TABLE OF CONTENTS
TOPIC PAGE
PREFACE 1
I. SELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON(S) AND COMMITTEES 2
A. TIME TABLE 2
II. MEETING SITE COMMITTEE 3
A. ACCOMMODATIONS 3
B. REGISTRATION AREA 3
C. THURSDAY 4
D. FRIDAY 4
E. SATURDAY 5
III. FINANCE COMMITTEE 6
A. TREASURER 6
B. COMPOSITION OF FINANCE COMMITTEE 6
C. BUDGET PLANNING 7
D. FEES 8
E. NATURAL (OR UNNATURAL) Disaster Preparedness Clauses 9
IV. SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM COMMITTEE 9
A. FEATURED SPEAKER FOR FRIDAY AFTERNOON LECTURE 9
B. SYMPOSIA AND WORKSHOPS 11
C. ANNOUNCEMENT OF MEETING/CALL FOR PAPERS 14
D. OTHER SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS 15
E. POSTER SESSIONS 15
F. ARRANGING THE FINAL PROGRAM 16
V. PRINTING AND MAILING COMMITTEE 18
A. COST OF "PRINTING" THE ANNOUNCEMENT. (xeroxing, emailing, etc.) 18
B. COST OF PRINTING THE PROGRAM(etc.) 18
C. MAILING COSTS (for the above) 19
D. TIME TABLE 19
VI. EXHIBITOR ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE INFORMATION 20
VII. REGISTRATION COMMITTEE 21
VIII. AUDIO-VISUAL COMMITTEE 24
A. PROJECTIONISTS 24
B. EQUIPMENT 25
IX. SOCIAL HOUR COMMITTEE 26
X. TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 29
XI. PUBLICITY COMMITTEE 30
XII. MISCELLANEOUS 30
XIII. APPENDIX 30
A. FALL MEETING STUDENT REVIEWER FORM 31
B. SPRING MEETING STUDENT REVIEWER FORM 33
C. SAMPLE ANNOUNCEMENT FORM 35
D. ABSTRACT FORM FOR FALL MEETING 38
E. ABSTRACT FORM FOR SPRING MEETING 40
F. REGISTRATION FORM FOR FALL MEETING 41
G. REGISTRATION FORM FOR SPRING MEETING 43
43
PREFACE
There is a very relaxed rotation among the Texas cities containing a large working cadre of microbiologists e.g.: Austin, College Station, Dallas, Denton, Galveston, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. Meetings have also been held in El Paso, Lubbock, and Corpus Christi where other satellite groups from surrounding cities have courageously merged their resources for this purpose. However, any group of Texas Branch members anywhere in the State can volunteer to hold a meeting. Meetings traditionally have been held in the Fall and Spring. Fall meetings, if held in a college town, are usually coordinated with football games to assure ample housing facilities. This should be determined early!! Spring meetings are usually planned before the national ASM meeting so students can practice their talks. Lately, the large “official” Branch Meeting has been held in the Fall. Spring meetings, then, may be more “relaxed” and have been held at church camps or other camp-like facilities. Spring meetings have been planned to encourage mainly undergraduate talks and posters.
SO: your group is going to plan a Texas Branch ASM Meeting or even a joint meeting with another Branch (Bravo!!). Probably you will become vaguely aware of this at least 6-18 months in advance. Since it is never too soon to start, here is a fun manual to guide you in your deliberations and planning. It usually is wise to attend the Branch Meeting(s) preceding yours, take copious notes, and talk to the officers and committee chairperson(s). The immediate past-president of the Branch is theoretically officially in charge of meetings. However, these pages represent the cumulative philosophy distilled from those very fortunate Texas Branch members who have, to date, traveled this sometimes rocky road and now know better. (How to "do their thing" the next time, that is). Notice that there are blank pages at the end of the manual for YOUR GROUP'S additional comments and suggestions which accordingly will be incorporated into revised editions of this manual for "posterity". Please include helpful material for insertions into the appendix and send it to me (address below) or to the Secretary/Treasurer.
- M. Goldschmidt
Dr. Millicent Goldschmidt
UTHSC-Houiston Dental Branch
6516 M D Anderson Blvd. Suite 4.123
Houston, TX 77030
Email:
I. SELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON(S) AND COMMITTEES
YOU are IT! You were either nominated in absentia at the first organizational meeting, elected at that meeting after popular acclaim by your friends/enemies, or volunteered. Don't worry - the secret of success is to appoint co-chairperson(s) and an excellent committee. Then relax while you can. Relegate yourself to checking off the list in the Time Table section (below), and occasionally prodding the various committee personages. Increase the frequency of this latter activity as the meeting date too rapidly approaches. If this is a joint meeting with another Branch, adjustments must be made to include members from both Branches on committees. Programs might need enlarging for more sessions also. Regional meetings also need these adjustments.
You will need to hold at least 1 to 3 initial organizational meetings with all committees attending to correlate activities. These can be done in person or by phone. The meeting chairperson should also see that the Newsletter Editor is given pertinent information about the meeting for the Newsletter. It is a nice custom for the chairperson(s) to notify the school board or teachers groups that science teachers and interested high school students are welcome guests at our meeting. If there is a local Science Fair student who has won an ASM award, a special invitation should be issued and the student recognized and introduced publicly (i.e.: before the featured speaker on Friday afternoon). A brief final report of the meeting and a thank you letter to your committee members is usually written by the chairperson(s).
A. TIME TABLE
TOPIC / DEADLINE BEFORE ACTUAL MEETING DATE1. / Formation of Committees, decision on meeting
content (symposia, workshops, social hour, etc.) / 6 - 18 months
2. / Determine auspicious date for meeting / 6 - 18 months
3. / Determine appropriate site / 6 - 18 months
4. / Setting registration and other fees (e.g.: workshop) / 6 months
5. / Selection of featured speaker(s) / AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE
6. / Announcement of meeting/call for papers in
the mail/email / 3 months
7. / Final program in the mail/email/branch website / 2 - 3 weeks
8. / Exhibitor arrangements: Initially at least one year
in advance and then a reminder / 3 - 6 months
II. MEETING SITE COMMITTEE
The Meeting Site Committee should be chaired by the main chairperson(s). The committee should also include either the chairperson or a designated member from:
· The Program Committee
· The Registration Committee
· The Finance Committee
· The Audio-visual Committee
· A local exhibitor who usually exhibits at Branch meetings
· Any other knowledgeable member.
This committee is charged with the grave responsibility of finding the most fantastic, reasonably priced, suitable and accommodating place possible. In the past, meetings have been held at hotels, motels, and college centers. Who knows where else might be as acceptable (religious retreat sites, national parks in Texas, camps, etc.). However, there are certain minimal requirements in addition to sleeping rooms and several meeting rooms seating from 75 to 200 persons that must be met as follows:
A. ACCOMMODATIONS
Some groups have designated an "Accommodations" chairperson who aided in negotiations concerning free rooms, room rates, and any problems or issues that arose during the meeting. This person does NOT accept room reservations, however. All room requests must usually go directly to the hotel/motel/other and NOT through the meeting committees. This is a responsibility of the individual wishing to attend the meeting. Sleeping rooms and eating facilities for 50-150 persons should be available either at the meeting site or in close proximity. Hotels/motels usually provide one free room per 50 registrants. This room is occupied by the Branch President. Additional free rooms are assigned at the discretion of the chairperson.
B. REGISTRATION AREA
Preferably near meeting rooms and very accessible space for three 8 foot tables and milling crowds.
C. THURSDAY
1. Small meeting room for executive board session 10-15 people starting around 2:30 PM and continuing through the dinner hour. Executive board sessions are often held at different times. Check with the president and Secretary/Treasurer.
2. Thursday Evening Symposium (if planned by the general committee) requires a room seating 100-200 persons theater-style. The Thursday Evening symposium has been, on occasion, held away from the main meeting site (e.g.: at a university auditorium).
3. Exhibitor’s room (see below) should be available for those exhibitors wishing to set up exhibits or store their paraphernalia. Coordinate this initially with general committee and exhibitor chairperson. Will a security guard/locked room(s) be necessary?
D. FRIDAY
1. SCIENTIFIC SESSION ROOMS
Two or three rooms in fairly close proximity are needed for the scientific sessions (usually "general", "medical", and "clinical" or “other”) Each room should be set "theater style" for 75-100 persons. The podium for the speakers should be situated at the opposite part of the room from the doorway. Thus, persons entering and leaving the room will not obstruct speaker or projection equipment and disturb the proceedings as little as possible. If sessions are in adjacent rooms, or rooms separated by a folding door, IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO INVESTIGATE THE DEGREE OF SOUNDPROOFING IN ADVANCE!
2. EXHIBITOR AREA
This room should be easily accessible from the scientific sessions with lots of viewing space and which is LARGE ENOUGH (about 2400 square feet) to accommodate 20 eight foot tables. It should have sufficient electrical facilities for most of the exhibitors. COFFEE BREAKS are held in this room, coordinate with exhibitor chairperson (VI).
3. FEATURED SCIENTIFIC LECTURE (4:00 or 4:30 PM or later)
An hour talk is given by an invited speaker. The room should accommodate 100-200 people. This has been traditionally scheduled for 4:00 or 4:30 p.m. on the first full day of scientific sessions. A brief business session and awards sometimes can be scheduled before this lecture.
4. SOCIAL HOUR AND ACTIVITIES
Committee decisions will dictate this site. See comments under social hour. (IX)
E. SATURDAY
1. SCIENTIFIC MEETING ROOMS (as above)
2. SPECIAL SYMPOSIUM (usually clinical or educational [teaching, virtual learning information, etc]) for 100-150 persons (can be one of these rooms depending on the number of other papers planned for Saturday AM).
3. TEXAS BRANCH BUSINESS MEETING
This is usually held after the scientific sessions have ended. However, holding this just before the featured speaker or before the social hour has also been very successful. A room is needed for 75-100 persons. Preferably one of the session rooms can be used. It has also been scheduled following (or before) a free breakfast or lunch.
The usual selection of rooms at most convention areas has included one large one (seating around 200 persons) which can be used for Symposia, featured lectures, business meeting, and one of the regular scientific sessions. Two adjoining rooms (with a removable partition) have also been combined for the larger sessions.
All financial arrangements concerning the meeting site should be recorded in the form of a highly specific contract, so that NO misunderstandings occur. Thus it usually is wise to have as much as possible in writing with the administration of the hotel/motel, convention center, etc. This should be a contract. The chairman of the meeting, the committee, and the Secretary/Treasurer of the Branch MUST approve any financial arrangements involving a signed contract. See Section III E (page 9) on disaster preparedness clauses which should be included in any signed contract.
COORDINATE FINANCES WITH THESE COMMITTEES:
a. General organization e. Registration
b. Program f. Social
c. Exhibitor arrangements g. Finance
d. Audio-visual
III. FINANCE COMMITTEE
The philosophy generally promoted here is that the Branch Meeting should be financially self-sustaining. This meeting is not a money raising function to fill the Branch coffers. On the other hand, the finance committee should not squander the Branch's hard earned resources by under-estimating financial needs for the meeting. Members can pay dues at the time of the meeting. The National ASM is also accepting Branch dues on their website. All financial arrangements concerning the meeting site should be recorded in the form of a highly specific contract so that NO misunderstandings occur (see page 5).
A. TREASURER
A treasurer should be appointed. This can be the Branch Treasurer. This person does not need to be a financial wizard and is usually (but not always) a trustworthy elder, of impeccable reputation and good standing in the scientific community who will collect all moneys and run . . . only as far as the Branch (Secretary)-Treasurer. Please request that ALL checks for any event (registration, exhibitor's fees, etc.) MUST be made payable to the "Texas Branch ASM."
B. COMPOSITION OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
1. A department chairperson, noted scientist, or other knowledgeable person who may be able to obtain money, if needed, from a dean or other administrator, sanction mailing privileges, and possibly garner use of swank "inner sanctum" facilities for various meetings that are usually only reserved for high ranking visiting dignitaries. Some persons feel that the finance committee should plan a budget which does not include university funding. Others feel that it is one of the functions of a university to promote continuing education programs regardless of the form they take.
2. A microbiologist who orders millions of dollars per year in laboratory supplies from various companies and is thus in a VERY good position to sweetly ask for
donations for the social hour, coffee breaks, speaker expenses, etc. etc. (from such as a sustaining member).
3. Department administrators with similar connections.
4. ANYONE with a good track record of fund raising.
5. Someone having the ear of private foundations/groups who would like to sponsor symposia, speakers, etc.
6. A liaison person who is on excellent speaking terms with the members of all the other committees and who can administer T.L.C., CPR, or tranquilizers as the occasion arises.
Often, money may be needed by various committees for expenses acquired or anticipated before the actual meeting occurs (e.g.: printing, mailing, down payment for a site, or special social events). The finance committee should confer with the main meeting chairperson(s) and the Secretary/Treasurer of the Branch in this case.
C. BUDGET PLANNING
The finance committee needs to obtain the following information (only estimated below) from various committees before registration or other fees are set. The finance committee should ask for this information at one of the early organizational meetings so all committees are clearly informed of their financial responsibilities. The Branch Secretary/Treasurer should be notified of the final budget and should review and approve any legal contracts. Please see Section III E on disaster preparedness clauses.