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.

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