Conference Handbook

Basic Timetable

The generic timetable for organizing the conference, from which a specific one can be built.

T-20 months

[ACL VP] Issue Call for Bids

• liaise with ACL Exec for general parameters of time and place

• create call (see calls-for-conference-bids)

• contact likely candidates for local chair about responding to the bid

T-17 months

[ACL Exec] Accept preliminary call and select main candidates

Bids will identify many key positions (local chair, sponsorship chair, etc.) and make suggestions for general chair.

T-16 months

[ACL Exec and principal bidder] Accept bid

• identify all key organizers
• establish email aliases
• provide access to conference organizing website

[ACL Exec] General Chair (see criteria-for-general-chair)

[ACL Exec] Program Chairs

[ACL Exec] Student Workshop chair

[Bidder] Local Arrangements Chair

[Bidder] Tutorial Chair (and) Workshop Chair

[Bidder] Exhibits Coordinator

[Bidder] Demo Chair

[Bidder] Sponsorship Chair

[Bidder] Publicity Chair, possibly

T-13 months:

[General and local chair] Finalize location and dates (see local-arrangements-chair)

• finalize exact dates (confirm with ACL Exec)
• sign contract(s) with venue (for meetings and accommodations)
• pay any deposits due (contact ACL Exec)

[Local Chair] Finalize Local Arrangements Committee

assemble Local Arrangements Committee

• one or two people who would be able to take over in case something happens to the local chair
• one or two admin-level people
• someone dedicated to audiovisual (AV) and space management
• (possibly) webmaster (see webmaster)
• collect preliminary local info (describe meeting place and accommodations, travel info, visas, weather, etc.)

[General and sponsorship chairs] (see sponsorship-chair) Create Sponsorship Committee

• estimate budget needs (see budgets)
• assemble committee, mainly corporate insiders of likely sponsors
• approach corporations to get placed on budget for next year

[General, program, local, and publicity chairs] Create and issue initial conference announcement

• include theme, general outlines, location and dates, pointers to details, organizer contact info
• publicize widely (see publicity-chair)

[General and local chairs; webmaster] Establish website

• include general conference announcement
• include preliminary local info
• include stubs for calls for papers, etc.

T-12 months

[General and local chairs; Priscilla] Create and disseminate Call for Participation

• set approx. registration deadlines and costs
• design conference logo for program, posters, etc.
• create call for participation
• design posters and fliers with Call for Participation
• print and distribute them (web, email, hardcopy, posters, etc.)

[General, program, local, and publicity chairs] Create and disseminate Call for Papers

create Call for Papers:

• determine general conference theme(s)
• if possible, identify some invited speakers
• set dates of submission, notification, and final copies (T-7 / T-5 / T-3)
• set format requirements for papers
• distribute Call for Papers (see publicity chair):
• on Web / newsgroups / mailing lists
• provide to ACL (Priscilla and Finite String), AAAI Magazine, IEEE, etc.
• provide to SIGs, SIGIR, Speech, NLGen, AMTA, and other related communities

T-13 to T-4 months

[Sponsorship committee] Apply for funding

• create and submit grant proposals to AAAI, NSF, etc.
• contact companies for donations to sponsor reception, banquet, etc. (Initial contact T-13, while budgets are still being set for the next year; maintain intermittent contact; then final requests at T-3)

T-11 months

[Program chairs] Assemble program committee

• determine program committee structure and review process
• establish major topic areas and likely submission distribution
• invite appropriate reviewers (confirm first with ACL Exec)?people from research, development, commerce, users, government-funders, etc.
• ensure proportional representation of gender, seniority, origin, etc.

[Tutorial, workshop, student, demo, and program chairs] Solicit tutorials, workshops, and demos

• create Calls for Bids and papers (see workshop-calls-for-bids)
• issue them (website, publications, email, etc.)

T-9 months

[Tutorial, workshop, program chairs] Select tutorials and workshops

• select tutorials, taking into account coverage and recent past tutorials (contact Exec)
• select workshops (contact Exec; see ACL-policy-worksp-support)
• liaise with local chair for space needs and scheduling
• issue instructions to tutorial teachers and workshop chairs about printed material, agenda/time management, payments, fees, etc.
• update webpages
• liaise with Priscilla for registration form

[Workshop and student chairs] Issue workshop calls for papers

• liaise with local chair for space needs and scheduling
• liaise with general chair about printed material, agenda/time management, payments, fees, etc.
• liaise with sponsorship chair for funding applications
• create and disseminate Call for Workshop Papers (see workshop-calls-for-papers and student-calls-for-papers)
• update webpages
• liaise with Priscilla for registration form

[Exhibits chair] Locate and sign up exhibitors

• approach CL corporation exhibitors
• approach book publisher exhibitors (unless this is done by Priscilla?)
• sign them up

T-8 months

[Program and sponsorship chair] Update financial picture

• update budget
• project financial needs and make plans to meet them

T-7 months

[Program chairs] Accept and distribute submitted papers

• create review form and reviewer instructions
• accept submitted papers
• assign to reviewers
• send out for review

[Program, workshop, sponsorship chairs] Finalize invited speakers, panelists, etc.

• create basic plan of speakers and panels
• invite speakers
• reissue Conference Announcement: Web, newsgroups, mailing lists, ACL (Priscilla and Finite String), AAAI Magazine, SIGIR, Speech, NLGen, AMTA, and other related communities
• update webpages

[Local chair] Confirm venues

• confirm arrangements with meeting venue: rooms, spaces, lunches, etc.
• confirm arrangements with accommodation venue: rooms

[Local chair] Arrange conference social program

• confirm arrangements with banquet and other social event providers
• arrange reception
• arrange banquet: location, cost, transport, etc.
• plan outing, for open evening?
• plan anything special? Spouses’ events? Outings?
• update webpages
• liaise with Priscilla for registration form

T-7 to T-5 months

[Sponsorship committee] Apply for corporate funding

• approach/confirm companies for grants and donations

T-6 months:

[Workshop and student chairs] Process workshop submissions

• accept submissions
• review them
• send accept/reject letters

[Demo chair] Call for demos

• create and issue Call for Demos

[Program chairs] Find Proceedings printers

• specify proceedings format and ask for quotes
• select printer and binder
• plan to ensure timely delivery . If the proceedings are not printed in the host country, allow an extra 6—8 weeks for customs

[General chair] Update website

• contact all chairs to collect their info for the website
• liaise with Priscilla for registration form

[Priscilla, general, program, and local chairs] Create and issue registration form

• create form, with input from all relevant people
• send out by email and hardcopy
• post on web

[Local Chair] Plan registration process

• report to ACL Exec:
• update on conference registration
• update on venue (meeting and accommodation)bookings
• plan on-site process, staff needs, etc.
• organize conference bag or other gimmicks; liaise with sponsorship chair for corporate logos

T-5 months

[Program chairs] Process reviewed papers and create program

• accept reviews
• decide on paper selection
• create program, more or less (remember time for ACL members’ meeting, banquet, reception, outings if any, etc.); liaise with Local chair
• send out accept and reject letters with reviews
• update conference announcement and redistribute
• update webpages

T-4 months

[General, program, workshop, tutorial, exhibits chairs] Collect Proceedings descriptions

• collect from tutorial teachers, workshop organizers, exhibitors, etc. short descriptions, for proceedings
• provide them to webmaster and general and program chairs

[Exhibits chair] Set up exhibit

• locate exhibit company for pipe-and-drape stands, signage, etc.
• buy insurance, if needed
• liaise with exhibitors, local committee, and venue about display needs
• work with program and sponsorship chairs on exhibitor fees

[Demo chair] Arrange demos

• select demos
• work with selected demo-ers for AV needs
• liaise with local chair for AV needs
• liaise with program chairs for scheduling and proceedings
• update webpages

T-3 months

[Program and sponsorship chairs] Update financial picture

• update budget
• project needs
• seriously go after corporate sponsors, now that logos are being put onto signs, publications, and toys

[Local chair] Confirm local events

• confirm meeting venue: rooms, spaces, lunches, etc.
• confirm accommodations
• confirm social events: banquet, reception, entertainment, outings, etc.

[Program, tutorial, workshop, demo, student, exhibits chairs] Confirm invitees

• confirm attendance of invited speakers and panelists
• confirm attendance of paper and demo presenters
• confirm tutorials and workshops
• confirm exhibitors

[Exhibits chair] Finalize exhibit spaces=

• finalize payments of all exhibitors
• complete design of exhibition space(s)
• complete arrangements with pipe and drape rentals, etc.

[Local chair] Set up demo AV equipment

• determine AV requirements of demo and paper presenters and other speakers
• link up with venue

[Publicity chair and Priscilla]

• send out registration form again
• contact local authorities, as relevant

[General, program, tutorial, workshop, demo, exhibit, sponsorship, student chairs] Receive final papers and create Proceedings

• accept final camera-ready papers
• create Proceedings (main volume and any accompanying ones):
• front matter: title page, ToC, foreword(s), list of authors, etc.
• body (xerox page numbers onto submitted final papers)
• covers
• send to printers and binders
• update webpages as needed

[Tutorial, workshop, and student chairs] Create tutorial and workshop material

• arrange for printing of tutorial and workshop materials (see workshop proceedings format)
• collect material from presenters
• create books/proceedings

T-2 month

[Program chairs] Assign session chairs

• send out instructions to session chairs and speakers about time and place, as well as time management for the talks

[Local chair] Finalize on-site admin

• assemble team of assistants for registration, gophering, etc.

[General, program, tutorial, workshop, student, exhibit, local chairs] Create conference registration material

• create program to be included in conference registration package
• gather all other material, incl. freebies

[Priscilla, local, and sponsorship chairs] Give registration update

• update ACL Exec on conference registration, venue and accommodation bookings, financial status
• update webpages, especially local and travel conditions (check the travel instructions, local weather, medical and political conditions, etc.)

T-1 month

[General and publicity chairs] Perform local outreach

• start local advertising
• contact press, TV, etc.

[Program, tutorial, workshop, student, exhibit, demo chairs] Finalize all Proceedings and tutorial material

• collect and check proceedings (papers, students and other workshops, demos, etc.)
• collect and check final tutorial materials

[Local chair] Finalize demo AV equipment

• finalize AV requirements of demo-ers

[Priscilla, local and sponsorship chairs] Give registration update

• update ACL Exec on conference registration, hotel and dorm bookings, financial status

[Local chair] Finalize registration package

• assemble all materials into registration packets: local maps, local events, conference program, freebies, etc.

Author: Eduard Hovy, 1998, from timetables of previous AMTA conferences Updates: Eduard Hovy, from AAAI conference schedule and notes by Marie Meteer.