Operational Guidelines: 060 Organizers of Annual Conventions

General

The annual convention is the largest event which the Association sponsors. It is, therefore, important to keep the Board of Directors apprised of the progress of organizing efforts.

In addition, it is important for future organizers to have information from previous conventions to help them plan and budget for their meetings.

General Chair

The Executive Director serves a General Chair of the annual convention.

Program Chair(s) and Local Arrangements Chair(s)

The Executive Committee chooses Program Chairs and Local Arrangements Chairs, three years in advance, if possible.

Progress Reports

The General Chair (Executive Director) reports progress on the upcoming annual convention and on future annual conventions to the Board of Directors at the annual meeting and to the Executive Committee at the mid-year meeting.

The General Chair’s (Executive Director’s) reports cover such items as hotel selection and arrangements, budget (including registration fee), and convention mailings, including mailings to exhibitors.

The Program Chair(s) reports progress on the upcoming annual convention to the Board of Directors the year before the convention and again at the mid-year meeting of the Executive committee before the convention.

The report of the Program Chair(s) covers such items as the timetable for convention organization (i.e., dates for call for papers, acceptance letters to speakers), and on-site convention plans (i.e., a timetable for registration, presentations, coffee breaks, luncheon, and receptions).

Budget Projections. The Executive Director makes budget projections at least three years before each annual convention, using the categories set out below.

Actual Revenue and Expenses. The General Chair (Executive Director) prepares a statement of actual income and expenses within 90 days of the conclusion of the annual convention. The report uses the categories set out below.

The Executive Director distributes copies of the statement of income and expenses to members of the Board.

Income/Expense

Income. The income categories are

• Registration.
• Exhibitors and Advertising.
• Sponsors

Expenses. The expense categories are

• Hotel expenses including food/beverages.
• Audio-visual.
• Lodging.
• Miscellaneous charges.
• Program.
• Registration.
• Travel.
• Board meeting.

The Executive Director maintains a convention file that contains all reports submitted by convention organizers, including the actual room “pick-up” (i.e., the number of rooms occupied by ABCers on each night of the convention).

Purpose

In addition to expenses normally associated with annual conventions, the Board wishes to specify certain expenditures and how they will be accounted for.

Authorized

The Board of Directors specifically authorizes the Executive Director to charge travel, meals, and accommodation expenses to the annual convention for the Executive Committee members and the Program Chair as well as all costs associated with the Board of Directors meeting.

Headquarters Staff

The Executive Director budgets for travel, meal, and accommodation expenses for other headquarters staff and reports these as headquarters’ expenses.