In this Issue . . .

ACCED-I 20^th Annual Conference
    San Diego in March: An Ideal Vacation Before the Summer Madness
    Whodunit? ACCED-I Style
    Scholarships Available
    Get Involved: Volunteer at the Annual Conference
    The San Diego College/University Tour: A Collegiate Conference and Events Professionals' Holiday
    Save $50 on Annual Conference Registration
    Annual Conference Multiple Registration Discounts
    Session Host: A Great Way to Volunteer
    Vendor Recruitment Contest
    Optional Hospitality Tours

ACCED-I Accepts Visa/MasterCard

Event Management Certification Program

Chapters

You Won't Hear Us Complain - A Special Events Narrative

Hot Topic: Computer Labs

President's Message

Board of Directors Holds Strategic Planning Retreat

Working for You: Board Meets in San Diego

Leaders to Assume New Roles

In the News

ACCED-I Workshop Sites and Topics Sought for 2000

Regional News: Check What's Happening In Your Part of the World

Interested in Breaking into Some New Markets? Try a Trade Show

Editor's Comments

ACCED-I Members Want More Issues of The Communique

Announcements

ACCED-I 20th Annual Conference

The holidays are over, you’re back at work and the brochure for the ACCED-I 20^th Annual Conference should be on your desk. I hope that you have had a chance to look over the brochure and to read about some of the wonderful educational opportunities that await you in San Diego. Many ACCED-I members have taken the time to prepare presentations so that they can share their hard earned knowledge of the profession with you. Who better to learn from than a colleague who knows the industry and understands the challenges that you face in your job?

All of the educational opportunities offered at the conference are not necessarily in sessions. One of the many reasons for choosing to attend the conference is the opportunity for networking. As you know, the collegiate conference and events profession can be very demanding. At times, we all work long hours, face seemingly impossible deadlines and are forced to find solutions for problems that seem unsolvable. At the conference, you have the opportunity of meeting and interacting with over 400 individuals who understand and appreciate what you do without questioning your sanity. You have the chance to share your success stories, talk about what you might have handled differently and get input from your peers to help solve those unsolvable problems. In July, when faced with a situation that you are not sure how to handle, you could find yourself calling some of the ACCED-I members that you met in San Diego to get their advice and ideas.

Personally, I always attend the Annual Conference because I find the atmosphere and the energy that abounds rejuvenating. Listening to the successes and the tribulations of

my colleagues helps me to put my own job in perspective. I return to my campus eager to try out something new that I learned from someone at the conference. I also breathe a sigh of relief to know that I don’t face some of the particular problems and challenges that some of my colleagues have to handle. But most of all the Annual Conference helps me to remember that I’m not alone and that a sympathetic ear is only a phone call away! 

- Diane Burns, Annual Conference Chair and ACCED-I Vice President
University of Massachusetts at Amherst
413.545.5142 / dburns@admin.umass.edu 

San Diego in March: An Ideal Vacation Before the Summer Madness

The ACCED-I 20^th Annual Conference in March promises to be an exciting program, filled with networking opportunities, professional development, and plenty of new resources. Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of the conference is it’s location! If meteorologists can agree on one thing, it’s that San Diego is the place to go if you’re looking for near perfect weather all year round. The average temperature in San Diego in March is a high of 66° Fahrenheit and a low of 50.1°.

San Diego is also the perfect location for a personal and/or family get-away, and March is an ideal time to snatch a quick vacation before the summer chaos hits all our campuses. Kids and kids-at-heart conference professionals will love the attractions San Diego offers, including Sea World, the world-famous San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Wild Animal Park, and the newly opened Legoland! History and culture abound in San Diego making the location great for fun and learning. Explore historic Old Town, where California began, or take a short trip to the Tijuana Cultural Center, which brings to life Mexico’s colorful history. Visitors can shop and dine in the many fine establishments throughout the city, including the Gaslamp Quarter, Horton Plaza, Seaport Village, or Bazaar del Mundo. And, take a tour of the Harbor, ride San Diego’s famous trolley throughout the city, or spend a day at the beach!

The Hospitality Committee has also arranged some special excursions and tours for the benefit of the conference participants. Built into the conference schedule, you’ll have the opportunity to take a Harbor cruise tour of the city; get a behind the scenes look at the San Diego Zoo; shop and dine in Tijuana, Mexico; walk around beautiful Coronado; stroll through the best of Balboa Park; visit the beach and local aquarium; or spend a day at Sea World! (See page 6.)

Descriptions and more information on sunny San Diego, California and the planned excursions and tours are available at the Hospitality web site, located at http://Housing.CSUN.edu/ACCED-I.

The Hospitality Committee for the ACCED-I 20^th Annual Conference invites you and your family to enjoy the sites and attractions unique to San Diego. See you there! n

- Phillip M. Gin
California State University, Northridge
818-677-2160 / phillip.m.gin@csun.edu 

You probably think you’ve had Mystery Meals before, possibly in your elementary school cafeteria, where the plates were filled with gooey substances, mystery meat, and dreary-colored uncertain vegetables. Now try a Mystery Dinner where the mystery isn’t the food -- it’s the diners themselves.

If you’re arriving on Saturday, March 25, plan on joining the fun between 5:30 – 9:30 PM. Your ACCED-I colleagues will be participating in a Mystery Dinner at the San Diego Mission Valley Marriott. A murder will take place sometime during the night, leaving you to discover the whys and whodunits of your fellow guests.

Registration will be open during this time, so if you arrive late just register and immediately join in the fun. This dinner will take the place of the Saturday Night Meet, Greet and Off to Eat. There will be a $15.00 charge for this activity/dinner.

So, bring your camera and your entire family along for the game. That is, if it is a game…… 

Scholarships Available for Annual Conference

The Association is pleased to invite all ACCED-I members (professional and student) to apply for a scholarship to the ACCED-I 20^th Annual Conference. Scholarships are for the annual conference general registration fee. The recipient is responsible for all other related conference costs.

Scholarship awards will be based on financial need, first-time attendee, service to ACCED-I and service to the profession.

There is a maximum of five (5) scholarships awarded. Individuals are limited to ONE scholarship during their ACCED-I membership and scholarships are non-transferable. The deadline to apply for a scholarship to the ACCED-I 20^th Annual Conference is Monday, January 10, 2000.

Scholarship Guidelines: To apply for a scholarship, submit the following typed information and three letters of recommendation: name/title; institution/mailing address; city/state/zip/postal code; and phone/fax/e-mail.

Questions/comments to be supplied by candidate:

• Why are you applying for this scholarship?
• How will this program benefit your growth as a professional?
• Number of years in current position. Briefly describe your responsibilities.

The following statement is to be signed by the candidate and included with scholarship application.

I understand that if I am a recipient of a scholarship I am expected to volunteer at the Annual Conference.

If you have questions regarding the scholarship process, contact Ronna Love at 970.491.5151. Send your scholarship information including three letters of reference by Monday, January 10, 2000 to the following: ACCED-I 20^th Annual Conference Scholarship Committee, c/o Ronna Love, Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO 80523-8037 or fax 970.491.0667. 

Get Involved: Volunteer at the Annual Conference

What better way to get to know fellow ACCED-I members than to volunteer at the ACCED-I conference. There are many opportunities available including:

Hospitality: Help the Hospitality Committee at the hospitality desk by answering questions, directing people where to go, what to see and do in San Diego. (You don’t have to be from San Diego to help at the hospitality desk.)

Round Table Discussion Leaders: During breakfast, lead a discussion on a topic that you are an "expert" in or are interested in. You decide the topic. (See page 23.)

Session Hosts: Check room set-up, assist presenters, distribute/collect evaluations, and introduce presenters for sessions throughout the conference.

Signage: Assist the ACCED-I staff with signage during the conference.

If you would like to help in any of these areas, please contact Lori Everhart, Phone: 970.491.4612 E-Mail loriaced@lamar.colostate.edu. 

The San Diego College and University Tour: A Collegiate Conference and Events Professional’s Holiday

There are a host of reasons that conference planners choose to bring their programs to San Diego, be it the near perfect climate, the myriad of local attractions or the area’s natural beauty. Once they decide on the city, however, selecting an institution to host their conference is just as difficult.

San Diego is home to four major academic institutions that vary in size and age. The Annual Conference Committee is pleased to offer you tours of three of the four local institutions — San Diego State University, Point Loma Nazarene University and the University of San Diego. With enrollments ranging from 3,000 to 30,000 these colleges offer the full spectrum of facilities and services to potential clients.

Be our guest as we join conference managers from each of these institutions on a four-hour tour. Whether you are from a small, medium or large university you’ll be impressed by the facilities and amazed by the beauty of these schools. Plan on joining ACCED-I in San Diego and on the educational tour, and watch for more information on all the Conference Committee has planned for your stay! 

- Maria Giggy,
Optional Educational Tour Chair
Michigan State University
517.353.9300
GIGGYM@UG.MSU.EDU 

Save $50 on Annual Conference Registration

ACCED-I members are eligible for a $50 savings on their general registration fee to the Annual Conference. To receive this reduced rate make sure your conference registration arrives at ACCED-I by February 18, 2000. Only the registration form needs to arrive by that date, payment can follow. However, once the registration form arrives at ACCED-I and you cancel your conference registration, you will be charged the $50 cancellation fee.

Annual Conference Multiple Registration Discount

If three or more people from a school with an ACCED-I Institutional Membership plan on attending the Annual Conference, they are eligible for a Multiple Registration Discount. To receive the discount follow the steps below:

• There must be 3 or more people for the discount.
• The school must have an Institutional Membership. Registrants need not be listed on the membership.
• All registration materials must be returned together by February 18, 2000.

Contact Ronna Love (970.491.5151) if you have questions.

Session Host: A Great Way to Volunteer

Want to be an ACCED-I volunteer and not sure how to start? The easiest way is to volunteer as a Session Host at the Annual Conference.

Sessions Hosts greet the speaker, make sure the room and a/v hardware are in order, introduce the speaker, and pass out and collect session evaluations. Simple, right?

If you're new to ACCED-I, becoming a Session Host is a great way to meet other members and develop professional contacts. Signing up is easy, just contact Mary Cranwell, Georgian Court College, by phone 732-364.2200, extension 285, fax 732.364.4442, or e-mail cranwell@georgian.edu  

Vendor Recruitment Contest

Recent issues of The Communique have addressed our Corporate Members and the tremendous support they give ACCED-I and it's members. Many of our Corporate Members are also Annual Conference Vendors. By now, everyone should have received the e-mail message about the Vendor Recruitment Contest. We've instituted this contest as a result of the Member Needs Assessment Survey that was conducted in September 1999. Through the survey we found that 89% of the membership would like to have more companies exhibit at the Annual Conference. We're rising to that challenge and soliciting your expertise in attaining that goal!

On an annual basis, the Association markets ACCED-I and the Annual Conference to over 280 companies that serve the needs of collegiate conferences and events professionals. Generally, about 15-22 companies commit to vending at the Annual Conference. Are we marketing to the right companies? That's where your assistance and expertise is needed!

We'd like to compose a targeted list of companies that our membership actually uses on a regular basis and thus develop a truly reflective marketing list. We will follow up with all the companies and contacts that you give us and introduce them to ACCED-I, it's mission, and it's benefits. It is our hope that a number of these companies will choose to exhibit at the Annual Conference in San Diego and even become Corporate Members! Can you think of companies that should know about ACCED-I and the industry that we all work in?

The contest rules are very simple and straightforward and you may enter as many times as you'd like - however, all entries must be complete with all information in order to count! Here's what you do:

Below, you can submit information on potential corporate contacts/companies that you currently do business with using the format below. Please note that contacts from current ACCED-I Corporate Members are not eligible! Our Corporate Members are American Computer Experience, Bon Appetit Management Company, Campus Living Centres, Dean Evans & Associates, Inc., Diebold, Event Software Corporation, Harbor Linen Company, JANUS/Morrow Technologies, MAGNA Publications, MARCO, Meeting Expectations Software, Peopleware, National Cheerleaders Association, Sodexho/Marriott Services, Seattle Technology, Successful Meetings Magazine, The CBORD Group, The Guide to Unique Meeting & Event Facilities, Ungerboeck Systems, Universal Algorithms and Universal Cheerleaders Association.

Return your information to Mariellynn Maurer (mdmaur@wm.edu ) or Ronna Love (loveaced@lamar.colostate.edu ) by February 18, 2000.

Each time you submit a completed entry, your name will be entered in a drawing to be held at the Annual Conference.

Since there will not be a T-Shirt Exchange this year, this is your chance to win a collegiate t-shirt! Five (5) winners will be drawn! 

- Mariellynn D. Maurer
Annual Conference Vendor Chair
757.221.4084 / FAX: 757.221.2090
email: mdmaur@facstaff.wm.edu 

ACCED-I Accepts Visa and MasterCard

At the request of members, the ACCED-I Board has approved payment by credit card. The Association is now accepting Visa and MasterCard for membership, conference/workshop and other miscellaneous association payments.

This new service should help make your life a lot easier when paying for ACCED-I services. If you have questions, contact Ronna Love at 970.491.5151.

Optional Hospitality Tours

The ACCED-I 20^th Annual Conference Hospitality Committee invites you to see the best of San Diego through the tours offered by Enjoy California Enterprises. Descriptions of the tours being offered are below.

Harbor Excursion and City Tour

Welcome Aboard! Today you’ll cruise the peaceful blue harbor waters of San Diego. You’ll pass the historic sailing vessel, the Star of India, and palm-lines Harbor and Shelter Islands. Wonder at the splendor of the magnificent Coronado bridge as you cruise beneath it past the US 11^th Naval Fleet. Afterwards, enjoy the highlights of “America’s Finest City” by land as we visit Old Town, Balboa Park and San Diego’s Gaslamp District.

Behind the Scenes at the San Diego Zoo

Special arrangements have been made for you to go behind the scenes at the San Diego Zoo. You’ll see a variety of animals not on view for the general public. Walk behind enclosures, visit the feeding areas and learn how the zoo houses and medically cares for over 3,500 animals daily. As you will be meeting some of the residents up close, don’t forget your camera!

Tijuana Shopping with Lunch

This tour is a wonderful shopping adventure in colorful

Mexico. In the open-air bazaars of Tijuana you can bargain for hand-crafted trinkets and treasures of Old Mexico. The duty-free stores offer tremendous savings on glassware, china, and perfume. Factory outlets and European boutiques feature Hong Kong prices for Ralph Lauren, LIFA, Lacoste, Oscar de la Renta, Ellesse designer items. Included in this tour is a traditional Mexican lunched (with a Margarita) served in Tijuana Tilly’s.

Walking Tour of Coronado with Shopping at the Ferry Landing

Ferry across the San Diego Bay to beautiful Coronado where you will have time to browse the Ferry Landing marketplace. Then join in on an escorted walking tour of Coronado where your will see the house of John D. Spreckles, the “Sugar King” who, at one time, owned most of the island. You will also walk by his summerhouse where the Prince of Wales was entertained, and the mansion, which is the largest home in Coronado with 17 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms. The highlight of the tour is “The Hotel Del.” You will learn all the anecdotal history of this Grand Dame including the stories of the Royalty, Presidents and celebrities that have graded the hotel over the past 100 years. With its 30 foot high sugar pine ceiling and the nooks and crannies of a 19^th century hotel, it is a most memorable locale.

The Best of Balboa Park

Your afternoon will be spent in the relaxed atmosphere of Balboa Park - one of the largest inter-city parks in the world! You will be given a “passport to Balboa Park,” one ticket which will allow you to visit up to four different museums. Choose from The Aerospace Historical Center, The San Diego Automotive Museum, The San Diego Museum of Art, The San Diego Hall of Champions, The Museum of Photographic Arts, The Museum of Man, The San Diego Natural History Museum and The Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater and Science Center.

Harbor Excursion and City Tour

See Harbor Excursion and City Tour, Sunday, March 26, 2000.

Harbor Excursion and City Tour

See Harbor Excursion and City Tour, Sunday, March 26, 2000.

Stephen Birch Aquarium and La Jolla Beach Walk

Join us as our naturalist will help you experience and identify marine life, birds, plants and geological formations while discussing local environmental issues and cultural history, on your refreshing walk. Afterwards, we visit Scripps Institute of Oceanography’s famous Stephen Birch Aquarium. Here 33 tanks display sea life from around the world’s oceans in an aquarium built high atop the La Jolla hills with magnificent outdoor views of the Pacific. Then, see the sights of San Diego with a narrated city tour.

Event Management Certification Program

The University of San Diego has been selected as one of six universities worldwide by The George Washington University to become a site for the Event Management Certificate Program.

Having just completed our first year offering classes, one-third of our students came from universities! This is a must for University Conference Coordinators/Event Directors! The curriculum is the only industry approved curriculum for event management on the West Coast.

Don't be left out. Classes start again January 31, 2000. Call Jodi Waterhouse at 619.260.4231 for more information.

Chapters

Please submit any changes (chapters) in your professional life to Ronna Love, Editor, The Communique, via fax – 970.491.0667 or e-mail – loveaced@lamar.colostate.edu. 

Board Members, Kavinda Arthenayake, joined the staff of Southern Oregon University, his alma mater, as the Director of Alumni Relations.

Marlene Charron, University of Maine, has a new title. She is the Assistant Director of the University’s Conference Services Division.

Susan Dickert joined the staff of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh as the Assistant Director of the Gruenhagen Conference Center. Previously Susan was employed at the Chaminade Conference Center in Santa Cruz, California.

Jeff Dunbar is the new Director of the University Center and Conference Services at the University of Northern Colorado. Jeff, who replaces Dan Gette, is from Albion College in Michigan.

            Jodi Harmeier, Director of Banquet and Conference Services for The Schiff Family       Conference Center at the Cintas Center on the campus of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio has been there a month. She looks forward to meeting everyone at the Annual Conference in San Diego.

You Won’t Hear Us Complain

by Bill Lynerd & Jessica Davies, University of Maryland

With a host of good tales, like a forest so dense,
We could write a great book about special events.
We could each write a chapter and even much more,
But we don't have the time, it is calm we abhor.

To do conventions, commencements, donor relations,
Inaugurals, ground-breakings, and ceremonial occasions,
We arrive every day with unparalleled gumption
And orchestrate these and so many more functions.

There's no shortage of people who want us to be
In two places at once or perhaps even three;
Pleasing students and parents and highly paid speakers,
Whose demands would be daunting to the weaker and meeker.

We have clients whose visions are larger than Texas
But whose idea of budget? - more like Yugo than Lexus;
With demands so absurd, they would fight to the death
If we ever called THEM up with such a request.

There are caterers and florists whose sense of proportion
Is as high as the sky and as deep as the ocean;
Who scoff when we talk of limited funds,
Saying "you have to spend big if you want the job done!"

And our presidents and veeps have such high expectations
(which we no doubt exceed, to their splendid elation!)
We make it all smooth through the rain, sleet and snow,
Bathing all of our clients in a candlelight glow.

Because we’re committed to customer relations,
We forge on ahead, we so rarely vacation
For even before an activity ends
There are dozens more planned and another begins.

So as quick as this story has started, it's over.
As we answer the phone, we'll be fast to discover
A dozen or more of those needs to address,
With the greatest of calm and without any stress.

So please take from this narrative a message, my friends,
That to all of your special events staff you should send
The most warmest of greetings and felicitations, too,
Presents, and chocolate, and a pay raise or two.

For we do this, and more, not just during the day
No, no, not at all, whatsoever, no way!
We eat, drink, and sleep it -- it's our constant refrain.
But we love it, you see; you won't hear US complain!

Hot Topic: Computer Labs

In each issue of The Communique, a recent LISTSERV discussion is featured. This issue’s Hot Topic looks at computer lab rental and usage.

QUESTION

I am writing for any information people can give to me about how your college rents computer labs to outside groups. I would like information on:

• Whether or not you do this at all?
• Is there some sort of license agreement for software usage that groups must sign?
• How do you determine pricing for this type of rental? I am not asking for pricing but how you would figure it out.

RESPONSES

Here, we rent out our computer lab (in our Instructional Building). We do not make them sign an agreement and the rental fee is nominal.

We have not been able to convince our information services department that this would be a good thing to do. They supervise the lab and are concerned about damages to the computers, etc.

Our college does rent computer labs to those folks who are providing training that we would not normally provide, i.e. specialized software for police. Lab availability is given to credit and non-credit courses first. If there is space then a rental agreement would be signed. Standard insurance is required.

We charge a flat per pc/per hour fee. We also charge a technician fee that is billed including 1/2 hour before and 1/2 hour after the program and for any installation time required. We do not allow those companies to come in and install software without one of our technicians on site. This is a low maintenance excellent moneymaker.

We do the same thing here except that we charge a per day fee as opposed to a per computer fee. I have to agree that this is an excellent, low maintenance moneymaker.

We do not rent out our computer labs because of potential damage to our equipment.

We have a PC computer lab with 14 stations that we do rent. Many professions (such as nurses, social workers etc.) have been using it to train on the case management software for example. We use rates based on 4 or 8 hours. I have found that the per hour rate is hard to always anticipate (sometimes the actual trainer arrives early to prepare), some groups use training grant money where they must have a predetermined fixed amount, and there is less to negotiate.

Our technician installs the software and removes the software (if this is necessary) and is available during the training. We don't allow the meeting planners/trainers to do this on their own. We haven't experienced any damages. We do NOT allow food in the PC lab so we don't have any unusual cleaning requirements either. I am still working out the rates. Our requests continue to moderately increase, so there is definitely interest in this type of training. For me, it's a "low maintenance" source of revenue since no other campus support services are needed.

Professional Development

ACCED-I 20^th Annual Conference, March 26 – 29, 2000, Marriott Mission Valley, San Diego, California

ACCED-I 21^st Annual Conference, March 18 – 21, 2001, Renaissance Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia

ACCED-I 22^nd Annual Conference, March 2002, Milwaukee Hilton, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

National Association of College Auxiliary Services (NACAS), Union Management 2000 Engineering Change for the Next Generation, January 13 – 16, 2000, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida

National Association of College Auxiliary Services (NACAS), Symposium on University Housing Renovation, Construction, Privatization & Financing, January 22 – 24, 2000, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia

The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers, The Institute for Facilities Management, January 23 – 27, 2000, San Antonio, Texas

Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA), February 1 – 4, 2000, Dallas, Texas

Professional Development Group, Inc., 3^rd National Cards on Campus Conference, March 5 – 8, 2000, Las Vegas, Nevada

In the News….

Corporate Member The Guide to Unique Meeting and Event Facilities is mentioned in the October Special Events Magazine article The Incentive Market: Poised to Travel Far. Publisher Michele Nichols discusses the educational bonus that comes with meeting on a college/university campus.

The November issue of Events featured Duke University's move from individual class reunions into one gala alumni weekend in the article Alumni Front and Center at Spring Reunion. ACCED-I members University of North Carolina Wilmington and Southeast Missouri State University were mentioned in the article Anniversaries Offer Rare Opportunities. Diane Sides, Southeast Missouri State University, explained the success of a 150-member quilt that helped commemorate SMSU's 125^th Anniversary.

President’s Message

Recently, the Board of Directors and the staff of ACCED-I participated in a retreat to review, discuss and plan based upon the recently conducted Membership Needs Assessment Survey. The retreat, held in San Diego, immediately followed an extremely productive Fall Board of Directors Meeting. There are several articles in this issue of The Communique, each addressing the specific actions determined in the aforementioned meetings. I encourage each of you to review these articles in order to remain abreast of current issues of the Association.

Diana Bakkom, Deb Blom and I recently attended the CHEMA (Council of Higher Education Management Associations) Meeting. Our attendance provided great opportunities to discuss pertinent global issues that higher education associations share and consequently, participate in problem solving and goal setting to assist in achieving the highest quality of leadership and operation for the Association. It was so refreshing to observe that ACCED-I is no longer the little kid down the street, but an active association who was often referenced during the meeting for the productive manner in which we carry out our association business.

I look forward to seeing each of you in San Diego. Just think, by that time, Y2K will be history and we can really focus on great education programs, great networking opportunities, and great social gatherings, all in a great city!

My most sincere wish for a happy and healthy holiday season!

- Chuck Salem, ACCED-I President
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
814.269.1905 / salem+@pitt.edu

Board of Directors Holds Strategic Planning Retreat

The Board of Directors and staff held a strategic planning retreat November 9 - 10, 1999 to review the findings of the Member Needs Assessment Survey and to determine initiatives that ACCED-I will take as a result of the survey.

The 1999 Membership Needs Assessment Survey was the first survey conducted since 1990 to determine members’ needs. Garis Distelhorst, Association Initiatives, Inc. conducted the survey and presented the findings at the Retreat. The survey was sent to 1,100 members and 358 completed forms were received in time for processing, representing a 33% response rate from our membership. This is an excellent return which produces a +/- 5% margin error, at a 95% level of confidence. Thanks to all of our members who participated and contributed to a very positive outcome.

Demographic highlights of the survey responders: 70% have been ACCED-I members less than 5 years; 1/3 were in the Gen-X category, while 57% were of the Baby-Boomer variety; almost 70% were women. The typical survey respondent was a female who has been an ACCED-I member for 5 years or less, between the ages of 26-45, makes $30,000-50,000 a year, has at least an undergraduate degree, works in a 4+ year institution with 6,500 students, and has a focus on both conferences and events.

After much discussion, the Board identified four areas that we will concentrate on to enhance the activities and programs that we offer our membership:

• Benchmarking
• Communications
• Vendor/Corporate Relations
• Annual Conference Issues

Benchmarking is an area that has been of interest to ACCED-I Board for some time and, with the support from our membership, we will be taking specific actions to identify areas that should be benchmarked and measured.

We discussed a number of items, including technology, that could enhance Communication with the membership. We will be taking a look at: a) the possibility of putting the membership directory on-line; b) increasing the number of issues of The Communique; c) the option for members to receive The Communique electronically as opposed to hard copy; d) posting the Board minutes on the website for members to review; and e) providing on-line registration for the Annual Conference.

Vendor and Corporate Relations. Vendor placement at the Annual Conference will be reviewed. We also will be emphasizing Corporate Member recruitment to increase the number of ACCED-I Corporate Members and assess and enhance Corporate Member benefits.

Finally, we looked at Annual Conference Issues. Currently we are in a rotation of holding the Annual Conference in the East (Regions 9, 10, 11, and 12), then in the Central (Regions 5, 6, 7, and 8), then in the West (Regions 1, 2, and 4).

When looking at our current membership, we noted that over 60% of ACCED-I members are east of the Mississippi River. The growth rates for individual members from December 31, 1998, through October 26, 1999, are in Regions 6, 8, and 12. In light of this information, the Board voted unanimously to change the rotation of the Annual Conference after the 2002 Conference in Milwaukee. The new rotation will be on an East-Central-East-West rotation so that, every other year, the conference would be in the East (Regions 9, 10, 11, and 12). This means the 2003 Conference be held in the East; in 2004 it will be held in the West; in 2005 the East; 2006 Central, etc. 

As an integral part of the Retreat, the Board reviewed the Mission Statement and developed a Vision Statement to help us focus on the future. The Board’s vision for ACCED-I is as follows:

ACCED-I will be recognized and respected as the leading collegiate conference and events organization by its members, higher education and the hospitality industry.

It is an ambitious vision but one that can, over time and with great effort, be achieved.

The Board of Directors encourages your feedback on these matters as we move the Association into the year 2000. We are confident we are addressing the areas that are the most important to you and hope you will let us know if you believe these areas and initiatives are meaningful. n

- Diana Bakkom, ACCED-I President-Elect
Western Washington University
360.650.6821 / diana.bakkom@wwu.edu 

- Duane McDonald, ACCED-I Immediate Past President
University of Northern Iowa
319.273.6899 / DuaneMcDonald@uni.edu 

Working For You: Board of Directors Meets in San Diego

The Board of Directors met November 7 - 8, 1999 at the Marriott Mission Valley Hotel in San Diego, California. The Board actively discussed and strategically considered a full agenda. We had an outstanding meeting which affirmed that it is indeed a privilege and pleasure to work with such a responsible and responsive Board.

This year has been an unusually busy year for the Board with the additional responsibilities of conducting an Executive Director search and Member Needs Assessment Survey. We deeply appreciate the Board’s commitment to the organization and sincerely thank them for their leadership. We also toured the Annual Conference hotel facility.

We want to recognize and thank the members who served on the Executive Director Search Committee and shared their time and talents during the busiest time of the year for ACCED-I members. Pat Perfetto was awesome in chairing the committee and organizing its work. Claudia Farris, Tony Gray, CCEP and Jacque Hamilton Mullins worked with Pat to review over 112 resumes, narrow the interview list to four candidates and then conduct the interview process.

Deborah Blom will now be working with Dallas Holmes, Chair, and the Site Selection Council to identify and select the Annual Conference site and negotiate hotel contracts.

We want to recognize Jack Thornton’s many years of service to ACCED-I for making hundreds of site visits and doing the preliminary work so the Board could make informed choices. We also want to recognize and thank Dallas Holmes for the many hours he contributes as Chair of the Site Selection Council. Dallas worked closely with Conferon to select the site and negotiate hotel contracts for the San Diego (2000), Atlanta (2001), and Milwaukee (2002) Annual Conferences.

The Board of Directors cordially invites you to attend the ACCED-I 20^th Annual Conference, March 26 - 29, 2000 in San Diego. The Annual Conference Committee, chaired by Diane Burns, has planned another outstanding educational program and promises to be the best ever.

We will also be celebrating our 20^th Anniversary and will honor and thank the Founders and Past Presidents. We are very excited to be able to meet in such a quality destination. San Diego is a fabulous meeting place and offers a wide variety of things to see and do.

The Board also completed its first “self evaluation” which was a very valuable and informative exercise. To improve our performance, we will try to do a better job of communicating with each other and the Executive Director in a timely manner. Although we had to focus more on operational issues this year, we realize we need to focus more on strategic and policy issues.

The minutes of the Board Meeting will be posted on the website but we want to highlight several Board actions. The Board approved renewing partnership proposals with The Guide to Unique Meeting & Event Facilities and Successful Meeting magazine.

We believe these are excellent marketing opportunities and will promote the visibility of ACCED-I and the collegiate conference and events profession in the meeting planning industry. You will be receiving more information about these marketing opportunities in the mail.

The Board also approved a change of policy allowing the regions to retain 100% of the revenue generated by the Regional Meetings. The additional funds may be used to improve regional meeting programs, provide regional scholarships and hopefully, lessen the financial burden of the hosting institution. We realize the Regional Meeting host institution often contributes hundreds of dollars to support the meeting and we greatly appreciate these contributions.

After careful consideration of all the issues, the Board approved the regional reassignment of Ontario from Region 8 (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio) to Region 11 (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Quebec). Because the Great Lakes provided a significant geographic barrier, Ontario members found it much easier to travel to Region 11 Meetings than Region 8 Meetings.

The Board also approved a change in the Annual Conference rotation. 

- Chuck Salem, ACCED-I President
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
814.269.1905 / salem+@pitt.edu

- Tony McGuirt, ACCED-I Secretary
Clemson University
864.656.7451
MANTONY@CLEMSON.EDU 

- Deborah Blom, ACCED-I Executive Director
970.491.3772
dbacced@lamar.colostate.edu 

ACCED-I Board at Retreat

Back Row (L to R): Duane McDonald, Ann Knoebel, Tom Flynn, Tony Gray, CCEP

Middle Row (L to R): CarolAnn Paul, Dottie Warner, Diana Bakkom, Tom Arkell, Chuck Salem

Seated (L to R): Char Summers, Tony McGuirt, Diane Burns, Jacque Hamilton

Leaders To Assume New Roles

The ACCED-I Board of Directors recently elected new officers for the President-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer positions.

At the post conference Board of Directors meeting, Diana Bakkom will begin her term as President. Diana was elected to the Board in 1994 and served as Secretary from 1996 - 1999. In 1999, Diana was elected to the position of President-Elect. In addition to her volunteer duties with ACCED-I, Diana is the Director of Conference Services at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington.

Jacque Hamilton Mullins who was elected to the Board of Directors in 1992 was elected President-Elect. She was elected Treasurer in 1996 and served two, two-year terms in this position. Jacque will serve one year as the President-Elect and assume the position of President in 2001. Jacque serves as the Manager of Business Affairs and Conference Director with East Tennessee State University.

Char Summers was elected Secretary and will serve a two year term in this position. Char was appointed to fill a vacant seat on the Board of Directors in 1997 and then elected to the Board in 1998. Char currently chairs the Regional Development Committee. In addition to her volunteer duties with ACCED-I, Char serves as Conference Services Manager at Seattle Pacific University.

Tony McGuirt, Associate Director, Conference and Guest Services, Clemson University, was elected Treasurer. Tony was elected to the Board of Directors in 1997 and elected to fill the Secretary position in 1998.

We offer Jacque, Char and Tony our congratulations and thanks. Recruiting qualified individuals to fill these important leadership positions is critical to the future of the Association. We deeply appreciate your willingness to share your time and talents with ACCED-I to improve, promote and recognize excellence in the collegiate conference and events profession.

Other executive committee members are Chuck Salem who will serve a one-year term as Immediate Past President and Diane Burns who will complete her term as Vice President in March, 2001. 

- Deborah Blom, Executive Director
970.491.3772
dbacced@lamar.colostate.edu 

Regional News: Check What's Happening in Your Part of the World

Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington

Karen Kennedy, Regional Director
University of Idaho
208.885.6662 / karenk@uidaho.edu 

Submitted by Regional Director Karen Kennedy

As we look to the new, it is overwhelming to ponder the changes which will take place. The technological advances over the last decade are incredible. Remember when e-mail was a novelty? Remember when just a few of your computer nerd friends had it? Remember the first time you logged onto the web? Remember your first laptop? As we continue down this super highway, one thing is clear: change is a constant and staying current is our greatest challenge.

We have members on the move! Kavinda Arthenayake previously at Evergreen State is now the Director of Alumni Affairs at Southern Oregon University. We congratulate Kavinda and look forward to his continued service with ACCED-I as a Board Member and an esteemed colleague within our region. He also has a baby girl due in January. 

Hudson Dodd, after four years in the collegiate conference and event business at Western Washington University, is leaving the profession to seek new opportunities and challenges in other fields. He wishes to express how greatly he has enjoyed his time in this exciting profession and how much he has benefited from his association with ACCED-I.

Liz Fenn, Event Planning Coordinator at Seattle University, reports that her department is no longer in the Student Development Division. They are now part of Finance and Administration where she reports directly to the Director of Facilities Administration. A new position has also been funded to assist in Event Coordination and Field Operations working with their student crew. November 26 – December 4, Event Planning at Seattle University also hosted several group events (associated with the World Trade Organization) on their campus. They are proud to announce that Seattle University is honoring several great leaders with honorary degrees. The honorees include Nelson Mandela, Graca Michel and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Kathryn Morse, Manager of Conference Services at the University of Puget Sound, reports they have finally filled the position for Director of Dining and Conference Services. Bruce Bechtle, formerly of the University of Minnesota, has assumed the leadership of the department. Also, UPS and ACCED-I welcomes Juanita Cheatham, Catering Coordinator. The University of Puget Sound had a consultant on campus to help evaluate their program. Michael Gallant of Georgia Tech (and until recently an ACCED-I Board Member) visited for two days in November and was able to meet with all sorts of people on campus. Kathryn wrote, “The goodwill engendered by just asking people's opinions has been worth it alone; the suggestions he's made and confirmation of our ideas for the future have made it priceless. I highly recommend having a consultant visit any program — if you're working well, it serves to confirm this and if you're having problems it can only help. The benefits are numerous and the positive effects have rippled through campus in a wonderful way.”

The Region 2 Regional Meeting was held at the University of San Diego on Friday, October 15, 1999. Jodie Waterhouse of the Continuing Education Department at USD hosted this conference in their beautiful conference center. The weather and the University were spectacular.

The Regional Meeting was well attended. Discussion centered around hot topics on each campus, but focused mainly on communications within the University structure, contract issues, and insurance questions.

Leslie Arutunian, California State University, Monterey Bay, has been chosen as Regional Director and Sandra Bond, Sonoma State University, has been chosen as Director-Elect. Congratulations to both colleagues! We are all confident in their abilities to lead Region 2 at the beginning of 2000 and beyond! Both will assume office at the ACCED-I 20^th Annual Conference in March 2000 in San Diego.

Also in Region 2, continued efforts and inroads are being made in preparation for the above mentioned ACCED-I Annual Conference. On Thursday, October 14, 1999 a Hospitality Committee Meeting was held in San Diego. Continued cooperation from the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, the Hotel and Restaurant Association and from volunteer members of the Annual Conference Hospitality Committee will surely make the ACCED-I 20^th Annual Conference the best ever! Make your plans now and see what Region 2 and San Diego have in store for you! March in San Diego is beautiful. Make sure you bring your beach wear!

Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming

Lisa Anderson, Regional Director
Utah State University
435.797.0426 / lisaa@ext.usu.edu 

It won’t be long now before we will all see each other in March at the Annual Conference in San Diego! A welcome break for those of us who are tired of trudging around in the snow. Please make a note that this year the conference schedule has the Regional Meetings on Monday afternoon. Regional Dinners will be held on Monday night, and we will have a fun and delicious restaurant to go to.

Best of luck to all of you in this New Millennium!

Manitoba, Minnesota, North Dakota, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Wisconsin

Holly Bembenek, Regional Director University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point 713.346.4395 / hbembene@uwsp.edu  Dan Taylor, Regional Director-Elect Concordia University 612.641.8201 / taylor@luther.csp.edu  Submitted by Regional Director Holly Bembenek

The Region 5 Meeting was a “progressive meeting.” Here the group gathers at Northwestern College, the third and final campus they visited.

About 25 regional members (and a guest appearance by none other than ACCED-I’s own Ronna Love) attended the Regional Meeting in the Twin Cities of Minnesota on November 4 - 5, 1999. What a great opportunity to see the beautiful and unique facilities of Concordia, Luther Seminary, and Northwestern College (this is envy speaking from a public institution)!

The theme was Marketing to the Meeting Planner and the second session entitled the same involved a panel of three meeting planners who discussed their working experiences with college campuses — “the good, bad and ugly” as Dan Taylor dubbed it. The exchange was informative and detailed. Panel members discussed what should be included in a proposal to a meeting planner (one page, cost-by-day per building, food, beverage, and AV costs, space commitment), what makes a successful meeting on a campus setting (meeting objective has been met and participants are not inconvenienced), and what services they can expect (signage, back up support, parking, etc.). The planners were forthright in compliments as well as constructive criticism, and helped many of us see what the customer is looking for as compared to what we think they want.

Dinner was at Café Odyssey at the Mall of America (rumor has it Ronna had one shopping bag full before dinner began!). After dinner, some members tried their driving skills at The Mall’s NASCAR virtual racing center. Ask Gerry Becker about finishing positions — glad they weren’t assigned to the conference shuttle vans!

The second day began with a preview of the Concordia staff marketing strategies (thank you Dan, Jason, and Stacey!). At the Business Meeting, region members talked about next year’s Regional Meeting, and although specific November 2000 dates have yet to be selected, the conference will be hosted by St. Norbert College in DePere, Wisconsin. Thank you to Steve Horan, Sue LaLuzerne, and Kevin Edwards for their invitation!

We are excited that the ACCED-I 2002 Annual Conference will be in Milwaukee, Wisconsin! This will be a great opportunity for our regional members to provide assistance with hosting the conference and have a great time doing it.

I hope to see as many Region 5 members as possible in San Diego. In the meantime, my best wishes to everyone for a wonderful upcoming holiday season!

Region 6

Submitted by Regional Director Millie Wright

Wow! We had a super Region 7 Meeting in San Antonio on November 11 and 12. Thanks to Glenda Knight, Abilene Christina University, for planning the event for us along with Ann Knoebel and Francie Calgaard, Trinity University. They were our hosts at the Holt Center at Trinity. What a beautiful facility. We had 20 registrants and 19 participants in attendance. Nine of those were new members so we gave them a good initiation into Region 7. Everyone said they had a wonderful time.

We started with a workshop on Thursday afternoon presented by Paul Glowacki, Assistant Director of the Department of Public Safety for Trinity. It was on Safety and Security Issues for Conferences and Events. The session was a wonderful discussion time with lots of questions which Paul was able to give us great insight into solving. Our thanks to Paul for a great job.

At the conclusion of our Business Meeting, Ann and Francie hosted the most scrumptious luncheon for our group. They really outdid themselves on behalf of our Region 7 attendees. We really felt that we were treated royally at Holt Center.

Region 8

Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio,

Rita Stewart, Regional Director
Ball State University
765.289.9186 / rjstewart@bsu.edu 

Tim McGuriman, Regional Director-Elect
Loyola at the Cenacle
773.529.7703 / TMCGuri@LUC.edu 

Submitted by Regional Director Rita Stewart

Thirty participants signed up for the Region 8 Meeting held at Loyola at the Cenacle in Chicago. Thanks to all of you for making the meeting the most well attended Regional Meeting in Region 8 history!

A big thank you to Tim McGuriman, Region 8 Director-Elect, for planning an outstanding conference in the beautiful Lincoln Park area, on two of our most gorgeous fall days.

Highlights of the conference included a presentation by Mark Schneider, Loyola’s Director of Insurance, on Risk Management: It’s Really Your Job, and a creative exploration of the steps to becoming a consultant in this field of conferencing by Mary Ann Rowan of Maguire and Associates.

Our regional group enjoyed several opportunities for professional discussions, round table conversations, growth as members of ACCED-I, good food and a trip to the Magnificent Mile on the Elevated Train (with shopping optional).

Next year the Regional Meeting will be held in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Bridget Cassidy was elected incoming Director-Elect. She will assume her new role in March at the Annual Conference in San Diego. Bridget has been a member of ACCED-I since 1990, and served as the Hospitality Chair for the 1993 Annual Conference in Indianapolis. She has presented at both the Indianapolis and Denver conferences. She is currently the Director of Facilities Management/Conference Services at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio. Congratulations to Bridget! We all look forward to working with you.

I hope that you are all thinking ahead to San Diego in March. The Annual Conference Committee announced that we will have our Regional Meeting on Monday afternoon, March 27 and we will go to dinner together that night. I’m looking at a sumptuous border menu for our evening out.

I want to remind you to nominate your peers in Region 8 for exceptional work and outstanding efforts for Awards and Recognitions at the Annual Conference. We have people and institutions within our region doing some fabulous work and we want everyone out there to know! Fill out your nominations form and send it in today.

Happy Holidays to all, and the best of wishes to you and your families for the New Millennium!

Region 9

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee

Kimberly Young, Regional Director
East Tennessee State University
423.439.7103 / Edwards@etsu.edu 

Deirdre Gordon, Regional Director-Elect
Duke Divinity School
919.660.3447 / deirdre.gordon@duke.edu 

Submitted by Regional Director Kim Young

Happy New Year Region 9! Hopefully no one experienced any technical difficulties with the start of the year 2000.

Congratulations to Frank Gaertner, Associate Director of University Conferences at Emory University, on his election to serve as our Regional Director-Elect. Elections were held at the Regional Meeting hosted at Duke University. Frank’s term will begin at the conclusion of the Annual Conference in San Diego, California in March 2000 when Deirdre Gordon of Duke University assumes the Regional Director position.

Our Regional Meeting for 2000 will be hosted on Frank’s Emory University campus where the focus will be preparing for the 2001 Annual Conference in Atlanta. Our region will play host to our ACCED-I colleagues.

Congratulations to Heather Orr who has permanently joined the Clemson University Madren Conference Center staff as a Meeting Planner. Heather, who was previously a student member of ACCED-I, completed her graduate degree in Human Resource Development at Clemson this past December. We are glad that Heather has joined Clemson as a member of their staff and we all look forward to keeping her as a regional colleague.

Congratulations to Dr. Bruce Ragon, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, on his appointment to Assistant Vice Chancellor for Public Service and Extended Education. He is responsible for supervising the continuing education unit, writing and researching grants, developing corporate training programs and assisting Vice Chancellor Dr. Michelle R. Howard-Vital with developing new initiatives.

Deirdre Gordon, Coordinator of Continuing Education Programs, Duke Divinity School, successfully hosted her first major event which coincided with our Regional Meeting. The Convocation & Pastors’ School participation level increased by more than 100, and she is enjoying excellent feedback from those participants. The Duke Center for Continuing Education received a $1.2 million grant to launch a Youth Academy for Christian Formation. The first program will run in Summer 2001 and will accept 70 youth from across the United States.

KoKeita Miller, Assistant Director for McKimmon Conference and Training Center at North Carolina State Uni-versity, reports that the Center has undergone room rate pricing changes and lighting/audio equipment renovations that will make it easier to sell space in the Center.

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend the Annual Conference in San Diego, California March 26 – 29, 2000 at the Marriott Mission Valley. The region will be going to dinner as a group again this year so be watching the regional listserv for restaurant choices and reservation information. This is always a fun time during the Annual Conference to get to know some new regional colleagues as well as catch up with the familiar faces.

If you are not subscribed to the regional listserv, not to be confused with the Association-wide listserv, please contact our listserv administrator Tony Gray at GRAYAI@APPSTATE.EDU  to get on board! This is a valuable and efficient tool to keep members in touch with each other and distribute regional information that doesn’t need to be displayed to the entire Association.

Region 10

Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC, West Virginia

Mariellynn Maurer, Regional Director
The College of William and Mary
757.221.4084 / mdmaur@facstaff.wm.edu

Eric Disharoon, Regional Director-Elect
The Johns Hopkins University
410.516.7234 / edisharo@ae.jhu.edu

Submitted by Regional Director Mariellyn Maurer

Greetings!

I trust that everyone is doing well and recovering from the holidays. I'd like to take this opportunity to announce

Region 10 Area Representative, Susan Knick, Mary Washington College in Virginia. Susan is assisting the Regional Leadership with information updates and news on Region 10 members and potential members. She also serves as a "Welcoming Regional Member" by introducing herself to new members and first time attendees at Regional Meetings and helping to orient them to ACCED-I.

I'm pleased to share that Dave Treber, Frostburg State University, finished 500th out of 32,000 runners in the recent New York City Marathon. Congratulations!

Currently, we are soliciting nominations for Regional Director-Elect. Elections for this position will be held at the Annual Conference in March. We are also investigating meeting sites for our Regional Meeting in 2000 which will be held in Maryland.

Our Regional Listserve has undergone many changes since the last issue of The Communique. Information and evaluations can be found in the "file sharing" section of the web site, important trade show and conference dates have been updated in the "calendar" section, and members have posted news and updates in the "discussions" section. Please feel free to browse through the site at www.ecircles.com . If you haven’t received an invitation to enter, please contact Eric Disharoon or me.

Finally, I'd like to extend a hearty thank you to Eric who has been hard at work this past year as Director-Elect. Eric will attend the Regional Leadership Training at the Annual Conference in March and is dedicated to advancing Region 10. We all have a lot to look forward to!

See you all in San Diego!

Region 11

New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ontario, Quebec

Michael Baker, Regional Director Messiah College 717.691.6009 / mbaker@messiah.edu  Barbara Romano, Regional Director-Elect Cornell University 607.255.6290 / BR20@Cornell.edu  Submitted by Regional Director Michael Baker

Paula Dale, Swathmore College; Chris Stumpf, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown; and Barbara Romano, Cornell University, were members of a panel discussion entitled Services, Facilities, & Amenities.

Hello Region 11! I want to thank those of you (21 to be exact) who attended the Regional Meeting at Atlantic Cape Community College in Atlantic City. The conference was a huge success. It was definitely time well spent educating, networking, and having fun! Personally, I want to thank Jean McAlister and Barbara Romano for their leadership role in planning this conference. It was a great experience for all of those who attended.

I'd like to acknowledge Joe Di Girolomo, Vice President of Convention Development, Atlantic City Convention Center, for donating space and complimentary breakfast; Peter Berol, Eastern College, for his enlightening program, Implementing & Managing Organizational Change; Chuck Salem, University of Pittsburgh Johnstown, for sharing his expertise and experiences on Marketing & Sales in Collegiate Conferencing; and finally all of the panelists for their effective and stimulating panel discussions.

Atlantic Cape Community College was recently awarded 2.1 million dollars for renovations to its building. The money will be used for beautification of the grounds and procurement of additional space, including additional classrooms and a 100 seat hall.

The Annual Conference Vendor Committee is recruiting vendors, who are not already Corporate Members of the Association for the Annual Conference in San Diego. See page 5 of this issue of The Communique and send appropriate information to Ronna Love at the Association office.

Additionally, I'd like to remind each of you to nominate members within our region for awards which will be given at the Annual Conference in March.

Plan to attend the Annual Conference which will be held in San Diego on March 26 - 29, 2000. If you have not made your reservations, then I recommend you call today. This is a great opportunity to meet your fellow colleagues and visit the west coast.

Our region will again be getting together for the Regional Business Meeting on Monday afternoon and the Regional Dinner on Monday night. Please plan to attend these organized regional activities. During our Business Meeting we will announce the location of our next Regional Meeting. Don't miss it!

Finally, I hope everyone has a joyous holiday season and happy new year.

Region 12

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Rhode Island, United Kingdom, Vermont

Barbara Kokoszka, Regional Director
Rivier College
603.888.1311 X8273 / bkokoszka@rivier.edu

Judie Guyette, Regional Director-Elect
University of Massachusetts at Amherst
413.577.1234 / jguyette@ccntr.aux.umass.edu

Submitted by Regional Director Barbara Kokoszka

A great big thanks to Judie Guyette for an excellent introductory presentation at our Region 12 Meeting held on November 12 at Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in Hancock, Massachusetts.

Another great big thanks to Kathleen Williams for the excellent manner in which she facilitated the program and kept us all on track!

I'd also like to thank Shelley Gibbons from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst for handling all the registrations and confirmations for the Regional Meeting.

We all took a lot back from this conference. In looking over the evaluations, it seems there was unanimous agreement that the discussions and group work were lively and informative. We'll look for ways to develop that theme in future conferences. And speaking of the future, there was quite a bit of interest in having next year's Regional Meeting on Cape Cod.

It was great to see you all in November and wish you and your families a wonderful holiday season.

Interested in Breaking into Some New Markets? Try a Trade Show

There is a trade show out there for you. If you want more information on branching out into some of these markets, talk to some of the organizations listed below to see if they have the market segment you have been looking for!

Corporate & Association Markets

Affordable Meetings Expo and Affordable Meetings West Expo
Sponsored by Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International
c/o George Little Management, Inc.
10 Bank Street
White Plains, New York 10606-1954
914.421.3200
www.glmshows.com 

American Society of Association Executives
1575 I Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005-1168
202.626.2723
www.asaenet.org

American Society of Training and Development (ASTD)
1640 King Street, Box 1443
Alexandria, Virginia 22313-2043
703.683.8100
www.astd.org

Business Travel & Meetings Expo
c/o Miller Freeman, Inc.
One Penn Plaza
New York, New York 10119-1198
212.714.1300

Meeting Professionals International
4455 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1200
Dallas, Texas 75244-5903
972.702.3000
www.mpiweb.org

Professional Conference Management Association
100 Vestavia Parkway, Suite 220
Birmingham, Alabama 35216
205.823.7262
www.pcma.org

Government

Society of Government Meeting Professionals
6 Clouser Road
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania 17055
717.795.7467(PCMA)
www.pcma.org

Religious & Youth Market

Christian Camping International
P.O. Box 62189
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80962-2189
719.260.9400
www.cci.usa.org

National Network of Youth Ministries
12335 World Trade Drive
Suite 16
San Diego, California 92128-3791
858.451.1111
www.nnym.org

Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA)
One RCA Dome, Suite 120
Indianapolis, Indiana 46225
317.632.1888
www.rcmaweb.org

Fraternal/Pan Hellenic Markets

National Interfraternity Council Conference
3901 West 86th Street, Suite 390
Indianapolis, Indiana 46268-1791
317.872.1112

National Pan Hellenic Conference
3901 West 86th Street, Suite 380
Indianapolis, Indiana 46268-1791
317.872.3185

Sports/Athletic

National Collegiate Athletic Association
700 W. Washington Ave.
PO Box 6222
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-6222
317.917.6222
www.ncaa.org

Special Olympics International
1325 G Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005
202.628.3630
www.specialolympics.org

ACCED-I Workshop Topics and Sites Sought for 2000

Three ACCED-I workshops were presented this fall at various locations and provided collegiate conference and events professionals with practical information they can take back to campus. Topics presented included Marketing and Sales in Collegiate Conferencing, Shape Up Your Business! Winning Strategies for Small College Conference Operations and Staff Hiring, Training and Development.

ACCED-I is dedicated to providing professionals in the collegiate conference and events industry with educational and informative workshops that will help themselves and their operations. Currently, workshop sites and topics are being sought for 2000. Following are the guidelines. If you are interested in hosting a workshop in 2000 or have an idea or future topics/presenters, please contact Lori Everhart, Manager of Membership Services at 970.491.4612 or loriaced@lamar.colostate.edu.

Traveling Workshop Host Guidelines

• Act as on-site hotel liaison. Reserve participant hotel room block.
• Arrange for catering services. In consultation with ACCED-I arrange menus.
• Reserve meeting space. Arrange for room set-up and audio visual set-up.
• Arrange for various facilitator transportation including, but not limited to, transportation to and from the airport and to and from the hotel.
• Perform various site duties such as on-site registration, facilitator introduction, receipt and mailing of workshop supplies, and information dissemination.
• Arrange for parking logistics.
• Act as liaison with campus public safety or security, public information office, and other campus administration.
• Arrange for group dinner.
• Take pictures.

Meeting Site Guidelines (Preferably on campus)

• Meeting room must accommodate up to 50 participants comfortably at tables.
• Catering services of one lunch, two continental breakfasts, two morning breaks, and one afternoon break and should be available for less than $35 per person.
• Luncheon site should be within five minutes of meeting site.
• Meeting room should be available at no cost to ACCED-I.
• Audio visual equipment should be available at no cost to ACCED-I.
• Adequate parking for up to 50 participants.

Hotel Guidelines (On or Off Campus)

• Within 25 minutes of airport.
• Within 15 minutes of meeting site.
• Accessible by adequate ground transportation.
• Hotel rate approximately $75 per night double/single occupancy.
• Sleeping room availability for 30 - 40 participants.
• Close proximity to restaurants.

ACCED-I Extends a Special Thank You to

Workshop Hosts

Atlantic Cape Community College
Atlantic City, New Jersey

Bentley College
Waltham, Massachusetts

Furman University
Greenville, South Carolina

Trinity University
San Antonio, Texas

Connie Boaitey
Westmont College

Caroline Lalvani
Elizabethtown College

PJ Moffett, SPA, CCEP
Mentor Vision LLC

Charles Salem
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

ACCED-I Members Want More Issues of The Communique

ACCED-I members want more electronic communication! ACCED-I members want more timely information! These are some of the clear messages gleaned from the Member Needs Assessment Survey sent to members in September with the results examined at the recent Board meeting and Board retreat.

The Publications Project Team wants to respond to members’ desires quickly. The team has already determined that the current 5 print-issues publication schedule of The Communique will be expanded. Electronic versions of The Communique (aka the e-Communique) will be used to supplement the printed versions.

ACCED-I has a few options for providing the e-Communique. An e-mail newsletter would be sent to all members’ e-mail addresses. This would not be linked to the listserv so that members who have unsubscribed from the listserv will receive the newsletter. A web newsletter would be posted to ACCED-International’s web page at regular intervals and accessed by members at their convenience. Or a fax newsletter would be faxed to members.

In addition to examining distribution methods, the Publications Project Team is working on other ideas that will make all versions of The Communique more useful to its members.

One interesting piece of information the Publications Project Team learned from the Member Needs Assessment Survey is that 58% of ACCED-I members save their issues of The Communique for future reference.

Among the ideas on the table for the additional issues of The Communique are having theme-oriented issues, adding a regular column written by a Board member that addresses issues of interest to the industry, and reprinting/linking to relevant articles that appear in other industry publications.

- Tom Flynn, Chair Publications Project Team
University of Maryland, College Park
301.314.7884
tflynn@accmail.umd.edu

Editor’s Comments: HELP!!!!!!!!!

We all know the old saying, A picture is worth a thousand words. Well, picture this —

This is what future issues of The Communique could look like without your help. In Tom Flynn’s article on page 20 of this issue of The Communique he discussed the fact that ACCED-I members want more information regarding the collegiate conference and events profession and more issues of The Communique.

The positive is that the Publications Project Team will be looking into developing ways to get more news to you. The not so positive is that currently an issue of The Communique is being developed as the deadline approaches.

We have no archives of articles that would be beneficial to members. So, we need your help. If you have written an article, paper, etc. that would be beneficial to your colleagues, please send it to me. If you would be willing to write an article, please contact me. This request has been made many times, and only a handful of members have sent articles. With over 1,180 members of ACCED-I we must have some closet-authors just waiting to enhance the professional lives of their colleagues.

If there are topics you’d like to see addressed in The Communique, contact ACCED-I. We’ll try to find someone to write an article to answer your question. If you have ideas for new columns for The Communique, let us know.

If you’d like to be a member of the Publication Project Team we’d be delighted to hear from you. Environmental Scanning: If you’ve read an article in another publication that you think your ACCED-I colleagues should know about, please send me the name of the article, publication and contact. I will get in touch with the appropriate person to get permission to reprint the article in The Communique. If you’ve read an article on the web send the address and we can hotlink it to future issue of the e-Communique.

On a more personal note, I’d like to thank the participants of Region 5 Meeting for their gracious hospitality. As the staff liasion to the regions it is always a pleasure to attend Regional Meetings as so many wonderful things are happening at the regional level.

The “progressive” style of the Region 5 Meeting was educational and enjoyable. Participants visited three campuses in the St. Paul area. We were exposed to great marketing sessions and wonderful hospitality.

If you’ve never had the opportunity to attend an ACCED-I Regional Meeting, you should try to go. It is a delight watching the interaction at regionals. ACCED-I members are the greatest. They take pride in the accomplishments of their colleagues at other institutions and are there to help if there is a problem.

Don’t forget, we need your help so send in those articles and ideas.

- Ronna Love, Editor, The Communique
970.491.5151 / loveaced@lamar.colostate.edu

Announcements

ACCED-I accepts US funds only.

Payment can be in check, money or credit cards (Visa and MasterCard). When payment is due a purchase order does not constitute payment in full.

The Federal ID number for ACCED-International is 84-1023816.

The ACCED-I Office will be closed

January 17, 2000
Martin Luther King Day

February 21, 2000
President’s Day

It’s that busy time of year for your

Association. Recently the following was mailed to all members:

• Annual Awards Nominations
• Board Election Ballots
• Conference Registration Packets

If you did not receive any of the above information or misplaced it, please call the ACCED-I office at 970.491.5151 and request a copy be sent to you.

The ACCED-I membership database is separate from the workshop/conference database. If your information (address/phone number/etc.) has changed and you put the new information on your workshop/conference registration form, this information is NOT automatically changed in the members database.

Whenever any of your information changes, please contact Ronna Love with changes via fax at 970.491.0667 or e-mail loveaced@lamar.colostate.edu.

Reorganizing your office? Finding extra copies of your policies and procedures, sample contracts, checklists, etc.? Why not donate them to the Resource Center Library! We would like to expand the contents of the library, but we need your help. Send anything you feel would be valuable to your colleagues to Lori Everhart, ACCED-I, Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO 80523-8037.

Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors-International

Deborah Blom, Executive Director
970.491.3772
dbacced@lamar.colostate.edu

Ronna Love, Manager of Administration
Editor, The Communique
970.491.5151
loveaced@lamar.colostate.edu

Lori Everhart, Manager of Membership Services
970.491.4612
loriaced@lamar.colostate.edu

Amanda Vassau, Student Assistant
acced2@lamar.colostate.edu

Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-8037
Fax: 970.491.0667

Home Page:
http://acced-i.colostate.edu

Hours: Monday - Friday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM, Mountain Time

Editor: Ronna Love
Contributors: Lisa Anderson, Leslie Arutunian, Michael Baker, Diana Bakkom, Holly Bembenek, Deborah Blom, Diane Burns, Mary Cranwell, Jessica Davies, Roland DeAngelo, Lori Everhart, Tom Flynn, Phillip Gin, Karen Kennedy, Barbara Kokoszka, Ronna Love, Bill Lynerd, Mariellynn Maurer, Duane McDonald, Tony McGuirt, Chuck Salem, Rita Stewart, Millie Wright and Kim Young

The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and are not necessarily the opinions of their institution, company, or ACCED-International. ACCED-I as an association does not express an opinion or endorse products or services.

Information contained in The Communique has been received from sources believed to be reliable. The Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors-International as an organization, its directors, officers, and staff do not guarantee or accept responsibility for any information inaccuracies contained in this publication.

The Communique is published five times per year (January, March, June, September, November) by the Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors-International, a nonprofit association for collegiate conference and events professionals. Subscriptions: $25 a year/$6 per issue for U.S. subscribers. $35 per year/$7.50 per issue (U.S. funds) for Canadian subscribers. $50 per year/$10.00 per issue (U.S. funds) for subscribers outside North America.

Mail, fax, or e-mail material for The Communique to Ronna Love, Editor at ACCED-I.