2012Q3 Reports: Local Arrangements Committee
The PCO Nuricom and Local Arrangements Committee, with significant input from Priscilla Rasmussen, has been working for two plus years on the preparations for the 50th Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL 2012) in Jeju, Korea, July 8-14, 2012. We have reached all the milestones listed in the ACL Conference Handbook. Here is a list of the most important tasks performed by the PCO and Local Arrangements Committee. Key individuals other than PCO, local arrangements chair and Priscilla Rasmussen are noted next to tasks that they spearheaded.
Design conference logo and other conference materials
Design, set up and maintain conference web site, including both conference information and other practical information, e.g., travel info, visas, etc.
Handle all the invitation letter requirements for visa processing.
Appoint Exhibits Chair (Byeongchang Kim) and Local Sponsorship Chair (Hanmin Jung)
Book and confirm conference venue
Book and confirm locations for additional parallel sessions, poster session, and banquet
Obtained monetary sponsorship in the amount of $24,500 from local organizations (9 different local organizations including KAIST, SKPlanet, etc): (PCO, Seungsik Kang, Hanmin Jung)
Innovative sponsorship of products/services from 6 local vendors for VIP souvenir, folding fan (general souvenir), memo pad/pen, banquet live band, wifi at tutorial venue, and exec meeting buffet.
Book and confirm catering, A/V and internet for all events at the conference (for both Shilla Hotel and ICC)
Arrange for very reasonable student housing options under KRW 100,000 including dormitory (KRW20,000 w/ breakfast) (10 different housing options including pensions)
Book accommodations and provide online service to participants on the websi= te
Arrange conference social program: reception, banquet, including catering, entertainment, music, etc.
Arrange additional collocated meetings (ACL exec, Exec++ dinner, wrap-up meeting, etc.)
Make a detailed budget for local costs (and income)
Plan registration process and provide link to ACL's online registration web= site
Design and order conference bags
Liaise with sponsorship chairs for corporate logos to appear on the conference website, on banners/rollups and powerpoints, on conference bags, on covers of proceedings, and in conference handbook
Work out allocation of rooms, poster boards, etc. for all conference sessions, workshops, tutorials, etc.
Liaise with workshop organizers to work out special requirements (poster sessions, lunches, etc.)
Liase with EMNLP/CoNLL organizers to work out for all their requirements (plenary, main, poster sessions, buffet dinner, etc)
Organize spaces for exhibits and demonstrations
Arrange the printing of tutorial notes (tutorial chair: Michael Strube)
Organize signage on conference site
Select student volunteers and set up schedule for their work during the conference (Jung-jae Kim, Byeongchang Kim, Heuiseok Lim)
Coordinate with Program Chairs and Publications Chairs to make sure that conference program is consistent in proceedings, on the web and in the handbook
Produce the conference handbook, including practical information, conference schedule and abstracts (Jung-jae Kim)
Collect all material for conference bags (proceedings, sponsorship material, local maps, etc.)
Work out detailed day-by-day schedule for entire local committee and volunteers (Byeongchang Kim)
Organize contacting and checking-in students for housing rooms (10 different housing; 320 rooms)
Less than three weeks before the conference, all tasks are on track and there are no outstanding problems to report from the PCO and Local Arrangements Committee. One minor problem is that Jeju has recently been very popular in tourism, so the housing owners are not much cooperative to process our blocked rooms, but our PCO is doing their best to manage and negotiate with them. We plan to have a final rehearsal in July 29-30 at the venue to orchestrate everything. We are confident that this will be a successful meeting both scientifically and financially, especially as its 50th anniversary (the current registration as of June 12 is 726; the on-line registration will be closed on June 24).