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Organising a Meeting
Registration and other costs It is a primary aim of the Association to provide meetings of broad appeal to the inflammation research community in the UK at minimal cost. Registration fees are therefore normally limited to modest levels, with non-members usually paying higher registration costs. Bona fide Ph.D. students are exempt from registration fees, but (a) they must pre-register if the particular meeting format requires this (as it usually does at company sites), and (b) they must still pay for refreshments and catering. Where a meeting is held in London, or other venues where there is ready accessibility to outside facilities for lunch, it is suggested that registrants are left to make their own arrangements at midday. However, where a meeting is held elsewhere (e.g. at a pharmaceutical company site), this may not be feasible, and local catering will have to be considered. Again, the costs should be kept at a reasonable level. These costs should be charged directly to the registrants without attempts to "subsidize" other elements of the meeting (e.g. speakers' expenses), and without recourse to the Association for supplementation. The same philosophy should be adhered to for evening meals during "overnight" meetings. It is useful, both in terms of reducing the queues at registration desks at the beginning of the meeting itself and in order to allow some assessment of the likely numbers attending, if pre-registration is encouraged. Pre-registration forms should be addressed to the local organizers. In the case of meetings held on pharmaceutical company premises, pre-registration is usually mandatory, because of security considerations. It has been the Association's standard practise not to send receipts or acknowledgements of registration to people who pre-register, although they can request this by enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope with their pre-registration form. Depending on the location, capacity, etc., of the meeting venue, additional registration "on site" may be feasible. If on-site registration is acceptable to the local organizers, provision should be made for the desk to be manned by local people: this aspect of the arrangements is the responsibility of the local organizers, although Committee members attending the meeting may be able to help. The Association's Treasurer should be contacted before the meeting for help in providing a receipt book in case it is required on the desk. It is important that non-member registrants paying the higher fee complete a membership form, so that they can be added to the mailing list for the following 12 months. Copies of this form can be obtained from the Secretary or the Treasurer. |
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