U.S. LTER Network National Research Sites with a Common Commitment Meeting & Workshop Host Coordination Tasks Palmer Experience October 1997 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Network office provided a host_task list: http://lternet.edu/about/program/host_tsks.htm The Palmer web page originally resided at http://www.icess.ucsb.edu/lter/meetings/cc97 and currently resides at http://www.icess.ucsb.edu/lter/meetingsold/cc97 Palmer provided an annotated meeting end host-task list: http://ww.icess.ucsb.edu/lter/meetingsold/cc97/cc97registerform.info The Palmer hosted meeting followed an Andrew's hosted meeting the year before. Viewing their online web page was extremely useful as were two discussions/email with their site logistic co-ordinator about implimentation experiences. Conversations for the October97 meeting began in June 97. The web page was posted in August 97. Following is an annotated list of Palmer's experiences (-) with each assigned task (*) followed by a list of 'Lessons Learned' at the end. ------------------------------------------------------------------ COORDINATION TASKS: * Prior to the meeting, provide itemized meeting cost estimate to Network Office so funds can be encumbered. -Contact Network Office to obtain working budget for hotel, budget, transportation, meeting rooms, lunches, dinners -Note: Santa Barbara was a higher than usual cost area field station housing expenses much less, etc -Major expenses involved hotel rms avgd $90/day wk; $130 wknd meals $10/lunch try not to exceed this amt $20/dinner try not to exceed this amt (alcohol is not included in lunch/dinner) transportation (to-from meeting and field trips) $30 roundtrip * Make arrangements with meeting facility. -We used the hotel's meeting rooms: large meeting room (for 70) and a smaller conference room (for 20). The fee for this was absorbed due to booking enough rooms at the hotel. * Reserve rooms at lodging facility and notify participants to guarantee their rooms with credit cards. -The hotel was reserved 10 months in advance. The last three weeks prior to the meeting there was daily contact. * Arrange catering for breaks. -Coffee, decaf coffee and tea for (**) provided. --Approximately 12-15 exec participants --Approximately 50-55 cc participants * Arrange with restaurant or caterer for group meals, if any. -The number of attendees varies by plus/minus 10. Our hotel asked for estimates for dinners prior to dates of meeting, but allowed us to fine-tune on the day of the dinner without penalty charge for overestimating. * Arrange field trip logistics, including box lunches if needed. -For logistics, one or two choices for field trips is manageable. * Arrange vehicles and drivers as needed for airport, meeting and field trip transportation. (If participants are responsible for their own transportation, provide local information on commercial shuttles or other services.) -From PAL's experience it would be recommended that participants be given local transportation info and then be responsible for their own transport from airport to hotel if at all possible. -PAL had local vans available, and 3-5 graduate students were identified as drivers and pick-up shuttles made for the Santa Barbara meeting. Ninety-five percent of registered participants provided arrival info, yet approximately 50% changed from their submitted plans, most often due to airline schedule changes enroute. Since there are a large number of changes, it would be more efficient to provide the list of participant arrival times to a local transportation shuttle that can preplan around a list but have the added flexibility of always being there. * Arrange audiovisual equipment for meeting and field trip sites. -Ask Network office what they will bring, ie projector for computers. -Slide projector, overhead projector (with second unit backup) and screen were provided from campus. The conference room phone line was checked to be available for internet connection but was not used. No group arrangement email was requested and none was made. * Make arrangements with own accounting department to pay local meeting costs (e.g., motor pool vehicles, conference rooms, etc.) and invoice the Network Office. - For the hotel and meals, we had the hotel submit an estimate to the Network Office. The hotel followed up later by sending the final bill to the Network office. - For transportation we made arrangements locally to pay and then submitted the bill to Network office. * Compile e-mail addresses of participants so messages and meeting information can be sent to entire group. -The existing lterpi list was used. Any new meeting information was posted on the web for all participants to view. * Send out participant travel, registration and local information, including information on special clothing or equipment required due to weather or field trip conditions, and costs of food and lodging. Message should include travel and reimbursement information, which will be provided by the Network Office. -This information was provided via the web and periodic reminders mailed from the host lead_pi. * Track RSVPs and compile participants' airline arrivals/departures. -Web form registration provided information for lists. The web was updated on a daily basis the last few weeks prior to the meeting with the names of those registered. The participant list was sorted for: --web display by site and name --transportation by name and arrival method and time --meeting hand-outs by name, site and email. * Design and assemble participant information packets if needed (agenda, participants list, local info, etc.) -Participant list should include name, site, email, phone -General agenda with breaks and meals and presenter names prepared for handout -Detailed agenda changed up to morning of meeting so not handed out but shown via computer display during meeting. * Assemble supplies: pens, flip charts, transparencies, name tags, tape, staplers, etc. -Other possible items: lternet pc that does slide presentations but brought equipment for this. -Participants made out their own name tags. * Collect money before or during the meeting from participants for group meals, box lunches, etc., and issue receipts. -Passed around an envelop at the start of a day for people to sign up for a reception and drop in $10 worked OK. The participant list was attached for contributers to check off. * Distribute expense reimbursement packets provided by Network Office. -Check that the network office will bring these or mail prior to meeting to have them available at meeting * Submit itemized invoice with documentation of charges to Network Office for reimbursement of meeting expenses incurred by the host site. Role of Logistics Person during the meeting is liaison with hotel, site PI co-ordinater and LTER Net Chairman --- chk that meeting room arranagments are being setup --- chk with caterer lunch, dinner counts on target --- fielding participant personal requests if needed --- helping participants with setup of talks; transparencies, etc. --- fielding lost baggage and/or participants ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lessons Learned *************** -Host site is reponsible for all meeting logistics. -Main communications occur between host lead pi and Network Office lead as well as between host site logistics co-ordinator and NO co-ordinator. -Meeting statistics: participants: 61 participants from exec: 10-14 participants from sites: 46 participants from network: 5-6 participants from NSF: 6 participants booked into hotels: 61 (doubles and 1 triple; 58 rooms used) dinner1a attendees: 39 dinner1b attendees: 50 dinner2 attendees: 42 -There are five principal contact people involved: the network office lead_pi (Jim Gosz) the host lead_pi (Raymond Smith), the site logistics contact (Charleen Johnson), the Network Office contact (Louise Williams) and the travel agency contact (Rio Grande Travel 800-778-6861) -Designate a single site logistics contact person. This person should be the main communicator with the Network Office logistics contact. It is helpful to have the site logistics contact person present for a majority of the meeting. Post this person's name on the web in addition to both the Network Office contact and the travel agency contact. -Inquire periodically whether the Network Office contact person has received requests or information with respect to logistics (ie, hotel or airline changes). It's important this information get refered to the site logistics person. -PAL provided blank adhesive 'hello' nametags that were simply handwritten by participants at the beginning of each day. They were very useful given the size of the group now. -Online registration form should provide information about accompanying partners/family. The head count for dinner will be affected by this.