Re: [Tccc] summary of current conference concerns v4

Joe and the TCCC Members -

We have been working on ways to reduce costs for our conferences and I would
like to tell you what we have done so far. First, we felt we could save
upwards from $30,000 a conference by switching how we do final paper
processing and CD preparation. We have set 3 trials for this - INFOCOM 2011,
the new SmartGrid conference, and Globecom. If we achieve the same quality
for the lower costs as we expect, we will do this for all conferences.

Second, we now are requesting (demanding?) that all of the hotels where we
book conferences provide free Internet access throughout the hotel for our
attendees. Internet access has become a necessity and not an option. So
far we appear to be getting this. I am at ICC now in South Africa and
Internet is free in the guest rooms and in the conference areas and Internet
room.

Third, we are reducing the number of staff people coming to our conferences
to just those who are needed and cannot be replaced by a volunteer. We
think that this as well as the others will help us to reduce our fees or at
least not have to raise them as the costs of other services rise.

Finally, as a service to our student attendees in particular, we are going
to set up a place on our conference sites or community site where students
looking for someone to share a room can find a roommate. This will keep the
students in the hotel where most of the other attendees are staying as well
as giving the conference additional room night credits to also reduce our
costs.

I believe that these will help and are just a start. As the current
Communications Society Treasurer, reducing our overall costs as well as
increasing our revenues through new programs and other means helps to keep
our Society healthy and continue to provide benefits to our members.

Harvey

Harvey A. Freeman

Candidate for 2010 ComSoc President-Elect

Please visit me at www.Harvey4ComSoc.org

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