Basic Timetable
 

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

1. Phase I: A Glint in the Eye
 

T-20 months: Issue Call for Bids

ACL VP

• 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

ACL Exec

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

ACL Exec and principal bidder

• identify all key organizers
• General Chair (ACL Exec) (see criteria-for-general-chair)
• Program Chairs (ACL Exec)
• Local Arrangements Chair (bidder)
• Tutorial Chair (and) Workshop Chair (bidder)
• Exhibits Coordinator (bidder)
• Demo Chair (bidder)
• Sponsorship Chair (bidder)
• Publicity Chair, possibly (bidder)
• Student Workshop chair (ACL Exec)
• establish email aliases
• provide access to conference organizing website

General and local chair (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 (bidder)

• assemble Local Arrangements Committee (see local arrangements chair):
• 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)

• 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

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

General and local chairs; webmaster (see webmaster)

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

2. Phase II: Making it Known
 

T-12 months: Create and disseminate Call for Participation

General and local chairs; Priscilla

• 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 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

Sponsorship committee

• 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)

Program chairs

• 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

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

Tutorial, workshop, program chairs

• 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

• 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

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

3. Phase III: Building the Structure
 
 

T-8 months: Update financial picture

Program and sponsorship chair

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

Program chairs

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

Program, workshop, sponsorship chairs

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

Sponsorship committee

• approach/confirm companies for grants and donations

Local chair  (see local-arrangements-chair)

• 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

Workshop and student chairs

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

Demo chair

• create and issue Call for Demos

Program chairs

• 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

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

Priscilla, general, program, and local chairs

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

Local chair

• 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

Program chairs

• 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

General, program, workshop, tutorial, exhibits chairs

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

Exhibits chair

• 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

• 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

4. Phase IV: Assembling the Details
 
 

T-3 months: Update financial picture

Program and sponsorship chairs

• update budget
• project needs

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

Local chair

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

Exhibits chair

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

Local chair (see local-arrangements-chair)

• 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

• 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

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

Program chairs

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

Local chair (see local arrangements chair)

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

General, program, tutorial, workshop, student, exhibit, local chairs

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

Priscilla, local, and sponsorship chairs

• 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.)

5. Phase V: Getting Close
 

T-1 month: Perform local outreach

General and publicity chairs

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

Program, tutorial, workshop, student, exhibit, demo chairs

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

• collect and check final tutorial materials

Local chair

• finalize AV requirements of demo-ers

Priscilla, local and sponsorship chairs

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

Local chair (see local-arrangements-chair)

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

T: This is it. Enjoy it. There will always be last-minute problems.
 
 
 

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