• General guidelines
• A checklist
• Important budgeting information
• Summary of expenses and net income - ISAAPT meeting at Illinois State University in 2008
• Forms - Receipts Transfer and Profit-Loss
• Additional information

Guidelines for Planning Meetings of the ISAAPT

I.  Things to consider before offering to hold a meeting

• Are you willing to expend the time and energy it takes to plan and hold a one and a half to two-day meeting of 50 to 100 people?
• Are the facilities adequate for holding the Friday evening banquet for from 50 to 100 people, workshops, plenary sessions, and parallel paper sessions?
• Will you have the cooperation of your colleagues, secretaries, students, and administrators?
• What financial backing can you expect from the Section and other sources? (Usually registration fees and contributions from the host institution are expected to cover the costs of the meeting. Sometimes vendors are willing to pay for space or contribute in other ways. The Section will usually attempt to cover any shortfall in funds. (More on projecting costs will be found in later sections of this guide.)
• Are there dates available at your institution for holding a meeting? (Watch for conflicts with other major campus events, class meetings, etc.)

II.  Offering to hold a meeting

The offer to hold the meeting should be made at least two years in advance (arrangements can be made if offer is made with a shorter lead time) before the meeting and should consist of a written communiqué to the Council of the Section and should consist of the following:

• A commitment by an individual, the department, and the school to host the meeting.
• The preferred dates.
• The names addresses and phone numbers of individuals who will act as local program chairpersons.
• Special requests to be made of the Section or its officers.
• The sources and adequacy of funds.

III.  10-12 months before the meeting

Soon after receiving approval of the Council of the Section the local organizing committee should meet and proceed as follows:

• Inform the program chairperson of the Section of its plans and progress toward implementing these plans. Often it is convenient for the purposes of planning to select a theme for the meeting, such as, "Physics and Technology".
• Make sure that the Section Webmaster and Section newsletter editor are informed as soon as possible of all plans so that the membership is informed of the meeting and what is being planned.
• Divide the responsibilities for carrying out the plans among the members:
  1. Reserve campus facilities and make arrangements for refreshments
  2. Plan the banquet and contact the speaker
  3. Develop forms for submitting abstracts and registration. Consult with the Section Webmaster about the details of the online Call for Papers and online Registration.
  4. Plan workshops and contact leaders
  5. Seek keynote and other plenary speakers
  6. Contact and invite vendors
  7. Recruit students to act as ushers and man the registration desk
  8. Gather information on local motel and eating accommodations
  9. Compile and make mailings
  10. Contact your university president, college dean, and/or departmental chair for institutional support as appropriate.
  11. Contact local businesses for support if appropriate. (Be sure to inform your university's development office before contacting businesses for financial support.)

Hear progress reports from the organizing committee members and decide on the following financial matters.

• Invited speaker expense including board and room. The decision as to the number of invited speakers depends on their availability and the funds available.
• Workshop expenses and facilities requirements. Here again the number of workshops depends on the conditions at the host institution.
• Banquet expenses including speaker and guests
• Souvenir costs if any are to be provided
• Mailing costs
• Fee to be collected from vendors, if any
• Refreshments costs
• Costs for producing programs, name tags, etc.

• Room reservations:
  1. Banquet room for sufficient for the usual number of participants, 50 to 100 people.
  2. Room for plenary session 50 to 100 people.
  3. Rooms for workshops, the number depending on the number and size of workshops being offered.
  4. At least two rooms for parallel paper sessions.
  5. A room for commercial displays by vendors, such as, laboratory equipment and publications.
• Confirm arrangements for banquet and plenary speakers which includes obtaining title and subject matter of talks and the costs involved. Also reserve accommodations for the speakers.
• Confirm arrangements for workshop presenters which includes obtaining such information as the cost and content of the workshop. Also reserve accommodations for the workshop presenters.
• Procure sufficient sets of mailing labels for all mailings from the Section officer maintaining the membership data base.
• Arrange for receiving, printing, and programming abstracts for the final program.

VI.  5-6 months before the meeting

• Prepare and make first mailing to all members, and to college and university physics departments calling for submission of abstracts of papers to be presented. This mailing should include:
  1. Directions for preparing and submitting abstracts
  2. A note indicating the equipment that will be available in the presentation room and a form for requesting special equipment required for matting the presentation
  3. A preliminary program announcing the main speakers and workshops.
  4. A note of encouragement for the submission of papers by undergraduate and graduate students.
• Prepare a registration form to be sent out with second call for papers.
• Prepare maps and list of motels and hotels to be sent out with second mailing.
• Contact vendors offering them the opportunity to show their products and to provide door prizes and/or refreshments, etc. (See attached list of vendors.) Indicate the charge, if any, and the size of the space that will be provided for them.
• Check with the Section president as to what awards, if any, are to be presented and when. The Outstanding High School Physics Teacher award is traditionally presented at the spring meeting; the Distinguished Service Citation is traditionally presented at the fall meeting. Awards are presented during the Friday evening banquet.

VII.  Three months before the meeting

• Contact the food catering office to confirm places, dates, menu, and times for meals and other refreshments.
• Send out a second call for papers which should include:
  1. Registration forms.
  2. Maps
  3. Lists of hotels, motels, and restaurants and the range of charges
  4. Preliminary program including schedule of events and abstracts if available
• Make phone check to see what vendors are participating.
• Work out a detailed budget to help ensure that no money is lost by the meeting. All Section meeting are expected to be self-supporting. Set registration and fees accordingly. Consult the budgeting information below for important information. Note that ISAAPT dues collected at the time of the spring and fall meetings are not to be considered part of the receipts of the meeting. Dues are collected at meetings as a matter of convenience for members only. Collected amounts for dues should be transmitted directly to the treasurer and are not to be used to pay meeting expenses. Additionally, the registration fee should include (for both spring and fall meetings) an additional $3 to cover the cost of the Student Research Symposium.
• Work carefully with the ISAAPT webmaster to make certain all important information appears on the ISAAPT web site. If this is a joint meeting with IACT, be certain that the IACT webmaster makes a link to the ISAAPT web site. ALL MEETING INFORMATION AND REGISTATION PROCESSING SHOULD EXIST ON ONLY ONE WEB SITE TO AVOID CONFLICTING INFORMATION.

VIII.  One month to six weeks before the meeting

• Make mailing which should include:
  1. Program including abstracts received.
  2. Specific maps and directions for finding meeting places and parking.
  3. Registration forms.
  4. Call for late papers and take-fives.
• Extend an invitation to the appropriate administrative official to welcome the group at the opening plenary session and to attend the banquet.
• Arrange for Section members. to chair the various sessions.
• Check with speakers and workshop presenters and inform them of accommodations that have been arranged for them.
• Send acknowledgement to presenters informing them of the time and place for their presentations.

IX.  Three weeks before the meeting

• Put together a final program including abstracts. Should there be a shortage of papers call on members of the Council of the Section and others to help solicit papers from colleagues and students.
• Send the final program with abstracts to those who have pre-registered which should include:
  1. A request that they inform their colleagues that late registration is acceptable.
  2. A list of the participants registered for each of the workshops.
• Prepare extra copies of the program for distribution for those registering on arrival and others.
• Alert campus security of meeting and confirm parking arrangements.
• Check with co-hosts (SPS, TYC21, etc.) to see if there are any changes in their agenda(s) that might affect your meeting plans.

X.  The week preceding the meeting look after the following

• Arrange for a table, place and a roster of workers for running the registration desk.
• Arrange for helpers to usher people to various locations.
• Give the caterer a final count of meals required for the banquet, and check to see that the refreshments will be delivered at the appropriate times and places.
• Prepare a list of meeting participants, name tags for those pre-registered, tickets for the banquet and any other special events, seating assignments for the banquet and signs to direct people to the appropriate locations.
• Make a final check to assure guest speakers, commercial exhibitors and workshop presenters are informed of the times and places where they are expected to be, and other provisions that have been made for their stay and presentations.
• Obtain money for a cash draw consisting of perhaps $200 in small bills.
• Print out from the ISAAPT web site some additional registration forms that can be used by on-site registrants.
• Be certain that workshop leaders know about and are informed to pick up from the Registration Desk all necessary CPDU documentation and survey forms for distribution at the workshops.
• Be certain that session moderators know they must introduce speakers and limit their talks to the times specified in the meeting program.

XI.  Day of the meeting arrange for the following

• Put signs up to direct people to proper locations.
• Be sure all doors are unlocked and rooms are ready for use and audio visual equipment is in place.
• Be sure registration materials and personnel are in place.
• Have people available to direct exhibitors and presenters to proper rooms.
• Check to see refreshments are in place.
• Make sure that someone is available to introduce authorities and speakers.
• Make last check on banquet preparations.
• Set out your cash draw with money for making change for registration payments.
• Have on-site registrants complete a registration form to be turned over to the treasurer along with all conference receipts at the end of the conference.

• Be certain to stick to the program schedule as closely as possible due to the fact that overlapping sessions might be occurring and a program that runs off schedule results in needless interference.
• Program moderators typically include 3 - 5 minutes for follow-up questions during contributed paper sessions. Moderators should enforce time limits by giving a 3 - 5 minute warning to all speakers and stopping the questioning when the total time set aside for the talk and questions has expired. It is best if moderators inform all speakers about these guidelines prior to beginning a session.
• Be certain to apply similar time constraints on invited speakers, but especially during the Friday evening banquet. Please be certain that the banquet session ends promptly by 9 pm as some participants have to drive long distances before the night is out. Permit perhaps 15 minutes of Q&A, but then draw the session to a close telling participants that they may continue to question the speaker following the close of the session.
• During a spring meeting where Student Research Symposium papers are being presented, be certain that at least two (preferably more) evaluators are present and prepared to score SRS presentations.

XIII.  Following the meeting arrange for the following

• Take care of money being certain it is properly deposited after having been been counted and accounted for.  Please use the Cash Transfer Form that you can obtain from the treasurer.
• Be certain invited speakers are able to depart in a timely and safe manner.
• Inform the treasurer and keeper of the database of all who attended and paid Section dues.
• After settling accounts locally settle accounts with the treasurer of the Section.   Please use the Meeting Accounting Sheet that you can obtain from the treasurer.
• Write thank you letters or thank the following verbally:  sponsors including the school administration, participants, workers, exhibitors, and especially to colleagues that helped.

_____ a. Secure approval of the appropriate administrators to hold the meeting.

_____ b. Get commitment from colleagues and others to help.

_____ c. Pick a date and an alternative date.

_____ d. Secure approval of the Section Council.

_____ e. Investigate sources of funds.

 II.  10 -12 months before the meeting

_____ a. Inform appropriate Section officers and representatives of plans.

_____ b. Put together an organizing committee and divide up responsibilities

 III.  7-8 months before the meeting

_____ a. Do financial planning

_____ b. Issue invitations to plenary and banquet speakers.

_____ c. Issue invitations to workshop presenters

 IV.  6-7 months before the meeting

_____ a. Reserve necessary rooms

_____ b. Make banquet arrangements

_____ c. Reserve accommodations for speakers and workshop presenters.

_____ d. Order mailing labels

 V.  5-6 months before the meeting

_____ a. Mail first call for papers

_____ b. Prepare materials for second mailing

_____ c. Invite vendors and exhibitors to show their wares and provide prizes, etc.

_____ d. Be sure Section officers are informed of your plans

 VI.  3 months before the meeting

_____ a. Finalize catering arrangements for banquet and other refreshments

_____ b. Mail second call for papers including registration forms, maps, preliminary program, etc.

_____ c. Make second contact with vendors and exhibitors

_____ d. Arrange for individuals to chair sessions

_____ e. Inform campus security of the meeting and arrange for parking

_____ f. Work carefully with the ISAAPT webmaster to get all meeting and registration on the ISAAPT web site

 VII.  1 month to 6 weeks before the meeting

_____ a. Make final mailing which includes preliminary program, specific instructions, registration forms, late call for papers

_____ b. Invite local celebrities to welcome participants and attend the banquet

_____ c. Confirm arrangements for speakers and workshop presenters

 VIII.  3 weeks before the meeting

_____ a. Finish official program and mail to all who have pre-registered and to colleges and universities

_____ b. Check with co-hosts if any (SPS, TYC21, etc.) to see if there are any last minute changes in their agenda that might affect the plans for your meeting

 IX.  Week of the meeting

_____ a. Arrange for registration by preparing materials such as name tags, etc.

_____ b. Assign helpers, ushers, etc.

_____ c. Give caterer final counts

_____ d. Arrange for seating at banquet for invited guest and others

_____ e. Inform workshop leaders and session moderators of their responsibilities

X.  Day of the meeting

_____ a. Put direction signs up

_____ b. Unlock doors to rooms being used

_____ c. Make sure registration materials and personnel are in place

_____ d. Make sure there are guides available

_____ e. See that all your session leaders and presenters are present

_____ f. Provide for introducing greeters and plenary speakers

_____ g. Be sure refreshments are in place

_____ h. Make last check on banquet preparations

 XI.  Following the meeting

_____ a. Take care of money affairs locally and with Section treasurer

_____ b. See that speakers depart in a timely manner

_____ c. Mail attendance list with dues, etc. to Section treasurer

_____ d. Write thank you letters to all who participated

_____ e. Be sure newsletter editor receives copy of all abstracts, meeting program, and list of exhibitors.

Budgeting for a meeting can make all the difference between breaking even and a financial disaster. Meetings are expected to be self-supporting. If there is a shortfall due to unforeseen circumstances, then the ISAAPT can move to cover expenses.

Budgeting requires that you carefully consider sources of expected revenue and areas of expense. Below are a few of these elements of budget planning:

Income

• Registration Fees
• President's Office*
• Foundation
• College Office*
• Physics Department*
• Local businesses
• Vendor Fees
• Workshop fees
• Local Corporations
• Fees for the meals

Expenses

• Honoraria for invited speakers:
  • local and regional talent $100 to $250
  • national talent $500
  • institutional speakers usually contribute their services without an honorarium
• Travel costs for invited speakers
• Room & board for invited speakers
• Room usage
• Media usage
• Printing
• Envelopes
• Postage
• Secretarial help
• Phone calls
• Banquet expenses and gratuity
• Complimentary banquet meals for staff/guests
• Section Dues**
• Fees***

*Sponsor Support

Combined, the university, college office, and physics department might be asked to contribute approximately $500 to $1,000 in support. This support might be for travel expenses associated with invited speakers or for hosting breaks by providing for refreshments.

**Dues

ISAAPT dues collected at the time of the spring and fall meetings are not to be considered part of the receipts of the meeting. Dues are collected at meetings as a matter of convenience for members only. Collected amounts for dues should be transmitted directly to the treasurer.

***Student Research Symposium Fee

The registration fee should be large enough to cover meeting expenses, and should include (for both spring and fall meetings) an additional $3 to cover the cost of the Student Research Symposium.

Expected Attendance

It's not possible to predict in advance how many will register for your meeting. Well promoted joint meetings (ISAAPT, SPS, TYC21, two-state) with two or three well-known speakers have, in the past, drawn from 90 to 100 registrants. Meetings that have not been as well promoted and which have featured local talent have drawn from 40 to 50 registrants. The first ever joint ISAAPT/IACT meeting drew 130 participants. Keep this in mind as you estimate your expected attendance for budgetary purposes. BUDGET CONSERVATIVELY, and count on fewer attendees that you might honestly expect.

The fall 2008 meeting of the ISAAPT was held jointly with IACT on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal. This meeting had 130 participants and, therefore, constitutes one of the larger meetings. A complete balance sheet can be found below. Please note that with the University in financial difficulties due to reduced state support, no outside financial backing was obtained from the College of Arts & Sciences or the departments of Physics and Chemistry. Obtaining external funding ordinarily would be done.

There are two forms with which meeting hosts should be familiar:

  1.  Receipts Transfer Form
  2.  Profit-Loss Statement

The Receipts Transfer Form should be completed by the meeting host before transferring meeting receipts to the ISAAPT Secretary/Treasurer. Both the conference host and Secretary/Treasurer should count all money upon transfer. The amount being agreed upon, both host and Secretary/Treasurer sign the Receipts Transfer Form in duplicate and keep a copy for their records. The Profit-Loss Statement is completed by the conference host and transferred to the Secretary/Treasurer after all meeting bills have been paid and accounting completed.

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Guidelines for Administering the ISAAPT Student Research Symposium Awards Program

The ISAAPT Student Research Symposium is held only during the spring meeting. Nonetheless, there are duties associated with the symposium for even the fall meeting host.

Fall Meeting Hosts

• will announce the existence of the awards by including copies of the official "STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM -- Spring Awards Program" flier along with the fall meeting registration mailing.
• will add $3 to the registration fee and subsequently turn this $3 over to the ISAAPT secretary-treasurer for use in the spring awards program.
• will confirm with the head of the Committee for the Distinguished Service Citation that an appropriate plaque has been obtained for presentation at the fall meeting.

Spring Meeting Hosts

• will, if the meeting is held during the Lenten season, make available non-meat alternative entrees (vegetarian, fish, etc.) during the Friday evening banquet.
• will re-announce the existence of the awards by including copies of the official "STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM -- Spring Awards Program" flier along with the spring meeting registration mailing.
• will add $3 to registration and subsequently turn this $3 over to the ISAAPT secretary-treasurer for use in the awards program.
• will include a check-off box on paper submission form indicating desire for participation in Student Research Symposium.
• will prepare an agenda in which all Student Research Symposium papers are presented sequentially, preferably during the first paper session.
• will confirm with the head of the Committee for the Outstanding High School Physics Teacher Award that an appropriate plaque has been obtained for presentation at the spring meeting.
• will confirm with the ISAAPT secretary and president that appropriate plaques have been obtained for the Student Research Symposium for presentation at the spring meeting.
• will collect and compile the evaluation forms and determine award winner(s). (Ties will be broken by an examination of written comments. Representatives from the Executive Council as appointed by the President will serve as tie breakers.)
• will contact the ISAAPT secretary-treasurer to have checks prepared in the appropriate amounts for all monetary awards.
• will announce winners and present awards at the appropriate time with the assistance of the ISAAPT President.

Web Pages for the Meeting

Mailing List and E-mail List

Mailing labels are available via the Web if you wish to do a hard-copy mailing. The secretary and Webmaster both maintain an up-to-date e-mail list.

Hard Copy Mailing

Due to the increasing and essentially unrecoverable cost of hard copy mailings, we no longer have a hard copy mailing just for a given meeting.  We now use the Illinois Physics Teacher newsletter as the medium for hard copy distribution of information about the meeting as it is mailed out approximately a month before both the fall and spring meetings.  This mailing includes everyone who has paid their section dues in the past three years.  There is no need for a Registration form or a Call for Presentations form to be mailed.  All advanced registration is done online and only a few attendees register at the table.

Content of Mailing to Membership

Coordinating Promotion

The mailing dates of the ISAAPT's newsletter, The Illinois Physics Teacher, are based upon dates of the section meetings. It is the editor's goal to have the newsletter in the hands of the membership approximately one month prior to the spring and fall meetings. This serves as an excellent promotional source for the meetings. The meeting information should be provided to the editor in a timely fashion so that it might be included in the usual mailing.

Differences between the Fall and Spring Meetings

The spring meeting:

• Student Research Symposium
• Presentation of Outstanding High School Physics Teacher Award

The fall meeting:

• Presentation of Distinguished Service Citation
• General Meeting of the membership at conclusion of Saturday morning session

Agenda Planning

Door Prizes

Commercial Exhibits & Informational Fliers