce for ideas forcompanion activities.

C Consider planning some side tour activitiesduring the conference in addition to after theconference (e.g., museum tour, nearby shoppingtrip).

C Consider setting aside a hospitality roomthroughout the conference for companions togather and meet. Providing some refreshmentswould provide an informal atmosphere for peopleto meet and plan unofficial side trips foreducation, recreation or shopping.

C Decide whether companions and children will beinvited to attend some conference activities (e.g.,continental breakfasts, evening receptions). Ifcompanions of attendees are allowed to attend,decide if there will be a charge -- and the amountof the charge -- for non conference registrants toattend specific events. For example, willcompanions be allowed to purchase meal ticketsto attend luncheons?

C Check and see if there are child care facilitieslocated at the hotel or nearby. A satisfactoryratio of care-givers to children, according to theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, ranges fromone adult per two infants to one adult per 10preteens. See what items are available at thehotel that might be of interest to parents travelingwith children (e.g., cribs). If these are available,

mention that a list of providers is available. Butfor liability reasons, do not show preferences orratings of such services.

Food and BeverageThe food and beverage portion of the budget is theeasiest area to spend more money than is intended. The following are suggestions on how to have the bestrefreshments and meals for your conference attendeeswhile closely managing the conference funds.

Strategies to control food costs:C Order all food "on consumption" rather than

paying per person or specifying an exactquantity.

C For continental breakfasts, serve mini-Danishpastries or bagels instead of full-size portions.

C Do not serve salty food when alcohol is served. People will eat more and drink more.

C Do not serve dry snack food. People will eatmore and it will cost more than vegetable trays.

C When negotiating food and beverage costs,establish the menu and then stipulate that pricesmay rise no more than a certain percentage, if atall.

C Don't allow the vendor to put a food andbeverage minimum in the contract.

C If you are starting to run low on food and thereception is winding down, consider replenishingwith less expensive choices.

C Offer to piggyback your meal event with anothergroup that is having an event at the site on thesame night. The hotel may be able to buy in bulkand save everyone money.

C Ask the chef about buying locally producedfoods, fruits and vegetables that are in season.

C Replace a full breakfast with a continentalbreakfast, adding cereal and yogurt.

C Select the same menu for several simultaneousfunctions (e.g., committee meetings, boardmeetings, etc).

C When ordering liquor by the bottle, instruct waitstaff to deliver unused bottles to yourpresidential or hospitality suite.

C Use dinner cruises and dinner theaters thatcharge an all-inclusive price for meals andentertainment.

C Consider pasta bars, fajita bars and roast primeof beef with rolls. Generally these items have alower per-person costs than finger food.

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C Avoid shrimp. They are extremely expensiveand some people will eat ten or more per hour.

C When discussing food prices, be sure what theprice includes:a. actual food costb. food cost plus gratuity "+"c. food cost plus gratuity plus tax "++"

C What are the rules for estimating the actual foodcount? How late can meals be added? Howmany extra meals will the hotel prepare for afood event? What is the financial responsibilityof the conference?

C It is generally more inexpensive to plate yourfood than to have a buffet line. People generallyeat much more on a buffet line. In addition, ittakes much longer for a large group to gothrough a buffet line than be served.

Control of non-food items or activities:C Create one overall theme for the entire

conference, and use the same props and setpieces in different configurations throughout theprogram.

C Decorate tables with hurricane lamps, instead offlowers. Hotels usually have them on hand, anddon't charge extra for them.

C Consider using non-floral centerpieces, includingpine cones, candles, whole fruit, etc.

C If floral centerpieces are desired, work with alocal florist to provide them. While takingrecommendations from the catering manager,place the order directly since the manager maycharge you an additional fee.

C In place of hiring entertainers, use a preparedaudiovisual module.

C Rent props and backdrops from local theatergroups, high schools or colleges.

C Understand union regulations when hiringentertainers; use the minimum number ofmusicians at all times.

Control food server labor costs:C Buy self-serve hors d'oeuvres instead of paying

waiters to serve them butler-style. Whilepossible that people will eat less, you pay morein labor costs. Have food set up in chafingdishes at one or more locations. Attendees mustthen make a conscious effort to obtain it. Whenservers wander with trays, consumption will behigher.

C Check union regulations at hotels for openingnew tables. If there is a new table opened up, theratio of number of diners per server may go overthe union limit, resulting in extra charges foradditional wait staff.

Steps to influence food consumption by attendees:C Stagger the times when food is put out. This will

slow consumption. Have the servers check withyou before replenishing beyond your guarantee. Without your specific instructions, they maycontinue to replenish -- and drive up your costs.

C Guests will eat less during receptions if theirattention is diverted by entertainment.

C Instead of having refreshment breaks locatedthroughout the hotel, have it in one centralizedlocation. It helps to control labor costs andreduces unused food.

C Shorten your cocktail parties and receptions by15 minutes. No one will notice.

C Limit the number of tables and chairs in the foodreception area. People eat more when they sitdown.

Suggestions on estimating food consumption needs:C If a full breakfast buffet is being provided for

conferees, only provide the full buffet for 75percent of the people. The other 25 percent willbe happy with a continental breakfast whichcosts much less than the buffet line.

C When unsure of attendance, err on theconservation side. Hotels generally couldproduce extra appetizers upon request.

C A free liquor bar will average 2 to 2.5 drinks perperson per hour compared with 1.5 drinks for acash bar. Serving salty appetizers will increasethese averages.

C Catering managers generally advise onebartender for every 50 persons anticipated. The1-to-75 or even 1-to-100 ratio is sufficient whenthe attendees are not arriving all at once.

C Catering managers generally advise one serverfor each 15-20 people. One assistant supervisorfor each 100 people. Check the hotel for rules onstaffing.

C Consider the time of day of the food event.a. higher attendance if event is planned for thefirst night (higher enthusiasm)b. are other events scheduled the same time as

thereception

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c. are other meal events scheduled which mightencourage them to eat more lightly and then to

eatmore heavily at the other meal eventd. higher attendance if event occurs at 5 pmimmediately after an afternoon of activities than

ifthey must return around 7 pm. Chances are, theywill eat something before they come at 7 pm.

C Men eat more than women generally. Onaverage, men eat six to eight appetizers andwomen four appetizers per hour.

C Understand your group. Consider their historyof skipping meals that:a. are paid for but are unusedb. are free to registrants but do not request a

RSVP from themc. are free to registrants and the registrant made

apositive RSVP

Suggestions for estimating beverage needs for amorning/afternoon break:C Take total number of conferees and subtract 20

percent. This is the average nonparticipationrate. Break participants will comprise 80percent of all conferees.

C Estimate the type of beverages that confereesprefer to consume:

C For breaks that occur in the morning plan on 60percent to consume coffee. Two thirds of thisnumber will drink regular coffee and one third ofthis number will drink decaffeinated coffee. Planon 40 percent to consume soft drinks. One halfwill drink regular soft drinks and one half willdrink diet soft drinks

C For breaks that occur in the afternoon plan on 50percent to consume coffee (same percent oncoffee type) and plan on 50 percent to consumesoft drinks (same percent on soda type)

C Estimate the amount of beverage consumed.C There is approximately 20 cups of coffee per

gallonC Consider serving lemonade, ice tea and other

beverages from a pitcher rather than fromindividual containers like soft drinks

C Example for serving a conference with 1,000registered. Estimate that 800 will actuallyconsume beverage. 16 gallons of regular coffee,8 gallons of decaffeinated coffee, 160 cans ofregular soft drink and 160 cans of diet soft drink

C Estimate the number of serving stations. Onestation for every 300 to 400 attendees allows fora smooth flow

Control costs on beveragesC Specify to the catering manager whether

replenishment of coffee and soft drinks must beapproved by conference first

C Specify that soft drinks and pots of coffee arecharged "as consumed."

Strategies for more healthy food eventsC Instead of weighing down attendees with a heavy,

expensive dessert after lunch, arrange for thehotel to serve a light treat such as cookies orsherbet during a mid-afternoon break.

C Conduct a tasting of possible food options for allfood and beverage events.

C Have ice water available at all food events.C Have ice water available in all meeting rooms.C Suggestions from the American Dietetic

Association:a. Serve more complex carbohydrates, like

breads,pasta and potatoes and less meat. Treat meatmore as a garnish rather than the centerpiece of

the meal.b. Protein meals make people sleepy,carbohydrate foods make people feel full andsatisfied very quickly.c. Fruit should always be served with each meal.

C As a healthy alternative, offer non-alcoholicwine, beer, and mineral waters in place or asalternatives to hard liquor.

C Do not serve salty food if alcohol is available toconferees. It encourages increased alcoholconsumption.

C Check the instructions given to alcohol serversregarding serving of people who appear to beimpaired.

C Work with the chef to have attractive vegetarianmeals available.

C Ask the facility to avoid alcohol in thepreparation of foods. Most will probably burnoff but to a recovering alcoholic, the chances arerisky.

C Serve food that is high fiber and low in fat.C Instead of Danish and croissants, serve fruits,

low-fat cheeses and breads and yogurt in themorning, and in the afternoon, something similar

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-- or whole-grain crackers or half-sandwiches oflearn turkey or chicken.

C For breakfast, serve whole-wheat pancakes andwhole-grain toasts, along with fresh fruits.

C A healthy desserts:a. Top desserts with low-fat yogurt or fruit

saucesb. Banana split: fresh bananas and freshstrawberries, with a tablespoon of fresh whippedcream and a half teaspoonful of chopped nuts.

Strategies to save time during food eventsC Have dessert on the table instead of having wait

staff serve it. Make the desert as part of thecenter piece.

C Understand how long it takes for wait staff toserve and clear plates.a. Lunch requires 45-60 minutes to serve and forconferees to finish eating.b. Dinner requires 20 minutes PER COURSE.

C Check hotel rules for serving:a. How much time to serve each courseb. How much time (and when) to clear plates

C Stop serving food at least 15-30 minutes beforeyou want them to go to another event.

Strategies to make food events have more wide appealC Make all food events kosher. It satisfies dietary

needs for Jews and Muslims.C Avoid shellfish, a good to which many have

allergies.C Consider religious holidays and periods of time --

Lent and Passover, for example -- when specialfoods are eaten and others avoided.

C On a registration form and in correspondence,ask about special needs, including dietary ones.

C Provide for alternatives to alcohol, coffee and teasince some religious groups can not consumesince they are stimulants. Make available juicesand milk.

Other food-related issuesC Instead of having food functions where everyone

just sits around, try to place a facilitator at eachmeal table. Their job is to pose a problem tothose sitting at the table and come up with aplausible solution. The purpose of this activity isto keep people thinking about conference-relatedtopics and it gives everyone a voice. As the mealis nearing a close, go around the room and eachtable can report out it's question and findings.

This event works better during lunch thanbreakfast.

C Check policy of the hotel regarding the donationof uneaten food to charitable organizations. Becareful of liability issues.

C Purchase liquor liability insurance for yourconference.

C All food stations be available and fully staffed 15minutes before the start of a reception.

C What is the ratio of servers to guests? What arethe union rules?

C Spell out in advance EXACTLY what food willbe served at food events.

Suggestions for beverage/food at eventsC Healthy breakfast: Bagels; Yogurt with fruit;

Cereal; Fruit; Juice; Breads; Muffins (wholebran, blueberry)

C Breaks: Snapple's flavored iced teas or fruitdrinks; Caffeine-free espresso; Cappuccino;Herbal teas; Soft drinks; Coffee (regular anddecaffeinated); Mineral water (Clearly Canadian,Evian, Perrier)

C Lunch: Key lime pie; Fruit sherbets

Additional food questionsC How late can meals be added?C How many extra meals will the hotel prepare for

a food event?C How is the number of meals to be charged for

calculated? Count meal tickets collected?C Save time by: have salads already on the table;

have dessert already on the table; allow people toimmediately eat when they enter the hall; havewait staff serve hot dish to table when nearlyeveryone is finished with salad.

C How long it takes wait staff to serve and clearplates.

C How much time to serve each phase of lunchC How much time to serve breakfastC Time and rules for clearing platesC What can be done for the meal functions

considering that this is occurring during Lent?C Special meals: that we know in advance; that are

announced when the wait staff is told at the tableC Allowance made to provide juice or milk for

those who do not want coffee, tea, or otherserved beverages.

C What kinds of attractive vegetarian meals areavailable for: breakfast, lunch

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Section Seven: Attendee-Related Issues

Attendee Registration

The First Point of ContactThe first thing a conferee deals with at a conference isregistration. Registration committees must enrollconferees quickly, efficiently, and in a positivemanner, and solve problems without slowing theregistration process.

Committee ResponsibilitiesC Develop the preregistration form to be printed in

the conference brochure. Check with allappropriate coordinators for necessaryinformation.

C Arrange for securing name badges and packets.C Set up appropriate preregistration record keeping

system and periodically inform appropriatecoordinators (meal functions, school visits, etc.)On preregistration numbers.

C Visit conference site and plan allocation ofregistration space.

C Insert appropriate materials into packets.C Secure and schedule workers for the registration

and preregistration tables.C Arrange for securing money collected from on-

site registrants.C Provide final accounting of finances for the

finance chair.

Preregistration PromotionEarly conference registration can be encouraged byoffering:C Special preregistration rates;C Discounted group conference registration fee;C Special room rates; andC Convenient conference packet pick-up.

Distribution of the Preregistration BookletC Mail four to six months prior to conference;C Send or give to non-NADE members

(administrators, reading coordinators, and otherscan assist);

C Provide all needed information including thebenefits of preregistration, cut-off dates, andrefund policy in duplicate, so that the confereewill have the information after mailing the form.

Format of the Registration BookletC Organization name;C Conference theme;C Date(s) of conference, with beginning and ending

times;C Location of conference, with map, if necessary;C Detailed fee list with options;C Name of organization to which checks should be

made payable;C Cost and registration information for meal

functions;C Information on sessions requiring special

registration;C Information on tours;C Address to send preregistration form;C Cut-off date for preregistration;C Refund policy;C Membership information (the difference between

member and non-member rates should be largeenough to encourage most conferees to join yourstate/provincial organization); and

C Hotel accommodations information.C Careful review of the registration packet by

others outside the conference planning team. Mistakes that are made, especially in regards tothe registration form, are difficult to recoverfrom. Considerable time should be spent inreviewing the document for errors and neededchanges.

C Compare the conference brochure with thosefrom other organizations. Some groups havebooklets that are from 20 to 30 pages with agreat deal of information. Consider the bestfeatures of other booklets (e.g., NASPA,NACADA, NODA, CRLA, FYE) andincorporate them with the NADE Call toConference booklet.

Other Information for MailingThe Chamber of Commerce of the conference cityConvention Bureau may provide tourist informationand a list of events prior to and after the conferencefor those spending a few extra days in the conferencecity. With the need of many educators to bundlepersonal vacations with school travel, theseindividuals may be traveling with families and

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companions who will consider tourist options whendeciding on conferences that they will attend.

Contents of Registration Confirmation Packet AfterAn Individual Registers for the ConferenceC Send a receipt to preregistered conferees

confirming type of registration, amount paid anddate.

C Indicate when and where conference packets canbe picked up on site.

C Provide a letter of welcome from the conferenceplanners to help set a mood for the conference.

Give transportation information (e.g., recommendedair carrier, car rental agencies, transportationinstructions and options from the airport to hotel,detailed driving instructions to the hotel, hotel parkinginformation)Provide information on shipping materials to the hotel.

Reports and RecordsThe registration chair must report to appropriatecoordinators on the financial status and number ofregistrants for meal functions, tours, visitations, andspecial registration events. As registrants arereceived, forms should be kept in a logical order(alphabetical, numerical) so they may be used on-siteto resolve registration questions.

Registration Area LayoutThe registration area should have:C Enough space to allow uncongested registration

lines;C Separate station for quick pick-up of

preregistration packets [separate the pick up ofpreregistered and onsite registrations];

C Space to complete registration forms in theregistration area;

C A problem desk, out of the general registrationtraffic area, is provided for registrants who haveproblems to have time to fully explain the issuewith a conference staff member will then seek toimmediately resolve the matter;

C Enough stations to handle anticipated peaktraffic; and

C Clear signs indicating registration process.C Security issues are considered regarding money

management. Money should be periodicallytransferred to a secured safety deposit box at thehotel. Visit with hotel staff concerning the needto station a security person to provide protection.

Conference PacketsSize is determined by registration chair andcommittee, which is also responsible for assemblingcontents and “stuffing” packets in advance. Considerincluding some or all of the following in the generalregistration packet: C Conference program bookC Special announcements or newsletter with

updates to printed information in the conferenceprogram and special events

C Complimentary items such as pencils, key rings,bookmarks

C Maps of hotel, surrounding area and cityC Guide to the host city (e.g., entertainment,

restaurants, local sites)C Small writing pad

Consider placing the following items inside anenvelope with the registrant’s name typed on outside:C Meal ticketsC Name badge ribbonsC Photocopy of registration form and checkC Pre/post conference workshop admission ticketsC Instruction typed on envelope stating “Please

check to see that all workshop and meal ticketsfor which you paid are in the envelope. Missing,lost or stolen tickets can not be replaced.”

On a table beside the registration area should be boxesof different types of name badge holders. Attendeeslike a choice between pin, clip-on and around the neckcord holders.

Additional Materials for Some RegistrantsSome conference registrants need to be givenadditional materials or attention. In order to ease theprocess, place different colored dots on theregistration envelopes of the following individuals.C Conference presenters. Sometimes additional

packets or gifts are given to them.C Conference moderators. Generally an additional

packet of information is provided to them at thistime or a notice is given about the moderatormeeting.

C Attendees with incomplete fee payments. Thesepeople need to see a special person in theregistration area due to problems regarding feepayment (e.g., institutional check not arrived,need additional payment to cover additional mealevents).

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C Conference exhibitors. Generally theseindividuals have their registration materialsdirectly provided by the Exhibit Hallsubcommittee chair.

Speeding up Registration ProcessTo ensure a steady, uninterrupted flow in theregistration process:C Designate one person to answer the telephone in

the registration area;C Have persons assist with minor problems and

steer people with problems to the appropriatedesk;

C Have supplies accessible with a runner availableto replenish supplies;

C Have short, explicit signs large enough to be readacross the area;

C Have someone with authority available to makedecisions;

C Open registration a day early for VIPs, staffmembers, and early arrivals;

C Hold a staff meeting prior to registration toreview procedures. Anticipate questions thatmay arise and things that may go wrong.

Financial ProceduresEstablish procedures with the finance chair for thedeposit of cash and checks collected duringpreregistration and on-site. Either deposit it in a bankor put it in the hotel safe. Hotels often put a limit onthe liability that they will assume. Registration cashmight be paid to the hotel on the convention masteraccount. If large amounts of money are collected,hiring a security guard may be necessary. Theregistration committee must be issued sufficientchange to be used for cash transactions.

Housing

Fulfilling the Hotel Room BlockFilling the hotel room block is a critical issue for theconference planners. Meeting the critical numberalleviates the need to pay a portion of the cost ofmeeting rooms. Hotels give away their meeting roomspace in expectation that the appropriate number ofsleeping rooms are booked. This is why it isimportant to keep careful records on previousconferences. A historical record of previous roompickups gives the hotel and the conference planner a

guide to estimate the need. With the recent increasesin the attendance at the national conference, it hasbecome important to also project future needs sincethe contracts are made for conferences three years inthe future.

Types of Rooms NeededNot only is it important to estimate the number ofrooms needed, but also the type of rooms. In recenttimes, approximately half the rooms needed for thenational NADE conference have been singles with therest for two or more occupants. This requires at leastfifty percent of the rooms to have two beds with asupply of roll-a-way beds available.

Other ConsiderationsIt may be possible that the conference rate is higherthan the normal “government” or “education” rate. This is due to the need of the hotel to help earn moremoney since the conference is using most or all themeeting rooms. The reason the “government” rate islower is because most of these people only sleep at thehotel and then go do their business at another site. Inrecent years some NADE attendees have begun callingthe conference hotel, asking for the discounted rateand fail to inform the hotel that they are attending theconference. A way to close this loop hole is to ask thehotel to eliminate the special rates during the peaknights of your conference.

Push for a contract provision stipulating that if roomrates drop between the time the contract is signed andthe meeting begins, your attendees will be allowed topay the new, lower rate.

Under other sections of this handbook, suggestions aregiven about selecting hotels that can accommodatethose with a disability or need an accommodation. Check to see that conference attendees who request aroom with accommodations actually receive the room. If the room has been previously assigned to anotherwho does not need the accommodations, be sure thehotel switches the people into the appropriate rooms.

It is suggested that conferences do not attempt tomatch room mates for the purpose of saving expensesand stretching the ability of the room block toaccommodate the largest number of attendees. Whilea noble offer for the attendees, the conference assumes

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increased liability for any undesired results of suchsituations.

HospitalityThe hospitality area of the conference covers a varietyof issues: providing an inviting atmosphere forattendees as they become oriented to the hotel,providing information concerning side tours and localentertainment and eating venues, and other means tohelp make the conference attendee feel comfortableduring their stay.

Critical Committee Responsibility AreasC Food and beverage functions;C Media set-ups: keynote events, banquets,

receptions;C General hospitality for VIPs;C Local transportation;C Entertainment;C Americans with Disability Act provisions; andC Local Highlights.

Most of this section of the manual will deal with theInformation Booth. Other traditional hospitalityfunctions (e.g., banquets, VIPS services, attendeeswith disabilities) are addressed in other sections of thismanual.

The Information BoothIt is helpful to have an information booth separatefrom the conference registration area. Theinformation booth is a source of information notrelated to the “official” conference program. Oftentimes, the booth becomes the “lost and found” locationduring the conference. Because of its nature, it is mosthelpful for the Information Booth to be located nearthe registration desk and the hotel lobby.

Following is a list of suggested materials that shouldbe provided at the information desk for use by theconference staff members who are familiar with theconference city. Some of these materials may beprovided free by the hotel, chamber of commerce, andconvention bureau. A few key materials may alreadybe included in the conference registration bag (e.g.,visitor’s guide, local map surrounding the hotel withrestaurants, shops, and entertainment locations).

A sample of the types of materials that might beavailable at the information desk include:

C Maps of the city that can be given away.C Maps of the vicinity surrounding the conference

hotel that indicate eating, entertainment andshopping venues.

C Copies of menus from eating establishments inthe hotel as well as popular locations in the city.

C Visitor guide with information about the city,entertainment spots, and sights to see.

C White and Yellow Telephone Pages.C Daily copy of the city newspaper.C Daily/weekly copy of ethnic newspapers.C Entertainment calendars.C Transportation information (e.g., bus schedules,

trolley car schedules, cab information)C Coupons from local restaurants and shops.C Extra copies of the conference program book.

[Additional note: it is usually a good idea to alsobe sure that copies are available at the hotel frontdesk and with the doorman.]

C Information and registration form for NADE sidetours and entertainment options.

C Copies of all NADE conference newsletters andannouncements.

C Copies of every tourist brochure available for thecity and surrounding area. Only allow these fordisplay purposes.

Hospitality RoomIt is a nice feature to provide a Hospitality Room forsome time portion or throughout the conference. Theroom serves as a place for people to meet one another,relax, and enjoy some refreshments. Sometimes theserooms are made available at the beginning of theregistration process to provide a place for people torelax before they can check into their hotel rooms. Another function may be a place for people to gatherlater in the evening for conversation before groups goout or return from meals or entertainment events.

Management factors related to hospitality roomsinclude:C Determining what refreshments will be made

available in the room. Some hotels have strictrules about the sponsoring groups bringing theirown food and liquid refreshments into the room. Often the national conference contract requiresthat all food and beverage be catered by thehotel. Chapter conferences are often able tosecure permission from the hotel to allow thegroup to provide their own food and beverage. Obviously there is a budget impact with the food

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and beverage. Also, is liquor is served, theconference assumes greater liability forconference attendees who consume alcoholduring the event. The servers needs to beinstructed not to serve those who appear to beimpaired.

C Decide the hours that the hospitality room will bemade available. Only the evening before theconference begins? Only after all events for theconference are over for the day? The time thatthe hospitality room is open will have an impacton what refreshments will be served (if any).

C Decide whether the room will have a schedule ofworkers to staff the room. The staff may only beresponsible for restocking the food and beverage,may serve the beverage, or may also take theinitiative to visit with the attendees who drop by.

Services for Those with SpecialNeedsIt is unfortunate that it took the Americans withDisabilities Act (ADA) to bring a higher awareness ofthe needs of others. Over the past several years hotelsand convention facilities have been spending millionsof dollars to bring their properties into minimumcompliance with the ADA guidelines. Someproperties have gone beyond the minimum and havetried to make their properties even more friendly tothose with a disability. However, the issue of meetingthe special needs of conference attendees extendsbeyond changing the physical environment. With theincreasing diversity of America and the changingeating preferences of many, accommodations need tobe provided in regards to beverages and food.

Many of the accommodations cost little or nothing. Some preplanning and anticipation by the conferenceplanners can meet the preannounced and surpriserequests for accommodations.

Following are some suggestions to follow in order tomeet the unique needs of conference attendees withspecial needs:C Only select hotels and conference facilities that

are in complete compliance with ADAguidelines. Ask the property manage if they arein “full compliance with the ADA.” If they are

not, have them show you what is not incompliance. It is then you decision whether totake the risk in considering their property. Addan ADA compliance assurance in contracts. Seethe sample NADE contract for an example.

C Review the types of adaptive equipment androoms available for those with a disability. Compare this with what other hotels offer whenconducting site visits.

C Walk through the hotel and conduct your ownreview of possible barriers: Is at least oneentrance ramped or at ground level with nosteps? Are doors at least thirty-two inches wide? Are sloping ramps provided where there arestairs? Do the sidewalks near the site have curbcuts (ramps) at crossways? Are all elevatorsmarked in braille or with raised notations? Canmeeting and function rooms accommodatewheelchairs? Does the site permit guide dogs?

C Be sure that space is available in all plenary,eating and concurrent meeting rooms for those ina wheelchair. Allow sufficient floor space sothat wheelchair users can move to the front of theroom and not be restricted to sitting behind thelast row of chairs.

C Be sure that the hotel reserves an adequatenumber of ADA accessible rooms for theconference room block. The hotel should contactthe conference planners if they are unable toprovide an ADA accessible room to a conferenceattendee who has requested one.

C Place on conference registration forms a placefor the attendee to declare whether they have anyspecial needs that they want to inform theconference planners. Put a deadline date toinform the conference of a request foraccommodations. While their does not absolvethe conference planners from makingaccommodations on-site, many people who needthese accommodations will make their requests inadvance. Examples of possible requests: sightimpaired and needs a guide, hearing impairedand needs an interpreter, vegetarian and requiresan alternative to the meat dish, milk intolerantand requires an alternative to food with milkingredients.

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C If planning a national conference, hire at leastone interpreter to be present for the first day ofthe conference, even if no one informs you inadvance of the need. Most interpreters can behired one day at a time. It is common practice tobudget for at least one day’s cost of aninterpreter. Even though the law supports theconference planners by requiring at least 24hours notice of the need for an interpreter, it issuggested to hire one for the first day of theconference. The interpreter should stand down infront of the stage and be ready to sign theplenary session.

C If the conference is providing information aboutcommercial tours and side trips, it should bechecked to see whether the tour company canaccommodate those with a disability and have awheelchair.

C Regardless of the number of people who informyou that they need a non-meat meal, have thehotel prepare at least 5 percent of meals in thisfashion. Many hotels can now prepare manyattractive and tasty alternatives. Mostvegetarians appreciate some creativity whenpreparing the alternate meal. Steamed vegetableslacks appeal.

C Wait staff members should be authorized andprepared to offer other alternatives withbeverages and meals, even if the person did notannounce their needs ahead of time. While theunplanned accommodations may (or may not)add some cost, the cost of having angry attendeesventing their feeling on other people who heartheir comments at the dinner table will be higher.

C Some people cannot consume anything withcaffeine or other stimulants. These people oftenenjoy fruit juices or milk. A few people mayrequest a kosher prepared meal. See what thehotel can do to accommodate this request.

VIP ServicesEvery conference will attract both official andunofficial “Very Important People” (VIPs). TheseVIPs include:

C conference keynote speakersC conference chairsC current association officersC past presidents of the associationC prominent members of the profession (e.g.,

authors, researchers, speakers)C presidents of other professional associations

high-level academic leaders of the hostinstitutions

C college deans, vice presidents or presidents whoare conference registrations.

It is often helpful for the conference planningcommittee to identify one planner as responsible forVIP relations. VIPs like to know the name of theircontact person and deal with them directly.

VIPs often receive special services because of thecurrent role that they play with the conference or inrecognition of their service to the association andprofession. It is the responsibility of the conferencecommittee to decide which items are most appropriatefor each individual. Some of the items cost money,others do not. As a famous card maker says, “It is thethought that counts!”

Some of the special services which may be extended tothem follows:C Print their name and photograph in the

conference program book or conference dailynewsletter.

C Having a key staff member pick up and deliverthe VIP from the airport.

C Place the VIP in a room on the concierge floor. This will provide many nice amenities for theVIP: breakfast, snacks throughout the day, softdrinks, cocktails, daily newspaper, access tobusiness equipment such as fax machines,typewriters and such.

C Announce at a plenary general session of theattendance of the VIP(s). It is easier for theconference attendees to see the VIPs if they sit upfront. This can be accommodated by anotherseparate, but associated strategy, have the VIPssit on a row of reserved seats or tables in thefront. Unless they are speaking, most VIPsprefer not to sit at the elevated head table.

C Provide extended checkout times for the VIPs. This is especially helpful to allow them to changeclothes before departing.

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C Determine whether and for what amounts theVIP may charge expenses against their room(e.g., long distance telephone, meals from hotelrestaurants or room service, in-room food andliquor cabinet). Generally VIPs are responsiblefor all of the above expenses. Be clearconcerning these items with the VIP.

C Receive morning paper and other services thatmay be provided by the hotel for VIPs.

C Preregister the VIPs for both the hotel room aswell as the conference. Provide the VIP withtheir room key and conference registrationmaterials directly without requiring them to standin line.

C Stock the VIP’s room with welcome items (e.g.,flowers, candy, nuts, beverages, fruit, liquor[determine appropriateness], newspaper fromconference city, newspaper from VIP home town,small gift). Check room one hour before arrivalto be sure of placement of amenities and thatroom temperature is appropriate.

C Allow charging of clothes cleaning to the roomaccount.

C Bell staff provide assistance to VIPs withgratuities billed to conference account.

C Special tours or recreation provided to VIP ortraveling companions during free time. Determine whether cost of such activities will bepaid by conference account or the VIP.

C Dinner reservations made for hotel or outsiderestaurant.

In order to anticipate the needs of the VIPs, thefollowing information items are helpful:C Do they have any special dietary preferences?

Vegetarian? Kosher? Low-fat?C Do they have any physical needs that need

accommodation?C Will the VIPs entertain in the suite? How many

people?C Will the keynote speaker require any special

audio-visual equipment (e.g., wirelessmicrophone, overhead projector)?

C What are the airline, flight number, arrival, anddeparture times?

C Does the airline have its own VIP lounge that theguest can stay till they depart?

C Are the hosts/drivers knowledgeable about localgeography to orient the VIP to the city?

C Does the VIP know who is picking them up atthe airport?

C Have you personally inspected VIPs’ hotel roomsor suites?

Transportation

Air CarrierSelecting the “official” conference air carrier isimportant for several reasons. It provides anadditional revenue source for the conference since thecontract or memorandum of agreement signed betweenthe carrier and the conference will designate how freeairplane tickets are generated. The standard ratio isone free airplane ticket for every 40 tickets purchasedby conference attendees. The air carrier will provide aspecial “star file” code number that attendees shouldmention when they book their airplane ticket. Generally such arrangements are guaranteed by theairline to provide airplane tickets at 10 percent forunrestricted coach fares and 5 percent below thelowest coach rate. With the competition of other “no-frills” airlines, there may be air carrier options thatare less expensive for attendees. This is why is maybe more advantageous to the conference planners tonegotiate that two free tickets be granted, regardless ofthe number of actual tickets purchased through the“star file” code number of the highlighted air carrier.

It is suggested that a “request for proposals” be sentto all the major air carriers that serve the host city forthe conference. Then the conference staff canevaluate the offers and choose the carrier offering thebest deal.

The use of the comp air carrier tickets is something tobe negotiated with the Executive Board. In the recentpast, the free tickets have been given away as majordoor prizes at the conference. Sometimes they havebeen used to bring in the plenary speakers.

Car Rental CompanySimilar to the discussion above concerning thesuggested air carrier, a deal can be made with a localcar rental company. Information about the car rentalcompany can be included in the Call to Conferencebrochure in addition to the confirmation packet sent toattendees. In return for featuring the rental agency,the agreement can in addition to providing adiscounted rental rate for the conference attendees,can require that the company provide free use of twomini-vans or full-size cars for use by the conference

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staff to pick up VIPs, deliver goods or use for otherconference-related reasons.

Transportation from Airport to the HotelIt is important to provide clear information on whatoptions are available to travel to the hotel. Followingthe same procedure as mentioned above with the aircarriers and can rental companies, deals can benegotiated that provide a discount for conferenceattendees in use of ground transportation. Thisinformation needs to be printed in the Call toConference brochure. It is helpful to give estimatedprices for use of cabs, shuttles and other vehicles. Itis a nice feature to provide detailed drivinginstructions to get to the hotel from not only theairport, but from other directions to the city.

Transportation from the Hotel to the Conference SiteWith the increased use of convention centers byNADE, it will become more common for conferenceattendees to walk or ride public transportation fromtheir hotel to actual conference site. In addition, withthe increasing size of the NADE conference, there isincreasing use of overflow hotels to accommodate thehigher number of attendees.

This need to transport attendees may require the useof chartered buses to bring attendees from hotels thatare beyond walking distance. While this presents anadditional cost, the cost to the conference may behigher due to cancellations since the primary hotel isfull. Buses might be leased from local schools,colleges, or commercial businesses. Careful planningcan provide for continuous busing of participants toand from the hotel throughout the conference agenda. Bus needs would be heaviest at the beginning and endof each day with smaller vehicles perhaps serving theneeds during the morning and afternoon hours. Keyinformation needed includes the number of attendeesstaying at the hotels. Estimate that 50 percent of therooms will have two or more people in it. During thepeak early morning and later afternoon period,estimate that most people will travel during a sixtyminute time period. Assume that 70 percent in thehotel will travel during this sixty minute time period. Estimate how quickly the shuttle bus can travel fromthe farthermost hotel to the conference site. At thispoint, it should be possible to estimate the number ofshuttle buses needed to reasonably accommodate theneed.

Also it is important to anticipate the needs of thosewith a physical disability. The drivers must beprepared to handle heavy wheel chairs of conferenceattendees. It is important to have a line in theconference registration materials to alert theconference planners to the needs of those with adisability or need for a special accommodation.

Local Transportation in the CityIt is helpful if maps of the city are available at theconference Information Booth. Bus schedules, trolleybus information, and such is helpful information.

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Appendix A

Helpful Resources on Conference Management

In addition to the materials provided by NAD E, conference planners report that they found manyof the following resources to be very helpful in all aspects of conference planning. Some of theitems were free. Your contact at the NA DE convention hotel may also provide free planningmaterials or could make suggestions for other items that might be helpful.

Free Trade Journals for Meeting Planners. You are encouraged to write for free subscription. Remind them of the size of the NA DEconference and your position within the organization as a national conference manager. Previousconference planners report that they found the articles, checklists and suggestions to be veryhelpful. (Highly recomm ended)1. Convene M agazine. Professional Convention M anagem ent Association, 100 Vestavia OfficePark, Suite 220, Birmingham, AL 352162. M eeting New s. Gralla Publications, 1515 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, (212) 869-13003. M eetings and Conventions. Murdoch Magazines, P.O. Box 5870, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034, (201)902-20004. Successful Meetings. Bill Communications Inc., 633 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017,(212) 986-4800

Available from the Convention Liaison Council1575 Eye Street, NW, Suite 1190, Washington, DC 20005. (202) 626-2764.1. (1994). A working guide for successful conventions: The Convention Liaison Council m anual. W ashington, DC: Convention Liaison Council, 210 pages, softcover.2. (1994). The Convention Liaison Council Glossary. Washington, DC : Convention LiaisonCouncil, softcover.

Available from Jossey-Bass Publishers350 Sansome Street, San Francisco, CA 941041. Ilsley, Paul J. (Ed.). (1985, D ecember). Improving conference design and outcom es. NewDirections for Continuing Education, No. 28. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc.2. N adler, Leonard, and N adler, Zeace. (1987). The comprehensive guide to successfulconferences and meetings: Detailed instructions and step-by-step checklists. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc, 448 pages, hardcover. (Highly recomm ended)3. Sim erly, Robert G . (1990). Planning and m arketing conferences and workshops: T ips, tools,and techniques. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc.4. Sork, Thom as J. (Ed.). (1984, June). Designing and implementing effective workshops. NewDirections for Continuing Education, No. 22. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc.

Available from ITT SheratonP.O. Box 679, M attapoisett, MA 02739-06791. (1990). A guide for meeting planning (free, highly recomm ended)

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Appendix B

Sample NADE Hotel Contract

Note: The contract below is a sample of a typical contract between a conference hotel and the NationalAssociation for Developmental Education (NADE). While it is understood that not all aspects will beavailable with all hotels, those items which are highlighted are considered non-negotiable.

CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTbetween

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION (NADE)

and_________________________________

Conference Dates: The National Association for Developmental Education will host its annual conference at the name of hotel (hereafter referred to as "Hotel") from dates of conference.

Proposed Attendance: 1400

Conference Contacts:

NADE Contract:

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Total Guest Accommodations:

Date Total Rooms NeededFriday 9 rooms + 2 suitesSaturday 10 rooms + 2 suitesSunday 10 rooms + 2 suitesMonday 30 rooms + 2 suitesTuesday 120 rooms + 2 suitesWednesday 600 rooms + 2 suitesThursday 700 rooms + 2 suitesFriday 625 rooms + 2 suitesSaturday 300 rooms + 2 suitesSunday 10 rooms + 2 suitesMonday Full Departure

The ratio of double vs single rooms will be two-thirds double to one-third single.

Guest Room RatesGuaranteed rates for the above block will be: Single Occupancy Double Occupancy Triple Occupancy Quad Occupancy Staff, Board, Speaker (minimum of 30 rooms for one night each)

The above rates are firm and will not increase between time of signing of contract and conference. Note: Itwill be expected that the rates for double, triple, and quad occupancy will be the same.

Complimentary Accommodations

The Hotel will make available one (1) complimentary room for every fifty (50) rooms nights used. This iscomputed by adding the total rooms used on a per-night basis and dividing by 50.

If suites are occupied, they will be rated on a daily basis as follows:(Standard hotel comp. rate to be used)

Complimentary accommodations nights not used will be credited to the master account at the singleconference rate. Complimentary room nights used, but not earned, will be charged to NADE's masteraccount at the single conference rate.

In addition to the above, the Hotel shall provide complimentary three (3) guest rooms and two (2) one-bedroom deluxe suites, dates of conference . Also, the Hotel will provide ten (10) amenities to the VIP's ofNADE's choice and extend concierge floor privileges to the NADE Executive Board during its stay.The Hotel will provide complimentary parking for four conference planners throughout the conference. Unless prohibited by city or state ordinances, two cars to be used by NADE conference planners or officersmay be parked in front of the hotel throughout the conference.

In event that NADE exceeds the peak night room block by more than 20% above the block at the time ofthe meeting, the Hotel will extend to NADE two (2) one bedroom suites.

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Complimentary rooms used as part of the site selection process and used before the signing of this contractare not considered part of the complimentary room block.

Cut Off Dates

The Hotel agrees to hold the block of sleeping rooms noted above until agreed upon date. After this time, therooms not covered by individual reservations will be released to general sale. Rooms remaining available after thecutoff date will be provided to conference attendees at the agreed upon conference rate.

Prior to the cut-off date, the Hotel will work with and inform NADE of any potential sell-out situation. TheHotel will work with NADE to (a) find alternate and comparable accommodations acceptable to NADE; (b)inform those seeking reservations of the alternate hotel; and © inform NADE of those referred. Prior to thecut-off date, the Hotel will protect all rooms in the NADE block.

Hotel Reservations

The Hotel will supply NADE with not less than 2,000 self-addressed reservation cards at no charge. Additionalcards may be ordered from the Hotel at the direct cost for the printing. If NADE chooses to print its own housingform, the Hotel reserves the right to review the copy prior to printing and distribution to ensure that allinformation pertaining to the Hotel is correct and complete.

Reservations may be made by reservation card or by telephone directly to the Hotel. Participants calling the Hotelfor reservations must identify themselves as NADE participants to receive the group's rate.

NADE will provide a housing list for staff, some speakers, and board members.

"Walk" Clause

The Hotel agrees that, if a room is not available for a NADE participant, staff, or speaker, holding aguaranteed reservation, the Hotel will (a) notify the NADE representative on site immediately; (b) arrangeaccommodations at a comparable or superior hotel in the vicinity; © pay directly for the person's room andtax at the alternate hotel for the first night of the person's original reservation; (d) pay for taxi faresdirectly to and from the Hotel and the alternate hotel for the first day, or throughout the stay ifaccommodations at the Hotel are not available for the second and subsequent nights. The Hotel will workto bring the person back to the Hotel for the second and subsequent nights.

If a guest with a guaranteed reservation is "walked", the Hotel will not reduce the room block pick-up as itapplies to the 1:50 complimentary provisions.

Planning Meetings

The Hotel will provide up to 20 complimentary rooms for planning meetings by the NADE conventionplanners prior to the dates specified in the room block. This block of rooms will include a minimum of tenroom nights for the use of the NADE Executive Board at its board meeting to be held in September orOctober the year before the conference. All reservations for planning meetings will made sales office of thesales managers of each hotel.

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Service

The Hotel agrees to assign to the account either the Director of Convention Services or a convention servicemanager. NADE will, after the selection, have the right to request a different person with whom to work ifNADE feels the working relationship is going to affect the meeting.

This person will work directly with NADE beginning no later than date agreed upon, through the reconciliationof the billing process.

This person will be with NADE on-site the duration of the event, providing such services as conducting the pre-convention meeting, walking through the meeting space at least twice daily with NADE's meeting manager, andperforming in a manner befitting a professional convention services staff person.

MEETING ROOM COMMITMENT

Meeting and Function Space

The Hotel will provide all meeting space on a complimentary basis. Attachment A provides a tentativeschedule of projected space needs. A final outline of space requirements and usage will be submitted byNADE not later than agreed upon date. At that time any space in the function room block not being utilizedby NADE will be released for general sale.

The Hotel will not charge for any schoolroom or other set-ups and/or tear-downs. The Hotel will providestanding and table-top lecterns, chairs, tables, linens in each room. NADE agrees to post no signs withoutthe permission of the Hotel. Easels will be provided outside of each individual meeting room or prefunctionspace for professional signs. In addition, general meeting support equipment such as water, notepads,pencils, and other equipment which are normally supplied by the Hotel will be provided in the meetingrooms used by NADE.

The Hotel will provide (1) complimentary microphone in each large group meeting/banquet room utilized,provided the room is already equipped with a built-in system. In addition, the Hotel will provide a support staffmember to monitor and adjust the sound for plenary sessions.

Exhibit Space

NADE will be provided exhibit space within the Hotel to accommodate a minimum of sixty exhibiters andfood function space at no charge to NADE from agreed upon dates. Use of the space will include:

1. overhead lighting2. heat or air conditioning3. cleaning of space before set-up4. cleaning, on a daily basis, of flooring in the exhibit area for which a decorator willnot have responsibility5. paging system within exhibit hall6. cleaning after the exhibit hall by decorating company

NADE may solicit competitive bids from the decorating company of their choice.

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Audio-Visual Equipment

NADE has the option of contracting for audio-visual equipment through a company located in-house at theHotel or an outside firm.

Conference Registration Area

The Hotel will provide an easily accessible and visible registration area that is safe and secure withadequate working and storage space. In addition, a conference office will be provided throughout theconference. A complimentary telephone with free installation and disconnection will be provided in theconference registration area and conference office. NADE will pay all local and long-distance charges.

Food Functions

Food and beverages for events involving all conference participants to be held in the Hotel will be provided by theHotel. Prices for food and beverages provided by the Hotel will be negotiated and confirmed no later than agreedupon dates. Meal guarantees will be due 48 business hours in advance of each function. Meals will be set forand be prepared to serve the same meals to not less than 5% over the guarantee.

Food and beverages for functions held outside of the Hotel may be catered through a firm other than theHotel.

The Hotel will work with local organizations to try to donate food not served to organizations for the homeless, orother suitable groups. The Hotel and NADE will hold each other harmless and will donate food only to facilitieswhich will do the same.

Rehabilitation/Renovation/Construction

The Hotel agrees that meeting space, guest rooms, and public space will be, at the time of the NADEmeeting, in a condition that is comparable to or exceeds the condition at the time this Agreement is signed. The Hotel further agrees to inform NADE about any plans for renovation, rehabilitation, and/orconstruction to take place in the year(s) preceding the meeting.

In the event that any renovation, rehabilitation or construction is scheduled that would interfere with thisevent's guest and/or function room needs, the Hotel agrees to make alternate arrangements to thesatisfaction of NADE and to incur any additional charges for notifying attendees, for transportation, spacerental, security, and any other charges above and beyond the charges that would have been charged by theHotel.

PROMOTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

The Hotel will supply at no charge to NADE promotional items to promote the conference to be distributedat the preceding conference. Such items will be agreed upon by the conference planners and representativesfrom the Hotel.

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CREDIT ARRANGEMENTS

Individuals will be responsible for room, tax, and incidental charges upon departure, unless otherwise specified.

Upon approval, four accounts will be established for conference expenses. One account will be used for allrooms, one for food and beverage, one for miscellaneous charges (including audio visual, telephone, andother equipment charges, and one for expenses of the NADE Executive Board.

Each day of the conference, a NADE conference representative and a member of the Hotel will meet toreview charges to each of the four master accounts and revisions will be made that day.

NADE will pay all undisputed charges to the master account/s within thirty (30) days of receipt of suchstatement. All disputed charges will be paid within thirty (30) days of resolution.

After the meeting, all bills, with back-up, will be sent to the conference planners within five working days.

LIABILITY ISSUES

Americans with Disabilities Act

The Hotel, warrants that it is "a place of public accommodation" as defined in Title III of the Americanwith Disabilities Act (hereinafter "the Act") and, in this connection, represents that its goods, services,facilities, privileges, advantages and accommodations are in full compliance to the extent required ofexisting places of public accommodation under the Act and any regulations or guidelines pursuant theretoor as hereinafter supplemented or amended. Such compliance shall be inclusive of, but not limited to,accessible and barrier-free meeting and exhibit space, guest-rooms, common areas and other publicfacilities, any existing Hotel-operated or contracted transportation service.

NADE and the Hotel agree that NADE has no authority to remove and shall not be liable or responsible forthe removal of (or for the provision of any alternative to the removal of) any architectural barriers orcommunication barriers that are structural in nature.

The Hotel agrees to indemnify and hold harmless NADE, its officers, directors and employees from andagainst any and all claims, damages, losses and expenses, including attorney's fees and litigation expenses,arising out of or resulting from a breach of the foregoing warranty or alleged non-compliance with Title IIIof the Act by the Hotel or its employees, representative, agents, licensees, or contractors.

NADE agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Hotel, its employees, representatives, agents, licenseesand contractors from and against any and all claims, damages, losses and expenses including attorney's feesand litigation expenses, arising out of or resulting from alleged non-compliance with the Title III of the Actrelating to functions scheduled in connection with Event, by NADE, its officers, directors and employees.

Cancellations

If the meeting is canceled by the Hotel or by NADE for reasons not contained in the "Impossibility" clausebelow, such decision would constitute a breach of obligation by the canceling party and the other partywould be harmed. The party canceling will be responsible to pay liquidated damages, within thirty (30)days after the date of the scheduled event, as follows:

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Date Cancellation Notice Received Prior toFirst Program Date

Payment

Between time of signing and six months afterdate of signing

0% of Total Room Revenue excluding roomand/or occupancy taxes x single rate

Between six months of signing and one yearfrom date of signing

30% of Total Room Revenue excluding roomand/or occupancy taxes x single rate

Between one year of date of signing and thedate of the Event

50% of Total Room Revenue excluding roomand/or occupancy taxes x single rate

If the Hotel resells these rooms or any portion thereof without incurring a loss of revenue, the charge or portionthereof will be waived. It will be the responsibility of the Hotel to provide information to document the charges. The Association is given the right to inspect and copy all books and records of the hotel to verify hotel claims fordamages. Each party agrees that after receipt of such amounts it will not seek additional damages.

In the event that the Association or its chapter ceases to exist, the meeting may be terminated withoutpenalty.

Impossibility

The performance of this agreement by either party is subject to acts of God, war, government disorder,curtailment of transportation facilities, or other emergency, making it inadvisable, illegal, or impossible to providethe facilities or to hold the meeting. It is provided this agreement may be terminated for any one or more of suchreasons by written notice from one party to the other.

LIABILITY

NADE shall assume no liability for physical injury to a meeting attendee resulting from the negligence,malfeasance or nonfeasance of the Hotel in preparing for or arranging a function. The Hotel shall demonstratecompliance with all applicable security, safety, fire, and building ordinances. The Hotel shall assume liability forany claims arising out of its failure to be in compliance.

SUMMARY

The Hotel reserves the right to review NADE's history between now and the meeting date. The sleeping room blocksand the function space held will be renegotiated following the preceding

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AUTHORIZED SIGNATURES

I, as an authorized officer for the above named organization, agree to the above contract as outlined, and commit tomake this agreement definite and binding.

____________________________ ______________________________Authorized Signature for the PositionNational Association forDevelopmental Education __________

Date

_____________________________ _____________________________Authorized Signature for the Hotel Position

__________Date

SAMPLE OF ROOM NEEDSTHE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION

Saturday4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Office Space4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Work Room9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Meeting 10, Conference9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Meeting 15, Conference

Sunday4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Office Space4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Work Room9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Meeting 10, Conference9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Meeting 15, Conference

Monday4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Office Space4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Work Room9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Meeting 10, Conference9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Meeting 15, Conference

Tuesday4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Office Space4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Work Room12:00 PM -12:00 PM Registration9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Meeting 15, Conference8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Meeting 30, U Shape6:00 PM -10:00 PM Dinner Meeting 80, Rounds

Wednesday4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Office Space12:00 PM -12:00 PM Registration

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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Meeting 65, Schoolroom12:00 PM - 5:00 PM (5) Meetings 20, Schoolroom12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Luncheon 75, Rounds1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (2) Meetings 75, Schoolroom1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (6) Meetings 30, Schoolroom8:00 PM - 8:00 PM Exhibits12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Hospitality 70, Flow4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Reception 50, Flow6:00 PM -10:00 PM Reception 1000, Cocktails

Thursday4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Offices4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Registration4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Exhibits8:00 AM -10:00 AM Breakfast 1000, Continental8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (25) Meetings 40-70, Theater10:00 AM -12:00 PM General Session 1,200, Theater2:00 PM Break

Friday4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Offices4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Registration4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Exhibits8:00 AM -10:00 AM Breakfast 1000, Cont.8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (25) Meetings 40- 70, Theater11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Luncheon 1000, Banquet2:30 PM Break

Saturday4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Offices4:00 AM - 4:00 AM Registration4:00 AM -12:00 PM Exhibits8:00 AM -10:00 AM Breakfast 900, Banquet8:00 AM - 1:30 PM (20) Meetings 40, Theater1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (5) Meetings 50, Schoolroom1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Meeting 15, Conference1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Meeting Suite

Sunday4:00 AM - 5:00 PM Offices8:00 AM -10:00 AM Meeting 75, Theater11:00 AM - 4:00 PM (3) Meetings 50, Schoolroom

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Appendix C

Meeting Checklist

Activity Person Responsible Deadline

1. Publicity

Notices - to whom

Directions to site

Phone calls

News releases

Pictures/photos

2. Agenda and Material

Copies of agenda

Copies of minutes

Committee reports

Additional Material

Other

3. Meeting Set-ups

Try out equipment

Placement of charts, etc.

Test electrical equipment

Seating arrangements

Film preview

Placement of bathrooms

Heat/cold regulations

Parking

Registration area

Lighting

Name of custodian

Message board

Wall space

Activity Person Responsible Deadline

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4. Equipment

Tables (number, size, etc)

Chairs

Microphones

Audio recorder

VCR

Video camera

Blank audio tapes

Blank video tapes

Overhead projector

Slide projector

Film projector

Screen

Extension cords

Chalkboard/chalk

Typewriter

Computer

Easel

Flip chart

Coffee, tea, and water dispensers

Cups

Film

Camera

Photocopier

5. Supplies

Name tags and tents

Felt tip pens

Paper clips, pins, scissors

Newsprint, Note paper

Activity Person Responsible Deadline

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Directional signs

Appendix D

Sample Budget Form

This sample budget includes categories that pertain to the national NADE conference. Chapter conferences willencumber similar expenses, but obviously to a much smaller level.

Projected Conference Receipts� Number of early conference registrants� Number of late or on-site full registrants� One-day conference registrants� Student registrants� Adjunct faculty member registrants� High school teacher registrants� Extra fee for Non-NADE member� Pre/post conference workshop registrant� Luncheon meeting� Breakfast meeting� Number of exhibit hall booths� Number of pages of advertisements sold in

program book� Number of pieces of literature inserted into

conference registration packet� Major sponsorship contributions� Other special contributions� NADE membership dues collected� Sales of concurrent session abstracts� Sales of conference-related items

Projected Conference ExpendituresSpeakers (Include fee, travel, lodging, meals, etc)� Thursday plenary speaker� Friday luncheon speaker� Pre/post conference speakers� Gifts to speakers (plenary, pre/post and

concurrent)

Food Events� Hospitality for conference registrants� Exhibitors reception� Newcomers reception� Opening conference reception� Thursday continental breakfast� Friday continental breakfast� Thursday am and pm refreshment breaks

� Friday am and pm refreshment breaks� Friday luncheon� Saturday breakfast� Staff meal costs throughout the conference� Other food expenses

Conference Display Advertisements� Display ads in the Journal of Developmental

Education� Display ads in other professional journals

Entertainment Expenses� Opening conference reception entertainment� Door prizes� Music provided at other conference events

Audio Visual Equipment� AV equipment used in concurrent meeting rooms� Walkie/talkies for conference planning staff� Microphones for plenary and concurrent meeting

rooms� Computer equipment for demonstration lab� Other AV equipment

Exhibit-Related� Pipe and drape� Exhibit hall cleanup� Exhibit hall security� Other exhibit-related expenses

Planning Committee Expenses� Attend previous NADE conference� Sleeping rooms at planning meetings� Food at planning meetings� Travel to planning meetings� Postage and shipping for all subcommittees� Telephone for all subcommittees except for

registration

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� Supplies for all subcommittees except forregistration

� Student assistants for program and publicitysubcommittees

� Other planning expenses

Printing-Related� Call to Proposal� Call to Conference� Call to Exhibitors� Call for Volunteers� Conference Letterhead� Conference program book� Conference proposal rating sheets� Session evaluation forms� Registration confirmation packet� Name tags� On-site registration forms� Meal and pre/post conference admission tickets� Daily conference newsletter� Graphic design assistance� Conference participant guide� Concurrent session signs� Other printing expenses

Postage-Related� Call to Proposal� Call to Conference� Call to Exhibit� Registration confirmation packet� Mailing labels from outside organizations� Mailing service (affix labels and mail materials)� Bulk mailing permit� Other postage expenses

Program-Related� Supplies� Data entry� Signs, banners and murals� Deaf translators� Decorations� Concurrent session sign boards� Other program expenses

Registration-Related� Registration bag� Items put into registration bag� Fee waivers granted by NADE Executive Board� Supplies� Telephone/fax� Bank and credit card charges

� Name tag holders� Name tag ribbons� On-site telephone connect and long distance

charges� Welcome gift for registrants at airport� Wrapping paper for speaker gifts� Other registration-related expenses

Other Miscellaneous Expenditures� Doorman tips� Hotel staff gratuities� Copy machine rental� Insurance and licenses� Recognition and awards (e.g., plaques to host

institutions, hotel CSM and entertainers; gifts tomajor volunteers; gifts to NADE Board members;additional welcome baskets for VIPs not coveredby hotel contract)

� Money to refund (e.g., overpayments,cancellations)

� On-site shipping� On-site clerical staffing� Transfer of NADE membership dues to NADE

Treasurer� Hotel parking fees for conference staff� Courier service� Transfer of conference seed money back to NADE

Treasurer� Other miscellaneous expenses