Prepared by Brian Medina and David Clurman 2012 Conference Host Co-Chairs
Primary Host Institutions:
MACUHO Report Table of Contents
Section Page Introduction from the Co-Chairs 3 - 4 Host 2012 Committee 5- 6 Schedule At A Glance 7 - 8 Conference Budget & Numbers at a Glance 9 - 10 Co-Chair Report 11 -13 Marketing and Promotions 14 Exhibits, Displays, and Sponsorships 15 Website and Technology 16 - 20 Registration 21 - 29 Printing 30 - 33 Hotel Operations 34 - 38 Basket Raffle and Volunteers 39 - 42 Entertainment and Transportation 43 - 51 Conference Survey Feedback 52 Special Thanks 53 Appendices 54
MACUHO 2012 Conference Report | Page 2
Introduction
Greetings from MACUHO 2012! We are excited to have hosted the 2012 Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland and would love to share all that our host committee did for the last 2 years to make this conference a huge success!
Our Host Committee worked diligently to put together as much information as possible to detail our work. However, we know that there will always be questions and points to clarify, so the 2012 Host Committee chairs (David Clurman and Brian Medina) want to make ourselves readily available for anything that needs further explanation or detail.
Early on in the Host Committee process, we decided to not only sub-divide our group by functional area, but to also delineate previous Host Committee reports into subsections relevant to these areas. Therefore, the bulk of this report is largely predicated on this approach – smaller sections for committees to review and the whole to be fully understood by the co-chairs.
Additional to our subcommittee reports, we have made available every file that might assist future Host Committees in their work. Therefore, we have appendices broken up into digital folders that contain most everything that illustrates what we did as Host 2012. We also thought that by having these files separate from the formal report, chairs and subcommittees could refer to relevant information outside of one file that could get large rather quickly.
A brief backstory on how we bid for this conference and assembled our Host Committee – David Clurman (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) and Brenda Ice (Towson University) connected in December 2010 with the idea of having these two institutions c0-host the 2012 conference. David and Brenda assembled the necessary bid packet information in January/February 2011, including specifications on the Tremont Hotel and Grand, the proposed Baltimore site for the 2012 conference. At the February MACUHO Executive Board Meeting, the membership approved the proposed bid for a Baltimore Conference on November 7th – 9th, 2012.
In June, 2011, Brenda Ice was hired by Colgate University in New York as their Director of Residence Life. After deliberation among Towson University leadership, Brian Medina was selected as the most suitable chair to represent Towson on the Host Committee. David Clurman sent e-mails to the CHOs of local institutions inviting the participation of staff in the conference planning. A total of 10 institutions ended up being represented on the Host Committee.
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David Clurman and Brian Medina gathered nearly 20 professionals for the MACUHO 2012 Host Committee interest meeting in July, 2011 at Towson University. It was at this meeting that most of the committee members committed to nearly 15 months of hard work to celebrate 40 Years MACUHO! To determine sub-committee work, David and Brian asked committee members to rank their top 3 sub- committees that they were interested in and to indicate whether they wanted to be assigned as a sub- committee chair. This process worked very well and nearly everyone was able to get their first or second choice.
Throughout those 15 months of planning, we encountered our share of challenges. However, our team persisted with due diligence and positivity, knowing that the end result would pay off ten- fold. Some of our questions or challenge persists to this day: What is the relationship between the rather new Corporate Partner Program and Host Sponsors or Conference Exhibitors? How can Host Committees best accommodate vendors despite space limitations or site difficulties? How does a Host Committee maintain a ‘zero-sum budget’ while simultaneously providing an excellent conference, including most meals in the conference registration cost? With the change in MACUHO’s association structure, what is the impact on communication and coordination between Host Committee, Program Committee, Exhibits & Displays Committee, the Director of Annual Programs, and the standing MACUHO President?
These questions and many more will not be fully answered by this report. However, keeping them in mind early in the annual conference planning cycle will better prepare Host Committees as they encounter challenges as they draw near the Fall conference.
As an association, MACUHO continues to grow and change its operations to suit the needs of its regional membership. Whether these changes come in the form of technological advances, structural adaptations, new committee or regional coordinator initiatives, or guidelines set forth by the strategic plan, it is imperative that MACUHO continues to balance its ongoing transformation with its foundational history and principles that makes it resilient through the ages.
In the end, we hope that this report serves your needs to advance the work of MACUHO and future annual conference Host Committees. We thank you for your service and leadership, and wish you well with your planning pursuits!
Sincerely,
David Clurman and Brian Medina Host 2012 Chairs
MACUHO 2012 Conference Report | Page 4
MACUHO 2012 Host Committee
Conference Co-Chairs David Clurman UMBC Brian Medina Towson University
Basket Raffle & Jacklyn Gentile* University of Maryland College Park Volunteers Alex Tsikerdanos* Maryland Institute College of Art
Entertainment & Michael Diesner* Towson University Transportation Kyley Sommer* Peabody Conservatory of JHU Steven Sweat* Towson University
Exhibits, Displays, & Byron Jefferson* Morgan State University Sponsorships Jennifer Thorpe* Chestnut Hill College
Hotel Operations Alison Ginder* UMBC Brian Kraft Capstone – UMBC Hope Smith Dunbar* Towson University Joseph Uter Loyola University Maryland
Marketing & Promotions Kelly Clark* Towson University Jacki Stone* UMBC
Printing Ron Butler* Towson University Amanda Pelar* Capstone – UMBC
Registration Christopher Bryant Shepherd University Jessica Curry* Towson University Laurel Karper* Shepherd University
Web & Technology Christian Barber Mount St. Mary’s University Jessica Bard Maryland Institute College of Art Chris Ferraro* Towson University
*denotes co-chair of sub-committee
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Host 2012 Committee Members (above - from left to right) Kyley Sommer, Jennifer Thorpe, Christian Barber, Amanda Pelar, David Clurman, Brian Kraft, Alison Ginder, Alex Tsikerdanos, Brian Medina, Laurel Karper, Jess Bard, Hope Smith Dunbar, Ron Butler, Steven Sweat, Chris Bryant, Jacklyn Gentile, Joe Uter, Jes Curry, Byron Jefferson, Michael Diesner, Chris Ferraro
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Schedule At A Glance
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Schedule At A Glance
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Conference Budget
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Numbers at a glance
- Registration Breakdown: o Total Registrants – 301 . Professional – 210 . Graduate – 65 . 1-day Registrations – 26 (Wednesday – 2; Thursday – 18; Friday – 4; Thur.&Fri. – 2) o Late registrations – 51 o Extra Banquet Tickets – 11 - Budget expenses: o Total - $75,245.28 o Food & Beverage- $64,780.80 o Facilities - &6,047.63 - Budget incomes: o Total – $76,335.40 o Registration Fees (including late fees)- $57,450 o Conference Sponsorships - $11,500 (including $5,000 allocated from Corporate Sponsorship Program) o Hotel Room Comps - $1,638.94 (based on 1 free room per 35 booked – 401 booked in total) - Rooms: Night Room block from contract Number of rooms booked Tuesday, November 6 30 70 Wednesday, November 7 150 173 Thursday, November 8 150 155 Friday, November 9 0 3
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Co-Chair Report
Chairs: David Clurman ([email protected]) and Brian Medina ([email protected])
What were the c0-chairs responsible for?
- Overall conference coordination - Representation at MACUHO Leadership Council meetings - Regular reports to MACUHO Executive officers - Identification of conference site - Development of conference budget - Solicitation of conference sponsors (see sample e-mail) - Bid presentation to MACUHO Leadership Council - Recruitment of host committee members (see e-mail) - Conference report
Please describe everything that you did at the conference.
- Coordinated with the host site to ensure that everything was happening as planned - Troubleshooting items that needed to be addressed - Provided additional support to host committee members - Conducted host committee meetings during the conference. These were held on Wednesday at 9:00am and 9:30pm, Thursday at 9:30pm, and Friday at 1:00pm. These meetings addressed concerns that had been expressed, prepared the group for events, and used it for recognition of committee members. - Anything else that may come up.
What recommendations do you have for future conference co-chairs?
- Maintain weekly communications with the Program Committee chairs beginning two months prior to the conference to coordinate program spaces, needs, and the program booklet. - Keep on top of the budget. If more money becomes available use it to enhance the conference experience (we used excess money for the coffee breaks in the exhibit areas). - While breakfast is nice to provide, if the money isn’t there to support it, axe it. Breakfast is the easiest meal to forgo as Common Ground often has granola bars and such. In addition, breakfast is the only meal that does not have an agenda. - Reach out to local institutions for to see if they want to be involved in the conference. It is a great way to develop relationships with colleagues around the area (sample is included below). - Use Doodle, or a similar website, to determine when host committee meetings will be. Utilize technology (phone, Skype) for those people who cannot attend. - Rotate committee meeting locations among host committee member schools – it is always nice to see where our colleagues work. - Don’t make major decisions on your own – consult with, and defer, to the President and Director of Annual Programs. It is the President’s conference and you’re here to help support their vision for it. - When working on the contract, try to get wireless internet access included. We were unable to do this and it cost us almost $2,500!
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- Don’t forget to thank the members of the host committee. In addition, you should thank the main staff at the conference site and conference sponsors. We did this by writing hand-made cards that everyone in the committee signed. - Complete the conference report soon after the conference as the details will fade with time. - It would be good to have the names of the supervisor of host committee members so a letter/e-mail can be sent to them recognizing the service of their staff member. - Dropbox and Google Drive are great ways to share files among committee members. - Having two co-chairs for each sub-committee is highly recommended. - It would be good to have an extra shirt made to give to the sponsor of that item.
Sample Sponsorship Solicitation E-mail
Hello Jim,
It was great meeting you at this year’s ACUHO-I conference. I wanted to reach out to let you know about a sponsorship opportunity for Balfour Beatty at this year’s annual Mid-Atlantic Association of College and University Housing Officers (MACUHO) conference, which will be held from November 7-9, 2012 at the Tremont Grand in downtown Baltimore. UMBC and Towson Universities are co-hosting this conference and typically about 250-300 housing and residential life professionals and graduate students from the around the region (MD, DC, WV, DE, PA, NJ) attend this event.
A variety of sponsorship opportunities exist. A list of remaining options, with the corresponding sponsorship amount, is listed here:
Wireless Internet Service in Tremont Grand $500 (shared), $1,000 (full) 40th Celebration Sponsor (Decorations, Desserts & Giveaways) $500 - $2,000 6 Regional Dinners (11/7) 5 still available $500 each CHO Reception (11/8) $1,000 Recognition Dinner (11/8) $2,500 (shared), $5,000 (full) Closing Lunch (11/9) $2,000
We would welcome Balfour Beatty’s sponsorship at this year’s conference. Please let me know if you have any questions about support that your company is able to give or about the conference. If you wish to sponsor an event, please let me know which one you would be interested in and we’ll touch base to work out the details. Thank you for considering this possibility.
Sincerely, David Clurman
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Host Committee Interest E-mail
Good afternoon,
My name is David Clurman and I work in Residential Life at UMBC. I am also co-chair of the host committee for the MACUHO 2012 Annual Conference, which will take place at the Tremont Grand in downtown Baltimore from November 7-9, 2012. MACUHO (Mid-Atlantic Association of College and University Housing Officers) is the regional affiliate of ACUHO-I for PA, NJ, DE, MD, WV, and DC and every fall around 250 delegates attend a three-day conference networking with colleagues and learning knowledge that can be applied to their lives and the work that they do at their institution.
An annual conference for MACUHO was last held in Baltimore in 2003 and the last conference hosted in Maryland was in Ocean City in 2006. I am very excited that Baltimore will be hosting this conference, which will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the association. Brian Medina from Towson University is the other co-chair and together we would like to invite you and your staff to be part of the host committee. We see this as a Baltimore conference, not just a conference hosted by Towson and UMBC. We believe that having staff from several universities from around the city will help create a stronger conference team and will create a network of housing professionals from around the city.
The first meeting of the host committee will serve as an interest session and will be held on Wednesday, July 20th at Towson University. The meeting will begin at 10:00 am and will include lunch, courtesy of the Towson Housing and Residence Life office. We will discuss the responsibilities of the host committee, talk about the host site, the sub-committees that make up the team and gauge interest in sub-committee leadership and membership.
It would be great if you could attend this meeting. I would also like to request that you inform the professional staff in your office about this opportunity and support any interest that they may have. Please let me know if you’re interested in attending and please encourage those you work with to contact me directly at the e-mail address below. I will send an agenda and specific directions to our meeting location on Monday, July 18th to individuals who have informed me of the interest.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. I look forward to some participation from Loyola and hope to hear from you and some of your staff!
Thank you very much!
David
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Marketing and Promotions
Chairs: Kelly Clark ([email protected]) and Jacki Stone ([email protected])
What was this committee responsible for?
- Teaser Trailer - Marketing materials to be used at other conferences: Tri-Fold Board, ¼ sheet fliers, Foam Core Board - MACUHO Magazine submissions - Pre-Conference Mailer - Online Presence - Committee t-shirts & polos - Photos & Presence at the Conference
What was the timeline you followed to get everything done?
- Teaser Trailer – presented at the 2011 Conference - Marketing Materials – created & presented at the 2011 Conference & the SLLI Conference, MAPC, ACPA & NASPA - Magazine Submissions – created & submitted for the quarterly magazine - Pre-Conference Mailer – Sent out 1 week before the 2012 Conference, highlighting the amenities of the hotel, guest speakers, and information about the conference - Online Presence – Created a twitter around the 2011 Conference & sporadically got excitement about the conference up by posting throughout the year & during the 2012 Conference - Committee T-shirts & Polos – Created the design & ordered 1 month before conference - Photos & Presence at the Conference – Throughout the 2012 took photos for the committee & worked the Conference in many locations to help provide the Committee with a presence.
Please describe everything that you did at the conference.
- At the Conference, I helped each committee: Hotel Operations, Registration, Web IT, Programming, Events & Transportation, Basket Raffle, Vendors, etc… I honestly helped wherever & whenever I could.
What recommendations do you have for future committee’s that have this task?
- After completing many of the tasks, you’ll realize that the position is Front-heavy in its work load. My suggestion is to join forces with the Web IT committee as many of the assignments for each group could be easily completed with one another. Also, I think it’s important to have volunteers and/or a common Twitter or Instagram name to assist during the conference because it’s impossible to be in more than 1 place at a time to take pictures.
List all budgetary expenses and incomes.
- T-shirts & Polos were the only expense, which came to the grand total of: $599.50
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Exhibits, Displays, and Sponsorships
Chairs: Jennifer Thorpe ([email protected]) and Byron Jefferson ([email protected])
What was this committee responsible for?
Soliciting sponsorships, creating signage at conference for sponsorships, assisting E&D with registration and overall managing-problem solving in exhibit area, assist with Vendor luncheon and overall relations.
What was the timeline you followed to get everything done?
Solicited sponsorships starting in the spring and shared signage information needed at Host meetings; Communicated with E&D starting in the summer regarding needs for the conference.
Please describe everything that you did at the conference.
Assisted with exhibitor’s registration; worked with VIP volunteers. Placed exhibit area maps and information throughout conference site. Coordinated donations for vendor raffle form registration. Put up sponsorship signs at correlating events. Became an expert at all types of easel assembly. Met and thanked all conference sponsors. Put reservation signs at vendor lunch (need to change to Exhibitor Lunch). Assisted with Vendor Raffle at lunch. Assisted E&D with any needs (ordering electricity, getting water at sites, following up on refreshment break)
What recommendations do you have for future committee’s that have this task?
Look at name of the “position”. The Exec Board position for the Corporate Partner Program is called Sponsorship Coordinator. And the role really isn’t exhibits and displays focused. So Sponsorship Manager or something like that differentiates it (since this person will work with the Sponsorship Coordinator and the E&D Coordinator).
List all budgetary expenses and incomes.
We did not spend any money. We raised it. Honestly, the signs and the easels are part of the Host budget and do not have a direct added cost as the easels partly belong to MACUHO and are borrowed from institutions. The signs are incurred in the printing costs. I would recommend a small Host-related gift for the conference sponsors in the future. This maybe can be shared with the Sponsorship Coordinator and include the corporate partners.
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Website and Technology
Chair: Chris Ferraro ([email protected])
What was this committee responsible for?
The purpose of this committee was to create the conference website and coordinate all technology endeavors for the conference. The website creation required working with the Registration subcommittee for the information to create the website. The mindset that I had to the website, after learning the system from Derek Smith, was that I served as an “updater” of information not a content editor. Subcommittees had more updates after the website was made, so after getting the site up and running the main role was just posting updates as they were received. In regards to technology for the conference, the subcommittee was responsible for recruiting equipment (projectors, extension cords, cables, screens, etc.) from various schools to supplement the Program Committee’s needs and to troubleshoot the equipment at the conference. We also looked for ways to add technology to the conference experience. This was highlighted by the addition of the Guidebook app for the conference schedule. We also served as a support for other subcommittee initiatives, though there were not many of these this year.
What was the timeline you followed to get everything done?
April Ensure website is up and running. o Work with Registration to begin Early Registration o Work with subcommittees to post first updates Begin to formulate technology needs & wants of subcommittees Continue to research additional technology components to add to conference experience Begin recruiting A/V equipment Post website implementation, develop Facebook group in coordination with Marketing and Publications Committee
May Continue with updates of subcommittee needs, wants, and website updates Continue to research technology components and feasibility of implementing Continue recruiting A/V equipment
June Begin recruiting of a few volunteers for A/V needs Assess A/V equipment needs Continue implementation of technology components Continue update of website Assist subcommittees as needed
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July – August Continue recruiting several volunteers Determine & design volunteer needs (i.e. training, walkie talkies, shirts) Continue A/V recruitment (if needed) Implement technology components as practical Continue website updates Assist subcommittees as needed
August-September Assign A/V equipment in coordination with Programming Committee Continue recruitment of A/V & volunteers (if needed) Continue website updates and subcommittee needs
October-November Volunteer A/V training - Ended up not doing as there were no outside volunteers Guidebook creation Delivery of A/V equipment Website updates as needed Subcommittee assistance as needed
November (Post Conference) – December Post conference subcommittee report
Please describe everything that you did at the conference.
At the conference we were responsible for setting up program rooms and troubleshooting during presentations if issues arose. It was important that we kept track of all equipment so that it could go back to the respective institution. We did this by labeling equipment with blue tape and writing the name of whom it belonged to (or institution). We tried to check in with presenters to make sure everything was running well. Projector set ups and take downs each day were done by the Program Committee (though we recommend that this and all tech needs be handled by this subcommittee in the future). We helped set up main programming spaces in regards to the opening speakers. Guidebook was updated as needed. We then filled in as things were needed for the conference committee overall.
What recommendations do you have for future committee’s that have this task?
We definitely recommend the continued usage of the Guidebook and furthering the usage of smartphone and tablet apps. Now that there is a continued website/technology subcommittee, it would be wise to have it handle all technology and website needs. A most logical addition to the subcommittee’s responsibilities would be to be the sole recruiter of technology needs and the assistance for set-up of the equipment and troubleshooting as well. It does not make a ton of sense for both programming committee and this subcommittee to be doing the same thing. This would require the gathering of needs from the program committee to see the amount of materials needed. We also tried to obtain technology equipment donations so
MACUHO 2012 Conference Report | Page 17 that we would not need to recruit it each year. This would be similar to larger organizations such as NASPA. We were not able to do this but recommend continuing to try. Additional recommendations include better instructions for presenters to avoid bringing Apple products (unless they can be supported in terms of troubleshooting) and making sure to have a saved copy of one’s presentation.
List all budgetary expenses and incomes.
We did not have any expenditures as the Guidebook was free up to a certain number of downloads and the equipment used was donated from institutions.
Please include examples of e-mails, documents, templates, etc. that were used by your committee.
Please see the Guidebook material below for more information on the app.
The website is also available for viewing through the MACUHO page – contact Derek Smith for how to access old sites.
Annual Conference 2012 was the first MACUHO conference to include an interactive, online version of the conference guide through http://guidebook.com. Guidebook is an online service that allows users to create an interactive version of their conference schedule, including facility maps, educational sessions, and information about exhibitors/sponsors. The tool can be viewed from laptops, tablets, and most smart phones, which makes it accessible to most conference delegates in some form.
The online service offers various packages and plans ranging from free to thousands of dollars. Fortunately, the free basic package came with just enough of the essential features to make it both financially feasible and convenient for conference attendees. The most significant limitation of the free, basic package is that it only allows (approximately) 200 downloads (fortunately this applies to 200 devices, not necessarily how many times the online version can be viewed or updated). With just under 300 delegates at Annual Conference
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2012, we had over 60% of our participants utilize the mobile app with 176 individual downloads. So while the free, basic package worked perfectly for us this year, future Host Committees who utilize Guidebook may encounter some issues as sustainability initiatives increase and the popularity of smartphones and tablets continues to grow.
Overall, the Guidebook application is very simple to use and update and the website is very easy to navigate, so a step-by-step tutorial in here should not be necessary. However, below are some helpful tips that this year’s Technology Committee learned as we went through the process of creating and implementing the Guidebook application for the first time ever.
Request that those on Host Committee and Program Committee who will be supplying you with information for the Guidebook organize it in an Excel workbook. The import feature with Excel will save you hours and hours of time instead of manually imputing everything Wait as long as possible before importing your spreadsheets. There will obviously be changes in locations, presenters, and vendors up through the start of the conference, but uploading the information too early will force you to have to make many manual edits prior to the start of the conference. Guidebook allows you to have multiple administrators, but as with all things, too many cooks in the kitchen can spoil the soup. We’d recommend only giving administrative access to those on the Technology sub-committee and (possibly) the Host Co-Chairs. Do not publish your Guidebook until 2-3 days prior to the start of Annual Conference. Not only do you not want non-delegates to be eating up your limited number of downloads, but you want to ensure that delegates are downloading the most accurate and up-to-date information (and there may be a lot of minor changes in the final days prior to the conference). Guidebook’s website has a lot of free advertising tools for you to print and promote the application. Also be sure to include information about the Guidebook on your website, in the program book, and at Registration.
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Registration
Chairs: Jessica Curry ([email protected]) and Laurel Karper ([email protected])
Registration Committee Conference Transition Report
Website & Registration Timeline
Website (Generated) Part 1 April 15th [General Info: Dates, Fees, Hotel, Program Location, Directions, Social Media Promo, Logo, share that we are limited to 275 attendees and to register early!]
Registration Teaser Email July 2nd
Website (Update) Part 2 June 20th [To have VIP Info Up, CIRs, Keynote, additional highlights (all if given to us by programming and R&R]
Email Blast Registration Opening July 16th Make registration ‘live’ at this time w/ Derek Smith
Registration Opens July 16th
Early Bird Registration July 16th - October 5th
Secure Registration Materials August 1st Bags, Ribbons, Binders, Nametags
Early Bird Last Call Email Blast October 1st (include info about Oct. 12th is when our special hotel block expires)
Request sent to Volunteer Sub Committee October 21st
Send Weekly Registration Number September 1th – November 5th Updates to David and Brian
Online Registration Last Call October 22nd
Online Registration Ends October 31st
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Registration Email Correspondence with MACUHO/Registrants
Registration Coming Soon Teaser (#1) – sent by email on June 22, 2012/ Banner posted on website Registration Page when broadcasted Registration Now Open (#2) - sent by email on July 16, 2012/ Banner posted on website Registration Page as well Don’t Forget Advertisement – sent via email Sept 11, 2012 Early Bird Registration Closing (#3) - sent by email on October 3, 2012 Conference Details to Registrants – sent by email on October 11, 2012 Registration Closing (#4) - sent by email on October 23, 2012 Information about Exhibitors & Sponsors – sent email to Registrants on October 31, 2012 Preconference Newsletter with Updates – sent email to Registrants on November 2, 2012
Contacts for all processes (ribbons, registration, website, treasurer, etc.)
Derek Smith – Website Manager – Set up all technology pieces, including website, registration page, emails to MACUHO, payment and refunds Olan Garrett – MACUHO Treasurer – Submit all check payments via mail, communicate about all MACUHO coverage registrations for special guests, VIPs, Conference registration winners, etc. REC – Chair – Contact about Link Program, Registration Form & Information follow up once registrants opt in for the program R&R – Chair – Contact about VIP Presence on Conference Page Ribbons Company – PC Nametag
Registration Packet Contents
1. Conference Bag 2. Conference Program/ Binder 3. Pen (donated by Public Identity) with Supplier advertiser 4. Vender BINGO card 5. REC Get Connected Card 6. Name Badge Holder (donated by Public Identity) 7. Registrant Envelope with following contents – Name Tag, Meal Tickets, Free Basket Raffle Ticket starter, Program Evaluation directions, Dietary Restrictions Card, Program Attendance Punch Card, all specialty ribbons (did not include Presenter, Volunteer, New Attendee, Committee or Region)
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List of Special Guests
Special Guests have their registration covered by MACUHO. The following special guests are ones in which we were told to cover this year, whether they were present or not.
1. Keynote Speaker(s) 2. Consultant in Residence (CIRS) - 2 3. ACUHO-I Representative 4. NEACUHO Representative 5. All VIPs Members (12 undergraduate students)
Overall Registration Budget
Postage (to send payment to Treasurer): $ 6.90 (in-kind donation Registration Co-Chair Jes Curry) Conference Bags: in kind by LAM Printing Conference Name Badges: in kind by PUBLIC IDENTITY Ribbons: $438.01: purchased from PC NAMETAG Pens: in kind by PUBLIC IDENTITY Printing for Name Tags & Card Stock (in color): in kind by UMBC
Total: 438.01 + 6.90 = $444.91
Pre - Conference
There was an issue with some computers where if someone had stronger security settings that the pop up code that needed to be entered before someone hit register did not show up, causing some people to think they could not register. We found that this happened with Internet Explorer only 1 or 2 occasions but did not happen with other web browsers.
Double Registrants – We had 2 or 3 people actually double register with a few minutes in between each registration. This was a simple fix once discussed with Derek Smith to make sure the registration payment was associated with the one we kept.
Free Registrations – There were several people who had their registration covered by MACUHO or winnings from the previous year. Unfortunately, this is not something that is told in advance but is learned as people are registering. We had to work with the Host Co-Chairs to ensure the accuracy of these details which included Past President Registration Winner at the 2011 Annual Conference, Registration Winner at ACUHO-I 2012, Case Study Competition Winners at MACUHO 2011 and Tom Pierce (VIP Mentor).
PAYMENT DETAILS TO MACUHO TREASURER
I created a Check Spreadsheet that allowed me to keep track of all checks that were received and sent to the treasurer before the conference. Because the Registration Chair logs the payment information in the system it is important to keep this in two places so that if you ever need to back track once you have sent the checks to the Treasurer you can. My spreadsheet included: Order ID #, Registration date, first & last name, Invoice #,
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Check #, Total Check Amount, Date processed in Your Membership. This spreadsheet was also sent to the treasurer to help track all checks which were sent by postal mail for accuracy.
I would suggest continuing to work with the Treasurer to do 2-3 check submissions before the conference to avoid checks being invalid after 90 days.
One member of the Registration Committee & the Website Committee worked on the Website together. We set up phone conference with Derek, Web Master, for website lesson and another phone conference for Your Membership lesson.
Web Page development process was used to make the site look more like the ACUHO–I websites. We wanted to get a national conference feel at a regional conference. So the layout and design was all based on what we had seen from several national conference websites. Because we were able to design the page ourselves, we were also able to design how much or how little went onto the page. This allowed us to make as many changes or alterations to wording and format as we pleased. (Very helpful)
We created for the first time a Conference Cancellation Policy. The policy worked well, but like all new things there were a few hiccups because some people may not have been familiar with it or did not really read it. It may need an add a checkbox (I read and agree to the terms of the cancellation policy) to avoid this in the future
Registration has two email accounts being filter in: One in which we created as a Host Committee: Gmail account, and the other one that was given to host by MACUHO, [email protected] email also created so 2 places that receive questions (host chair should have access to this). This was not a problem but if not maintained can be. Registration questions were able to be answered via email well before the conference; most requests were in August and September.
We did have several Ribbon Changes - we went from Exec Board for all members at the board meeting to Exec Board for the main board and Leadership Council for everyone else. 2011 gave us everything they had leftover in ribbons which was a large variety of the same ribbon but in different layouts and colors. So we reviewed them all and mainstreamed each required ribbon and updated the order. These should be stocked and marked for you in 2013.
We experienced some issues with meal selection on the website – a few registrants thought that meals were an extra expense additional to the conference registration. In the future, we recommend being explicit which meals will be covered and which ones would not. We encountered that some registrants didn’t mark a preferred meal choice given this confusion, making our meal numbers less accurate.
We inserted this year a region selection field on the registration form, this was very helpful with numbers however we had about 10% of the registrations assign themselves to the wrong region – this was especially true for areas like Southeast PA and Central PA – most institutions didn’t know where they were divided within the state.
Backend missing registrants - we had several registrations get lost, in which we accommodated but check with Derek once a month to make sure nothing is missing and before closing registration. We were able to catch these because of the nifty online who is attending the conference list on the macuho.org site. I worked with Derek as he worked with the company but a reason for this was never found.
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A week before registration closes the Director of Membership Development needs region numbers to reach out to Regional Coordinators. This happened once for us, about 2 weeks before the conference.
At & Post Conference
REGISTRATION TABLE TRAFFIC FLOW Day Time Total Checked In Tuesday At Table Closing 67 Wednesday 12 Noon 140 Wednesday 1:30 PM 225 Wednesday At Table Closing 261 Thursday 9 AM 270 Thursday 630 PM 283 Friday 10 AM 288 Above are the accurate counts for the flow of traffic at the conference table over the course of the conference. The numbers are based on total count including the registration times before.
OPEN ACCOUNTS As of 12/6/2012, there were 13 open accounts going into the conference. Out of those 13, 10 paid on site and the other 3 were asked to complete the registration release form in the case payment by check did not arrive.
COMPUTER & PRINTER SET UP Computer Set Up we originally were going to use did not allow us access at the Tremont. So we ended up using an iPad and Personal Computer to check individuals into the conference. Last minute payments did not need to have anything printed because all receipts were sent electronically to their emails. This worked the same for all payments made with basket raffle.
Google Phone Number was the best thing for people at our site. It was set up to one of the Chair’s cells and we were able to field questions on the go or when people were frustrated. This was very helpful for some presenters when they were unable to find Tech Support.
Regional Ribbons counted out for all regional coordinators to hand out at the Wednesday regional dinners
Conference Day Hours – see schedule at a glance for hours. Definitely a good set up for hours with the exception of Tuesday. Hours after the Board Meeting were not really that necessary for the number of registrants on site.
Registration Reports
The Registration Committee was asked by the Host Co-Chairs to run reports monthly up until around August in which reports than became more frequent, resulting in September and October to be weekly.
Weekly Numbers Reports were run at the end of week on a Friday or Monday morning. These seemed to be the best time to get accurate reports without missing someone who just registered or registered after you ran the report. Every registration counts.
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Within this report we included the following data (see reports attached or Post Number Data section for breakdown): Registrants by type, Meal Counts, Volunteers, First Time Attendees, Chief Housing Officers (added in late), By Regions
As the conference was getting closer the following information was distributed to the Host committees and other MACUHO committees:
Who is bringing a Basket raffle? (Name, Email Address, Institution) Who would like to Volunteer? And When and For What? Who has Link program interest as a mentee or mentor? Who would like to be a VIP Mentor?(not necessary for future) Any & All Dietary & Accessibility Needs Entertainment Specialty Events details (we had preschedule a Historic Tour which required a specific number of attendees to occur) Case Study Interests & Teams
See Attached Forms to see a detailed report. All reports were run in Microsoft Office: Excel 2010 us the V LOOK UP FUNCTION between several spreadsheets. Below you will find the video in which helped me understand how to use the functions:
V lookup Tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiAI-f8bbVg
Post Number Data
Final Post Conference data was pulled to see the overall outcome of the conference. The below numbers include all cancellations with the exception of those who moved over their registration to a newly added attendee (only 2 with this case). If we were to count those who registered before moving their registration over the total would be 303 registrants.
Conference Registrants Total 301 Professional Early Bird 185 210 Professional Regular 25 Graduate Early Bird 39 65 Graduate Regular 26
Registrants were given the options in date attendance. All one day registrants actually attended for only one day with the exception of the Two Day, as we had two registrants register themselves separately for Thursday and Friday in which you will see below together.
One Day - Wed 2 One Day - Thurs 18 One Day - Fri 4
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Two Day – Thurs-Fri 2 One Day TOTAL 26
Below we have a breakdown of conference registrants selected choices. At the conference of 303 attendees 135 of them selected that this was their first annual conference, resulting in almost 45% of the attendees having MACUHO 2012 as their first annual conference experience.
In addition, to allow a choice for registrants in addition to being sustainable, registrants were able to select if they were interested in a program booklet. There was an electronic booklet option available called guidebook (See Technology)
Registrants were also able to select if they were interested in volunteering in addition to what type of work they were interested in addition to what days on the registration form. Please see volunteers section to see the difference in number as their option is not a representation of those who actually volunteered.
First Annual Conference 135 Hard Copy Program Booklet 222 Volunteers 63
Below provides a breakdown of the region representation at the conference. The region representation was preselected by the conference attendees via their registration form. We did find that many selected their region choice in error, having to go back into the system and correct about 10% of the registrants selected regions for data purposes.
Central PA 30 10.0% DC Metro 11 3.7% DE/MD 69 22.9% New Jersey 71 23.6% NEPA 51 16.9% SEPA 38 12.6% West Virginia 24 8.0% West PA 7 2.3%
Registrants were also asked to inform us if they were chief housing officers, as we were using this data for many aspects of the conference. This was added to the form after it had been posted for approximately 1 month so data may be off slightly.
Chief Housing Officer 40
Post conference we had three unsettled accounts. Each registrant was asked to complete a Registration Release Form with credit card data used to charge a month after the conference if payment was not received from their institution. As of 12/7/12 only one registrant had not submitted payment resulting in a need to utilize the Registration Release Form. However, when it was filled out at the conference it was not checked to make
MACUHO 2012 Conference Report | Page 27 sure it had all the data on it and was missing the card type and CVV number. (This information has been now added to the updated form).
We also had 8 additional tickets purchased by registrants before and at the conference for the Thursday Night Recognition Dinner. This purchase was not associated with all registrants unless purchase at the same time as their registration. To access this data on the backend you have to go through to all purchases and sort out the Additional tickets Purchases (or asked to be pulled by Derek Smith). Unfortunately this was not realized until during the conference and on-site we had to give additional tickets to registrants who had purchased but we were unaware because it did not run in the reports. Because additional tickets, raffle tickets were eligible to be purchased at any time and is not date specific if there is a need to stick to a meal number it would be important to find a way to regulate this. Our cancellations helped balance this issue out which did not cause any issues.
Accounts w/ Open Payments 1 Extra Banquet Tickets 8
Cancellations & No Shows The follow represents the breakdown of registration cancellations and no shows based on type of registration.
Registration Type Early Bird Regular Total Professional 7 2 9 Graduate 5 0 5 One - Day 0 1 1 15 OVERALL
RECOMMENDATIONS/ THOUGHTS
1. Definitely need 2 on the committee for registration a. backend information (website, on-site, all tech issues) b. correspondence (emails, calls, in-person) 2. Add to Website: Guidebook marketing - What it can do for you, If this was there, I believe a lot more people would have not asked for a booklet. 3. One day registrant - didn't need the entire binder, maybe packet for their particular day or just the guidebook 4. At Desk have spreadsheet of session times, presenters and their locations 5. Match all changes at the conference in main binder at registration since this is where all questions are filtered 6. SEPARATE FROM REGISTRATION - Basket raffle payment should be by the basket raffle display and signage for basket raffle payment should be clear. 7. Marketing registration was done by us but I would suggest getting Marketing & Promotions to take on this task but work jointly with Registration to not duplicate any efforts
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8. Being a MACUHO member (website login) upon registration makes the back end much easier to process 9. Registration Volunteers Plan (last day needs less - unless numbers are high) we were more like an info table from Thursday lunch to Friday lunch 10. Onsite and after closed registration - decide in advance if this can happen. We had several seasonal members who assumed because they were able to in the past that they could register late or onsite 11. Standard Receipt - we had no issues with electronic receipts but it may be important to have a backup plan in the case there are network issues 12. Your membership updates frequently, be prepared to not be able to access the site during these updates some took a whole weekend (just the backend) 13. If possible, Get Up Basic Information on the Website Sooner to begin marketing in March/ April 14. Have all info they need at the desk and filter to the appropriate people 15. Color Printer at the desk might be nice for some, but we didn't need it a. Would be nice to have on hand to print missing or extra name tags. b. Including file to print them on a thumb drive 16. Definitely Need 3 stations for 1st day of registration (Wednesday) this is the largest crowd. a. Making signage for those stations? 17. For those who didn't check a meal – email to ensure that it was an error versus not attending 18. We had the idea to create a teaser but were never able to do it. Since 45% of the attendees were new comers it may be nice to help them see what they will gain from coming. - Why you should come to the conference? Video.... What to anticipate from MACUHO conference 19. Have designated computers at registration table for all things registration (3-4) 20. Create Volunteer Instructions/ FAQs for those who will only spend 1 or 2 hours at the desk helping. These people will not know everything about the conference so it is important to have something to help them be more customer service oriented and less calling for the Registration Co-Chairs help.
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Printing
Chairs: Amanda Pelar ([email protected]) and Ron Butler ([email protected])
What was this committee responsible for?
Print Committee Goals
We will explore ways to be green and reduce consumption; we will not print to print. We will provide as much accuracy in our materials as possible. We will communicate, in a timely fashion, any changes to the printed materials during the conference. We will have a consistent and easy forum for communicating changes. We want the Host Committee and Executive Board to be aware of the Printing Committees deadlines (i.e., decisions related to printing needs, initial drafts, final drafts, etc…). In the evaluation of the conference, people will indicate that the information in the program was accurate and changes were communicated effectively.
Conference Booklet
Coordinating the donations of the conference binders and tabs Compiling the conference booklet materials into a print ready format Printing of the 260 conference booklet (27 pages, each double sided)and dividers (5 sections titles: MACUHO 2012, Tuesday & Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sponsors & Vendors) Print 260 conference binder front cover inserts, back cover inserts (hotel map), and spine inserts Assemble the binders and send final conference booklet to Tech Committee for the app “Guidebook”
Signage
Coordinating the printing and posting of program session titles prior to each program (most sessions the hotels electronic display was used) Develop and print the conference large signs (on easels) attached to form board; this included large signs for each conference event, regional dinner, or meal/reception sponsor, and large signs for specific rooms (such as common ground and gender neutral bathrooms) and evening event sponsors Develop and print a large sign for all the conference sponsors to place at registration showing all the conference sponsors and their logos Develop and print large signs for any in the Corporate Partners Program listing the sponsor with logo Menus and agendas for meetings/meals Directional signage to the different exhibit areas Exhibitor locations signage Directional signs for exhibitors unloading their booths Exhibitor Unloading sign with arrows pointing (3 left, 3 right, 3 up, and 3 down) Entertainment Signs and sign advertising who sponsored the transportation to events Directional signs pointing to Common Ground and Gender Neutral Restroom and signs for this space Registration and “This way to Registration" signs in various locations
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What was the timeline you followed to get everything done?
We created a timeline and it has been uploaded onto Dropbox. While we didn’t adhere strictly to the deadlines established in the timeline, we did complete everything listed in the timeline. It was very difficult to keep up with tasks that were “due” in August and September, so we suggest doing as much leg work as possible and then carving out several hours a week to dedicate to Printing in the months of September and October. Additionally, it is recommended to set up conference calls with the committee (if applicable) on a biweekly (September) and then weekly (October/November) basis so that clear communication is occurring as the conference date approaches.
Please describe everything that you did at the conference.
The Printing Committee decided to assemble the conference binder on Tuesday (with the help of the Host Committee). All materials were pre-printed (double sided) and we used an assembly line process to stuff the binders. We created 260 binders and it took 2.5 hours.
Two rooms did not have electronic signs, so we set up easels outside of the room, which held a sign stating the current program occurring in the room. We changed the signs 20 minutes prior to a session ending so that the signs were always up to date with what session would be occurring in the room prior to the session start time.
We were prepared to print a newsletter that would publicize any updates/cancellations about program sessions as well as include any other pertinent conference updates, but we had little to no changes with program sessions, so we decided not to print daily newsletters. We suggest having a template created prior to the conference so you can easily add information, print, and disseminate on a nightly basis, if needed.
On Tuesday, we posted all large signage with easels for events and sessions, and taped up signs as appropriate. Note: check with the hotel to ensure that you are allowed to tape things to the walls. The Tremont did NOT allow tape use, so we were limited to posting in elevators or using easels for all signs. (This was a challenge as we learned this on site and weren’t prepared for the “no tape rule.”
What recommendations do you have for future committee’s that have this task?
This committee’s work is back loaded. Not much can be completed prior to the Program Committee setting the programming slate as well as additional information coming from various MACUHO committees. Pre-planning is essential and designating time for MACUHO-related tasks is a must!
The programming section of the binder went through 15(ish) revisions. I suggest having a template and design created for the programming section, but do not complete this section until weeks prior to the conference. The amount of revisions that need to be made to the location, presenter’s names, and times of programs was extensive. I prefer to work with complete data, so making minor updates for four weeks was more frustrating
MACUHO 2012 Conference Report | Page 31 than if I had just sat down and created the programming section at one time once the data was finalized. When people are reviewing any information for printing, a PDF of the document is recommended as this preserves formatting (same for printing).
It took an estimated 60 hours to complete the entire binder – with much of that being every evening and weekend in October. Plan ahead and accordingly.
It was very helpful to have a printer at the conference...I would suggest a dedicated printer and laptop at the Host Committee meeting room for use throughout the conference (David – the Host Committee Conference Chair provided the printer with ample toner). Having a specific laptop hooked up to the printer is necessary because some laptops wouldn’t connect or needed drivers installed before they would connect to the printer.
This committee needs two co-chairs and we found that the workload was best split if one person takes on the programming booklet and one person takes on sign work and overall printing.
We had 219 requests for binders (data collected from registration) and we printed 260 total for extras though about 30 of these where not needed. However, we received 300 binders and divider tabs as donations. With the use of Guidebook and the push to go green, we suggest printing only what you need, with no more than 20 extra made. With that, requesting fewer items for donation is advisable. We had 40 unused binders and at least 20 additional “stuffed” binders that were emptied and returned after the conference.
The Printing Committee was invited to participate in weekly conference calls with the Host chairs and the Program Committee, but the invitation did not come until the October. The calls were valuable and necessary. It would be beneficial to be a part of those conference calls as soon as you start creating the program/conference binder and preparing the printed materials (i.e., Late-August through the conference).
Suggestion from Host Committee: Create small programming booklet for one-day registrants (i.e., Thursday only program information).
Suggestion from Host Committee: Print the spreadsheet containing programming information (date, time, and location of programs) for the Registration table. Many presenters stopped by the Registration Table with questions regarding which room they were assigned to and where the room was.
Suggestion from Host Committee: Create the following signs for the Registration Table/Area:
Check In A-M Check In N-Z Purchase Basket Raffle Tickets Here
MACUHO 2012 Conference Report | Page 32
List all budgetary expenses and incomes.
Donations
There were 300 conference binders and 300 tab dividers (5 sections per) that were donated by AJ Stationers ($1,800 donation total). Any 8.5 x 11 color printing (binder covers, spine, and signs) was done with UMBC in-house printers
Expenses
8.5 x 11 67 pound ream of white paper (Staples) $ 13.49 Foam Board (FoamBoardSource.com) $ 93.94 Binder Copies – 260 copies, 27 pages/double sided (Staples) $573.48 Mounting Spay – 2 Cans & Tape (Staples) $ 38.37 Signage Color Printing (Staples) $ 57.02 Signage Color Printing (FedEx Office) $ 12.32 Total: $788.62
The expenses of $788.62 was covered by Towson University and not charged to MACUHO
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Hotel Operations
Chairs: Alison Ginder ([email protected]) and Hope Smith-Dunbar ([email protected])
What was this committee responsible for?
Meal selection (collaborate with co-chairs regarding budget) Accommodating special dietary needs Room assignments in conference area Maintaining a relationship with hotel reservations Crosschecking conference attendees with hotel registrants Crosschecking vendor list with hotel registrants Providing table decorations for Recognition dinner Providing any outside food (cupcakes and sheet cake) Gift baskets for special guests (Keynote, CIRs, NEACUHO, CACCURH) Providing meal cards for necessary meals in registration packets (have extra’s for last minute registrants or late notice) Provide hotel promotion information to technology committee for posting on website
What was the timeline you followed to get everything done?
March/April - Review menu options June - finalize menu and special food options June - send technology committee and marketing committee hotel information to post on website/include in newsletter August - Begin crosschecking hotel reservations with conference registrants September - Assign programs to spaces based on technology and size needs September/October - create meal cards October - purchase and prepare gift baskets for special guests October - Send printing requests to Printing Committee October - Send volunteer needs to the Volunteer Committee October - prepare decorations for Recognition dinner October - purchase special food (cupcakes and sheet cake) Week prior to conference - complete final crosscheck of hotel reservations with conference registrations and vendor registrants.
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Please describe everything that you did at the conference.
Distributed meal cards to registration packets Dropped off gift baskets for special guests at Hotel front desk for pickup when special guests arrived Ensured all meals were set up properly and menus were correct Worked with venue staff to meet special food needs on site Placed “reserved signs” on necessary tables for meals (Program, Host, Executive Board) Welcomed conference attendees into meals Provided directions to conference attendees through the venue Decorated for Recognition dinner Set up cupcakes for dessert at Recognition Dinner
What recommendations do you have for future committee’s that have this task?
We attempted to get a “roommate matching” tool up on the website. We would recommend that this be an available tool in the future to assist folks in finding roommates for those people looking to share hotel room costs. Be very conscious of Vegetarian and Special Dietary needs meals. We made sure that each of our meals had what we felt would be a tasty meal for those with special needs. In addition if someone was Lactose intolerant or couldn’t eat pork etc. We had the same meal prepared special, instead of defaulting to the Vegetarian meal (e.g. adapted the chicken with bacon and cheese, to a simple season chicken breast) If given the option to plate the Exhibitor Lunch then do that. That lunch is very tight, having the tables set, and meals plated as oppose to buffet style, worked nicely. Make sure that the Dietary needs of the Vendors/Exhibitors, is known at about the same time as the participants. Make sure these needs are also shared with the event planner, and is included in the count of special meals. In addition Sponsors are invited to the Recognition dinner; make sure you have their preference and their special dietary needs if any. In addition make sure they are in the final count. (The event manager upped our count by 3% to cover any unplanned meal needs) Meet and get to know the Lead of the Serving/Catering staff, it will make it easier for special request that you may not know of until day of. Very important to have a good line of communication with Registration, and to make sure that the Registration page has all your needs for meals. We discussed and debated over whether to serve breakfast at the conference. Ultimately, serving breakfast put us significantly over budget, even for small things like pastries and bagels. We also recognized the fact that every room at the hotel had a small kitchen which allowed guests to bring in food, or make breakfast in their room. Additionally, the hotel had two venues on site that served cold or hot breakfasts for reasonable prices. We determined that we would prefer to serve high quality and good selections of food at lunch and dinner than to pare those meals down in order to afford breakfast. Once we made the decision to not serve breakfast, we advertised that extensively (website, emails, and newsletter) so
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that conference attendees would be very aware that they would be responsible for that meal. A coffee/tea break was added in during the Exhibitor time. This was helpful to bring attendees to vendor areas. Exhibitors loved this break. During negotiation of site contract, it should be made clear how institutions can pay for hotel reservations. This hotel had a policy of receipt of checks at least 10 days prior to arrival. For our conference guests, this is a huge challenge. This hotel also had challenges splitting bills. It would be imperative for the host committee to iron these challenges out ahead of time to ensure that guests have a seamless experience.
List all budgetary expenses and incomes.
Expenses:
Gift Basket items (MACUHO paid for this) $ 148.61
Decorations $ 160.32
Cupcakes $ 723.00
Sheet cake $ 17.99
Conference Food $61,839.29
TOTAL EXPENSES: $62,889.21
Please include examples of e-mails, documents, templates, etc. that were used by your committee.
MACUHO 2012 Menu
Wednesday, November 7th:
Opening Reception: The Camden Yards
Ball Park Style Soft Pretzels served warm with Spicy Mustard Dip
Popcorn, Peanuts, and Cracker Jacks
Assorted Candy Bars
Coffee, Tea, and Assorted Soft Drinks
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Reception before Regional Dinners:
Assorted Cookie/Brownie platters
Regional Dinners/Meetings: Buffet – The Little Italy
Grilled Vegetable Platter
Caesar Salad
Italian Bread Sticks and Garlic Bread
Penne Pasta with Roasted Plum Tomatoes, Button Mushrooms, Sweet Vidalia Onions and Herbs
Farfalle Pasta with Parmesan Mornay Sauce, Fresh Sage, Grilled Chicken Breast and Balsamic Drizzle
Committee/Exhibitor Expo & Reception: Dessert and Coffee
Tiramisu and Chefs Italian Sweets
Freshly Brewed Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee and a selection of Mighty Leaf Teas
Thursday, November 8th:
Lunch with Exhibitors: Plated
Tremont Salad with Apple Cider Balsamic Vinaigrette and Ranch
Warm Rolls with Butter
Asiago Chicken with Wild Rice Blend with Cranberries and Julienne of Vegetables
Lentil Chili (Vegetarian Option)
Chef’s Choice of Dessert
Freshly Brewed Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee and a selection of Mighty Leaf Teas
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Recognition Dinner: Plated
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Warm Rolls with Butter
Choice of Crab Cake or Marinated Grilled Chicken with Purple Mashed Potatoes and Baby Asparagus
Wild Mushroom Cakes (Vegetarian Option)
MACUHO Birthday Cake
Assorted Cupcakes from Midnight Confections Cupcakery
Freshly Brewed Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee and a selection of Mighty Leaf Teas
Friday, November 9th:
Closing Luncheon: Buffet– Deli Extraordinaire
Tomato Basil Bisque
Mixed Greens with Dressing
Sliced Fresh Fruit Tray
Southern Potato Salad
Creamy Cole Slaw
Pasta Salad
Deli Display with Roast Beef, Turkey, Ham, Salami, Corned Beef, Swiss and Cheddar Cheeses, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Pickle Spears, Assorted Rolls, Sliced Breads, and Condiments
Chef’s Selection of Assorted Desserts
Coffee, Tea, and Assorted Soft Drinks
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Basket Raffle and Volunteers
Chairs: Alex Tsikeranos ([email protected]) and Jacklyn Gentile ([email protected])
Volunteers What was this committee responsible for?
Coordination of volunteers for various aspects of the conference o Aid host committee members assess and report volunteer needs o Sign up of volunteers before the conference o Send reminder and instruction emails to volunteers o Send reminders to volunteers while at the conference o Coordinate with VIPS Coordinator to ensure best use of VIPS volunteer requirements o Ensure volunteer needs are met if addition needs arise at the conference o Provide volunteer coverage, as possible, for unfilled shifts
What was the timeline you followed to get everything done?
4-6 weeks before conference – request volunteer needs and shifts from host committee o day/time/location/name of task/description of task/instructions/contact name and number for volunteer shift supervisor . Recorded responses via email – would suggest spreadsheet in the future 2-4 weeks before the conference – upload all volunteer tasks to sign up medium (Signupgenius.com) o Send to host committee for corrections and/or additions 2-3 weeks before the conference – send VIPS link to volunteer sign up to ensure they can sign up for the required volunteer sessions and any others of interest o Unforeseen issue – VIPS did not yet have the VIP schedule 1.5 weeks before the conference – send link to volunteer set up to those that expressed interest in volunteering o Email from signupgenius.com is part of the site o Direct email was also sent with link to those that did not view the link within two (2) days 48 hours before each volunteer shift – signupgenius.com automatically sends out reminders for shifts to those that signed up and includes any instructions At conference – send update emails if event times have changed o Signupgenius.com will automatically send an email if the information of an event is changed o Direct email is also suggested due to the junk mail filter
Please describe everything that you did at the conference.
Be present at Registration and answer volunteer questions while helping register conference attendees Direct potential volunteers to link if they would like to sign up Assist in set-up/tear down/ticket sales for Basket Raffle o Assist volunteers while they aid people in the Basket Raffle process Coordinated with VIPS Coordinator in the case of additional volunteer needs as could be filled by VIPS
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o Check in with VIPS Coordinator to ensure VIPS are wearing volunteer shirt and feel welcome and useful in the volunteer role o Converse with VIPS about volunteer experience to get candid feedback Fill in for any missing volunteers slots, as possible and needed Discuss volunteer schedule with host committee during meetings and assess need to fill spaces, reduce volunteers, or add additional spaces
What recommendations do you have for future committee’s that have this task?
Request volunteer needs from host committee earlier in the planning process o Introduce during planning phase and make edits to list as the conference draws near Coordinate VIPS volunteer schedule with VIPS Coordinator to ensure volunteering for VIPS is on the schedule and will reduce confusion when VIPS get volunteer email before conference schedule o Avoid sending VIPS volunteer schedule and attempt to make it part of the VIPS schedule Have a sign up for volunteer slots at registration Add volunteer link to pre-conference mailer Only provide volunteer t-shirts to VIPS (like this year)
List all budgetary expenses and incomes.
Volunteer T-Shirts o Given to VIPS since they had the most volunteer opportunities and were most visible o Were free with host committee order (via coupon from host committee member) o Allot $6-$10 per shirt if shirts must be purchased
Please include examples of e-mails, documents, templates, etc. that were used by your committee.
Email to Host Committee asking for Volunteer Needs –
Good Evening (or morning) All!
I hope you all had a great weekend.
As mentioned on Wednesday, we will be using http://www.signupgenius.com/ for the Volunteer Sign Up process. Feel free to take a look around the website to get an idea of how it works. It is the same website that ACUHO-I used this summer. A couple high points of the website are that it will automatically send reminder/update emails to people that sign up (text messages are available, too) and people can sign up virtually whenever is convenient for each person.
In order to put the form together, I need volunteer requests from all of you. If you are in need of volunteers, please provide the following information –
Name of volunteer opportunity
MACUHO 2012 Conference Report | Page 40
Description of volunteer opportunity Location of volunteer opportunity Contact information in case the person is lost/has a question Number of people needed per shift Shifts (1-3PM, 7-8AM, etc.) You may need to list each shift separately with the number of people needed Any other information you think is needed I will be building the website as people send in the information. We would like to blast our volunteers on Sunday, October 21 so it will be one of the first things to be seen on Monday morning.
Please submit your information as soon as you can but before Sunday, October 21 at noon so we can get this out to volunteers and blast them a few times before the conference. If you are still waiting on information and need a little more time to pass along the information, just let me know and we will adjust the plan!
Best of luck and let me know how I can help!
Jacklyn and Alex
Jacklyn Gentile Resident Director – Leonardtown Community Department of Resident Life | University of Maryland 0200 Calvert Hall | College Park, MD 20742 (o) (301) 405-0546 | (f) (301) 314-7459 [email protected] | www.resnet.umd.edu
Email to VIPS about Volunteer Sign Up (direct email)
Good Evening VIPS!
I hope you are all safe and looking forward to MACUHO!
Congratulations on being selected to participate in VIPS. One of your requirements as a VIP is to participate in volunteer opportunities at the MACUHO Conference. I sent each of you a link to our Signupgenius.com link, but many of you have yet to sign up. Due to the possibility that the link email went to your junk box, I have provided the link here - http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0A4BACAB22A75-macuho
You all are the first people to sign up. Be aware that all people interested in volunteering for the conference will receive this link at 10PM today. This means that the variety of opportunities for you all may decrease.
MACUHO 2012 Conference Report | Page 41
Please take a few minutes to sign up for your required time and I look forward to meeting all of you next week!
Jacklyn Jacklyn Gentile Resident Director – Leonardtown Community Department of Resident Life | University of Maryland 0200 Calvert Hall | College Park, MD 20742 (o) (301) 405-0546 | (f) (301) 314-7459 [email protected] | www.resnet.umd.edu
Signupgenius.com Web Page.html Signupgenius.com –
Basket Raffle
For the MACUHO 2012 conference we chose Living Classrooms as the recipient of our Annual Basket Raffle. At this year’s conference we received 51 baskets from schools/individuals in attendance and raised $4,036 ($2,456 – cash and $1,580 – credit card) to be split between Living Classrooms and the Lisa A. Pierce endowment. Living Classrooms provided a display for the raffle area including pamphlets and other handouts so conference participants could educate themselves, and provided a bag for the raffle. As in 2011, participants were able to purchase tickets with cash or with credit. New this year, baskets were color coded to let conference participants know whether the basket would be given on the Thursday (dinner) or Friday (lunch) of the conference. This allowed for specific targeting of baskets, and facilitated the speed through which the raffle was conducted.
Recommendations:
Continuing to offer credit sales as a form of payment. Not only convenient, it allows for easy accounting of monies gathered. We offered presales of raffle tickets through registration. Few took advantage of this option. Allowing participants to buy multiples of tickets through registration may increase participation. Color coding the tags seemed to help participants decide where to place tickets, and make informed decisions about when to buy tickets. This was especially helpful for those who were not attending the entire conference. We used a storage area for baskets each night which did not require a lot of extra work, while helping secure the baskets. Wrapping baskets in cellophane helped contain contents of baskets. Using cardstock for the basket labels would also help in keeping things organized.
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Entertainment and Transportation
Chairs: Michael Diesner ([email protected]), Steven Sweat ([email protected]), and Kyley Sommer ([email protected])
What was this committee responsible for?
Committee Charges:
Brainstorm, plan, and implement creative, engaging, and exciting entertainment options for the MAUCHO 2012 Annual Conference hosted at the Tremont Plaza Hotel in Baltimore, MD. Collect valuable information for transportation needs for the conference, including transportation to and from conference entertainment options and transportation options for conference participants that chose to explore the host city on their own.
What was the timeline you followed to get everything done?
2011
Aug:
Review previous E&T timelines, events, challenges, and successes. Determine ways to change foreseen challenges into opportunities to try something new with 2012 conference.
Sept:
Ideation, look for interesting things to do and see within Baltimore and the Inner Harbor for the conference registrants.
First Set:
5k Fun Run/Walk/Roll Cocktail Hour Gaming/Quiz Show Casino Night/Bingo Tournament Taste of Baltimore (Sampling of Baltimore’s foods) Dessert Reception (Baltimore Aquarium or Baltimore Science Center) Wednesday Brunch (Miss Shirley’s, a Baltimore restaurant, location or catering option)
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Oct:
Refine ideas, determine what events, attractions, etc. we would like to move forth with and commit to.
Updated Set (Additional Ideas):
Ticketed Peabody Institute Concert/MICA student art display Dolphin Show at Baltimore Aquarium Visionary Art Museum Mustang Alley Bowling in Fell’s Point Nov/Dec:
Propose ideas to Host Committee for additional ideas, suggestions, questions, critiques, and final approval before having additional conversations and updates for sub-committee and splitting tasks with members of sub-committee.
2012
Jan:
Tasks for each aspect of the conference are divided and given to members of the sub-committee. They were divided as such:
Heritage Tour (leaving from the Baltimore Inner Harbor) o All planning would be handled by Baltimore Heritage Tour company. We would simply need committed participants. Casino Night/Taste of Baltimore (located at Design Collective, Inc.) o All materials for Casino Night would be taken care of by Towson University, who has various casino sets in their position. Research needs to be done in terms of the foods and potential beverages that will be served at the Taste of Baltimore, as well as making sure it is within budget. Fun Run/Walk/Roll (starting from the Baltimore Inner Harbor) o Co-planned with PPD Committee. Karaoke Night (located at Midtown BBQ & Brew) o Planning will be handled by a sub-committee member and the contact person for the establishment where Karaoke Night will take place. Game Night (located at the hotel) o The biggest issue would be collecting enough games and have a diversity of games for this entertainment option. Some ideas were various board games, cards, encouraging conference participants to bring their own games, and perhaps have a Wii, PS3, or Xbox available for people to play with. Feb:
An idea for hosting an on-site dance was presented by the host committee co-chairs. It would be brought back to the sub-committee for review before adding it to the list of current events taking place for the conference. Video games for Game Night were dropped from the entertainment option, and it was decided to keep this simple with a few board games, cards, and such.
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Mar:
Continue working on divided tasks and responsibilities for the conference entertainment options.
April:
After much deliberation, the sub-committee decided to add a dance party to the conference. The party would be another on-site options for registrants at the conference. A DJ was already acquired from Towson University, and conversations have started about contacts and payment of services for the conference.
May:
Finalized contracts and agreements with Design Collective, Inc to be host site for Casino Night and Taste of Baltimore. Continue working on divided tasks and responsibilities for the conference entertainment options.
Jun/Jul:
Host on-site tours of Design Collective, Inc. and continue chatting about collaboration/sponsorship ideas for the Casino Night/Taste of Baltimore options. Continue working on divided tasks and responsibilities for the conference entertainment options.
Aug:
Transportation within the conference to and from entertainment options were brought into the picture. Several ideas were talked about beforehand (working with Ron Butler of Towson University for buses from College Town Shuttle, utilizing Towson University vans and certified drivers, or working with a connection with Loyola University through Joseph Uter). It was decided to work with Joseph Uter and utilizing Loyola shuttles and drivers for the conference entertainment options. Finalize contract with Midtown BBQ & Brew for using their location for Karaoke Night.
An additional task was taken on by the E&T committee to collaboration with the Co-Chairs of the Diversity Committee to plan the first ever Service project Event for the annual conference. Planning needed to be taken care of for transportation needs, organizing with the service project site, and organizing a reflective discussion about the service project experience as part of the annual conference’s PPD sessions.
Sept:
Continue to work with Joseph Uter for reserving the accurate number and seating size of shuttles for the conference. Work on contracts for Loyola in order to pay for shuttle and driver usage. Connect with Diversity Committee about service project collaboration and finalize any needs for organization. Design Collective, Inc. was delighted to work with us to create a Cash Bar as part of the Casino Night event. As part of their collaboration, Design Collective, Inc. was interested in purchasing the beer, wine, and create a specialty mixed drink in celebration of the MACUHO 2012 annual conference in Baltimore. All proceeds from the Cash Bar went to the conference philanthropy.
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Oct:
Finalize orders for delicacies for Taste of Baltimore entertainment option. Finalize contract with Baltimore Heritage Tour Company for Heritage Tour entertainment option. Finalize contact for DJ of dance party. Finalize contracts for Loyola shuttle usage. Confirm any final needs for Diversity Committee for service project opportunity during conference. Members of the sub-committee will also think about splitting the purchasing of the VISA gift card prizes for the Casino Night raffle that takes place at the end of the event. VISA is preferred based on the versatility of the card usage in various vendors and establishments. Based on the budgeted amount the sub-committee was able to purchase the following number of cards and their amounts: 10 - $25 VISA Gift Cards; 2 - $50 VISA Gift Cards
Nov:
Finalize pick-up plans for various delicacies for the Taste of Baltimore. Board games were collected from various front desks at Towson University to be labeled, catalogued, and essentially borrowed for the conference for the Game Night entertainment option. Work the conference. Have fun!
Please describe everything that you did at the conference.
Wednesday Activities (Nov. 7th)
Local Baltimore Activities! (9am – 12pm) Check out all there is to offer with our "Good Morning, Baltimore" listings of eateries, attractions, and special things to do while visiting the Charm City. You can use our local Charm City Circulator system or walk from the Tremont Plaza Hotel to various Baltimore locations around the hotel and abroad.
The nearest stop by the Tremont Plaza Hotel is the 317 Saratoga Street stop on the Purple Route at the corner of St. Paul and E. Saratoga streets. Copies of the entire Circulator Purple Route maps can be found at the Registration Table as well as within the conference binder.
Baltimore Heritage Walking Tour @ Inner Harbor! (9am – 11:30am)
The Baltimore National Heritage Area offers walking tours of historical neighborhoods within and around the Baltimore area. All the tours are 90 minutes with a urban ranger guide. They provide a brief history and interpretation of many museums and historic sites that relevant to Baltimore’s unique heritage.
Discover historic Jonestown, Little Italy, and the Inner Harbor. See the USS Constellation, the Flag House and Star-Spangled Banner Museum, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture, the Carroll Mansion, Civil War Museum and the Jewish Museum of Maryland. This walk interprets the history of the infamous Pratt Street Riots marking the "first" bloodshed of the Civil War and provides a brief history of War of 1812 - the Battle of Baltimore (1814).
Participants will meet in the lobby of the Tremont Plaza Hotel at 8:20am to board the Charm City Circulator at
MACUHO 2012 Conference Report | Page 46 the 317 Saratoga Street stop on the Purple Route. We will ride to the 320 Conway Street stop and meet our tour guide at the Inner Harbor Visitors Center, where we will start the tour promptly at 9am. After the tour, at approximately 10:30am, we will visit Design Collective, Inc., next to the National Aquarium, and meet with representatives specializing in college and university building design and infrastructure. This is a perfect meet- and-greet opportunity, as well as a way to learn more about the inner workings of designing and planning for the arrival of a college or university building on campus. We will then take the Circulator back to the Tremont from the 302 Inner Harbor stop on the Purple Route.
Diversity Committee Service Project @ Moveable Feast (9am – 12pm)
This year, the Diversity Committee is graciously working with Moveable Feast, a Baltimore-based organization, for MACUHO’s first-ever service learning project during the annual conference!
Moveable Feast was founded in 1990 by a committee, led by Robert Mehl, who at the time was an employee of the Baltimore City Health Department. It’s primary goal is to provide nutritious meals and other services at no cost to people with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-challenging conditions. In its 22nd year and still going strong, Moveable Feast has been able to expand its range of services and branch out throughout the state of Maryland.
Part of their success is contributed to their many volunteers who help with the packing, cooking, cleaning, delivering, and caring of its many clients. This year, MACUHO will be sending a small delegation to help Moveable Feast in their efforts. This event will be held on Wednesday, November 7, 2012 at 9:00am. Volunteers will meet at the front lobby of Tremont Plaza Hotel to be transported to the Moveable Feast site via university shuttle service. Volunteers will be greeted by one of their representatives to talk more about their organization and be instructed on how they can help. Volunteers will be back around 12noon so that no one misses the Welcome/Keynote Speech later that day.
In addition, a small informal discussion to process your experience with Moveable Feast will be held at 3:00pm (PDP Session-Smith Room). Those who volunteer should commit to be part of this discussion.
For more information about Moveable Feast, please go to: http://www.mfeast.org/
Casino Night and Taste of Baltimore @ Design Collective, Inc. (9:30pm – 11:30pm)
Celebrate 40 years of MACUHO accomplishments with some fun and games at Casino Night! From Black Jack and Poker to Bingo and the Wheel of Fortune, we have lots of ways to enjoy our organization's 40th birthday! While you're at it, be sure to sample some delicacies from Baltimore's eateries, as we offer you a "Taste of Baltimore!"
Interested participants will meet in the lobby of the Tremont Plaza Hotel and be greeted with volunteers escorting them to a rotating
MACUHO 2012 Conference Report | Page 47 university shuttle service. Shuttles will leave from the hotel to the Design Collective, Inc site, where Casino Night and Taste of Baltimore are being held, at approximately every 15 minutes. Participants will be dropped off at the shuttle circle by the National Aquarium and be directed to the entrance of the Design Collective, Inc. offices. Folks should take the elevator to the 3rd floor and enter through the glass doors for a night of fun and excitement!
Dance Party in the Charm City @ Tremont Hotel (11pm – 1am)
As an added bonus for celebrating MACUHO’s 40th, we will have a have a dance party in MACUHO’s honor for all to enjoy! Please join us in the Corinthian Room of the Tremont Plaza Hotel and enjoy the sounds of DJ Mo Fiyah from Towson University!
Thursday Activities (Nov. 8th) Fun Run/Walk/Roll @ Inner Harbor (7am – 7:30am)
As our yearly tradition continues, join us as we further connect, or reconnect, with our physical selves. In collaboration with the Personal and Professional Development Committee, the Fun Run/Walk/Roll will give us an opportunity to rise, shine, and say "Good Morning, Baltimore!" as we travel around scenic areas near the Inner Harbor.
Interested participants should meet at the lobby of the Tremont Plaza Hotel at 6:30am to prep for "warm-up" walk to the Inner Harbor for the event. A copy of the route is printed below within your conference binder.
Karaoke Night @ Midtown BBQ & Brew (9:30pm – 12midnight)
After a long few days of regional professional development, what better way to end the conference than with a good round of karaoke! Hosted at the Midtown BBQ & Brew, join your colleagues and mentors as we sing to “Don't Stop Belivin',” “Scrubs,” or “Single Ladies” while reflecting on the good times that were had. Once you made it to Midtown, let the staff know you are here for the MACUHO Annual Conference, and they will direct you to the private karaoke area just for us!
Interested participants can follow these walking directions from the Tremont Plaza Hotel: Starting at the Tremont Plaza Hotel (222 Saint Paul Street; Baltimore, MD 21202) Head North on Saint Paul Street toward East Saratoga Street, taking a left after exiting the hotel for 0.3 miles. Turn left onto East Centre Street. Midtown BBQ and Brew will be on the left.
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Midtown BBQ and Brew’s Address and Phone #: 15 E Centre St Baltimore, MD 21202 443-835-2472
Game Night! (9:30pm – 12midnight)
Too tired to go out? We have classic, fun board games, card games, etc. for all to enjoy during a night in rather than a night out. Feel free to bring your own fun gaming ideas. Please join us in the Hopkins Room at the Tremont Plaza Hotel!
What recommendations do you have for future committee’s that have this task?
A. Determine a set date rotation for the sub-committee to meet. It would be better to have folks commit to particular rotation and look forward to that day, besides having to resort to email or Doodle polls every time. For example, every second Thursday of the month could be the sub- committee meeting. If a meeting needs to be changed, then the sub-committee can look into it well in advance.
B. Start the sub-committee off with short- and long-term goals for the group. It would be a great idea to see what goals the individual members of the group have for not only the group but for the final product for the conference itself. This conversation should be had in the first two or three meetings held with the sub-committee members.
C. Continue to have a variety of on-site and off-site entertainment options. There are pros and cons to this move. Some may say that since the host committee and the association is paying money to utilize the conference hotel site that all or most of the events should be happening on-since we’re already paying for it. Others may say that it creates balance between on- and off-site options, so that people can physically and mentally get away from the presentation rooms and enjoy what the host city has to offer to those conference participants who haven’t experience the area before.
D. Have at least 1-2 members of the sub-committee stay on-site for the conference. Depending on the location of the conference, some folks may not be able to afford hotel expenses and prefer to stay home or at the campuses and commute each day. It would best to have someone on-site to help trouble shoot any issues with the entertainment pieces throughout the day (before, during, and after each option), as well as troubleshoot any transportation issues to and from the entertainment sites.
E. In terms of suggestions for specific entertainment options, if one wishes to repeat them at the upcoming conference, the only issue to review was planning transportation back to the host hotel for the volunteers at the conference, if the entertainment option is off-site during one of the conference nights. That was the issue for the Casino Night. Plans were made to transport all volunteers to Design Collective, Inc. to help set-up, be trained on all of the games, and such; however, the shuttle that was used for transportation believed they left with all participants for Casino Night already and left after
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their shift. Through some quick thinking, members of Towson University’s staff volunteered to help carpool volunteers back to host hotel before returning home. The lesson is to make sure the transportation option used to get folks to an off-site entertainment option is on the clock for an extra hour to transport conference staff and volunteers who remain to help clean-up and process the event.
F. For the Fun Run/Walk/Roll, although 47 people signed up for the event, only 8 individuals attended. Usually a tradition at each annual conference, there was no say in the weather condition and the coolness of the wind within the Inner Harbor area. That could be a factor to low turnout for the event from the actual registered participants. If possible, the next committee should take into consideration how weather patterns in their area could affect outside events. If the Fun Run/Walk/Roll can be done in doors somehow, that can be a good alternative. Otherwise, if future committees desire to have this event outdoors, the number of opening of registered participants could be shortened considerably to make sure plans are made for the true participants and not overdoing it in the long- run.
G. Specifically for the Thursday evening entertainment option that takes place after the Thursday dinner, it would be best to plan closer with the dinner schedule, meaning closer conversations with the Hotel Operations Sub-Committee and the Host Committee Co-Chairs. Within the 2012 annual conference, Karaoke Night was set to start right as the dinner was ending. Since the dinner ended late and people wanted to change before going out, the event actually started 1 hour after it was scheduled to start. It is hard to say if the final dinner has a tendency to go over the allotted time, but it would be safe to encourage the host committee to give more time to the Thursday dinner to have a better schedule for the evening, and in turn better prep work with the collaborations with off-site establishments if the Thursday evening activity is off-site. If on-site, the timeliness of the ending of the Thursday dinner and the consideration of people desiring to change before arriving to the evening entertainment option should all be taking into account when planning in advance.
List all budgetary expenses and incomes.
EVENT BUDGET EXPENSES DIFFERENCES Heritage Tour $ 75.00 $ 75.00 $ - Casino Night @ DCI Prizes $ 400.00 $ 400.00 $ - Cash Bar $ 375.00 $ 475.00 $ ( 100.00) Taste of Baltimore @ DCI Snacks/Desserts $ 375.00 $ 285.00 $ 90.00 Dinnerware $ 50.00 $ 40.00 $ 10.00 Dance Party DJ Moe Fyah $ 200.00 $ 200.00 $ - Karaoke Night @ Midtown BBQ & Brew $ 900.00 $ 150.00 $ 750.00 Game Night $ - $ - $ - Transportation Moveable Feast $ 160.00 $ 160.00 $ - Casino Night $ 240.00 $ 240.00 $ -
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TOTALS $ 2,775.00 $ 2,025.00 Please include examples of e-mails, documents, templates, etc. that were used by your committee.
*See appendix
If there are any questions or concerns about this report or the supplemental materials, please contact any of the members of the MACUHO 2012 Entertainment and Transportation Sub-Committee about their specific responsibilities within entertainment and logistical options.
Michael Diesner ([email protected])
Casino Night Game Night Transportation
Kyley Sommer ([email protected])
Fun Run/Walk/Roll Karaoke Night
Steven C. Sweat ([email protected])
Heritage Tour Taste of Baltimore Dance Party Transportation
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Conference Survey Feedback
Jennifer Derry (Villanova University) and Joshua Belice (Shepherd University) developed a conference assessment survey with the help of Chris Ferraro and Brian Medina prior to the 2012 Annual Conference. A week after the annual conference (November 13th, 2012), the survey was distributed via the MACUHO listserv and collected 122 responses out of approximately 300 attendees of the 2012 Annual Conference.
The full conference survey report of 78 pages can be found within the appendix files additional to this report. However, below are a few summary highlights and points to consider:
As compared to the 2011 Annual Conference Survey, there was a dramatic increase in survey responses (69 to 122) The Host Site (Tremont Plaza and Grande) was generally well received – the only concern was the initial disorientation given the several floor setup and fact that the hotel was slightly disconnected from the predominate conference area Cost of the conference ($200) was not of major concern, despite it being an increase from the 2011 Annual Conference ($180) Online registration and the host website for the 2012 conference was seen as a better experience for registrants than in 2011 Fewer attendees participated in the basket raffle and social events for the 2012 conference than for the 2011 conference Guidebook (smartphone app) was well received by conference attendees. However, the text- based program evaluation tool was less utilized than desired, and site internet access was less- than-ideal for conference attendees Despite initial concerns related to vendors split between two floors, most feedback indicates that this did not dramatically affect attendance to the exhibitor areas Food quality and options were generally well received by conference attendees. Service by food service staff was also rated high, however; hotel front desk staff were seen as more challenging than desired Entertainment options were well-received, though attendance was low at the Dance Party and Game Night – a few attendees also recommended that with city-conferences, more time could be allotted for ‘exploration’ without too much structure embedded in the schedule
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Special Thanks
We (David and Brian) want to extend a special thank you to several people/groups:
Towson University and UMBC for serving as co-hosts of the conference
Exhibits and Displays Committee (Chad) and Program Committee (Hillary and Brooke) for their persistent communication to take care of two major areas of the annual conference
Amy and Sharon from the Tremont Hotel – without their dedication and partnership, most of the conference would not nearly have been as successful as it had been.
Shigeo Iwamiya – as our standing President, you had to deal with many emails, phone calls, and texts to keep our communication flowing and to make the conference the best that we could during your Presidency. Thank you for your leadership, patience, and humor through it all.
The Host Committee (listed on page 6) – we could not have asked for a better committee and individual members to work with for over 16 months. Despite driving all over the Baltimore area (and even to Shepherd University in West Virginia), you stuck with us as chairs and did extraordinary work.
Specifically, we’d like to thank Jenn Thorpe. Despite living and working in Philly, she still made many meetings either in person or by phone. Jenn also raised an incredible amount of donations for both the Corporate Partner program and the Host Committee Sponsors.
Finally, we’d like to thank you, MACUHO, for allowing us to host your 40th birthday. Without the many dedicated professionals around the region, we would not have had a purpose for the conference. We invite you to continue to give back to MACUHO for years to come and look forward to seeing you again at next year’s conference in Pittsburgh!
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Appendices
Pre-conference: Conference Logo and Invitations Conference Teaser Video Minutes from Host meetings Your Membership tutorial Host T-shirt design Program booklet Pre-conference Mailer
On-site: Meal menus/agendas Map of the Tremont Exhibitor Space/Dimensions Entertainment – Design Collective Liability Waiver and Floor Plan, Transportation Guide and Charm City Circulator Map, Fun Run Walk and Roll Map, and Baltimore Attractions Guide Host On-Site Meeting Schedule
Post-conference: Winter 2012 Newsletter Annual Conference Survey Recommendations from Host Committee Post-Conference Conference Final Budget
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