University of Illinois at Springfield

AIS Conference 2008

Preliminary Report

I. Conference Planning Team

§ Karen Moranski, Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education

§ Debra Parker, Clinical Instructor, Capital Scholars Honors Program

§ Kim Pate, Secretary, Provost’s Office

§ Members of the General Education Council

o Beverly Rivera, Chair

o Margot Duley, Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

o Pinky Wassenberg, Dean, College of Public Affairs and Administration

o Amy McEuen, Faculty, Biology

o Kamau Kemayo, Faculty, African-American Studies

o Heather Dell, Faculty, Women’s Studies and Sociology/Anthropology

o Dennis Rendleman, Faculty, Legal Studies

o Kimberly Armstrong, Faculty, Library

o Allen Cook, Faculty, Teacher Education Program

o Laurel Newman, Faculty, Business Administration

§ Academic Professional (to be hired January 2007)

§ Kandice Biggs, Clinical Instructor, Center for Teaching and Learning

§ Tavia Ervin, Assistant to the Director, Capital Scholars Honors Program

§ Terry Bodenhorn, Director, Capital Scholars Honors Program

§ Ruth Smith, Assistant Director, Capital Scholars Honors Program

§ Julie Chapman, Faculty, Library

§ Mary Ellen McElligott, UIS Conference Services

§ Farokh Eslahi, Associate Provost for Information Technology

§ Emeritus Faculty

o Judy Everson, English

o Cullom Davis, History

o Larry Golden, Political Studies and Legal Studies

§ Students (to be recruited Fall 2007)

II. Conference Planning Subcommittees

Subcommittees will be formed in October 2006 following the AIS meeting, although some preliminary members of the Conference Planning Team have been assigned below.

§ Design

Design and produce all conference materials, including call for proposals, conference program, promotional materials, and signage during conference.

o Karen Moranski

o Debbie Parker

o Kandice Biggs

o Kim Pate

§ Entertainment events

Arrange receptions for Thursday and Friday and UIS events on Thursday night and Saturday night.

o Mary Ellen McElligott

o Students

§ Exhibit

Arrange for books, journals, and other interdisciplinary materials to be displayed. Set up exhibit table at conference.

o Julie Chapman

o Tavia Ervin

§ Food

Work with hotel and UIS Food Service to select food for receptions, breakfasts, lunches, and dinner. Track special dietary requests.

o Kim Pate

§ Outings

Plan Saturday afternoon and evening activities. Schedule guides. Signs and logistics at conference (with Design).

o Emeritus Faculty

o Students

§ Program

Finalize theme. Draft call for proposals. Review proposals. Notification of submitters. Schedule sessions.

o Members of General Education Council

o Karen Moranski

o Debbie Parker

o Roz Schindler, AIS Conference Liaison (review proposals)

o Kim Pate

o Academic Professional (to be hired Fall 2007)

§ Publicity

Identify associations, programs, people, listservs, and websites through which to advertise conference announcement. Send announcement.

§ Registration

Process registrations. Compile information packets and name tags. Staff the registration table and information table at the conference.

o Karen Moranski

o Kim Pate

o Academic Professional (to be hired January 2007)

o Debbie Parker

o Students

§ Speakers

Identify and schedule speakers and pre-conference workshops. Submit proposals for grants to Illinois Humanities Council, UIS Speakers Fund, and others.

o Members of General Education Council

o Terry Bodenhorn

§ Technology

Design and maintain website. Set up on-line registration. Arrange A/V equipment. Provide technology support at the conference.

o Farokh Eslahi

o Kandice Biggs

III. Tentative Dates

§ First Choice: Wednesday, October 1 to Sunday, October 5

§ Second Choice: Wednesday, September 23 to Sunday, September 28

Hotel room costs are lower for the October date. Neither date conflicts with religious holidays. The October dates may be homecoming at UIS, but homecoming is a small affair at UIS, and out of town traffic should not be a problem, particularly if the conference is downtown. By reserving early, we should be able to get the space we want on campus for the event on Thursday.

IV. Tentative Theme

The process for the selecting the specific wording for the conference theme has not yet become formal, but in discussions with the conference team and other faculty on campus, one general conference theme has emerged:

Integrating liberal education and public affairs/public policy/the professions

The theme emerges from several recent and on-going discussions on campus. Last year, UIS went through a strategic planning process, during which a vision of the campus as a “best public liberal arts university” developed. Given the history of UIS as a campus that values professional education, non-traditional students, and especially, public affairs, the integration of traditional liberal arts disciplines and professional disciplines and public policy is a central issue. In Fall 2006, UIS implements a new general education curriculum that combines liberal arts with engaged citizenship in several interdisciplinary formats. The Capital Scholars Honors Program, which has always had an integrated, interdisciplinary general education curriculum, is now in its 6^th year and is moving to include research, internships, and social activism into a full four-year curriculum. UIS is also known for its extensive internship programs and for public policy initiatives like the Innocence Project that seeks to free wrongly convicted prisoners. UIS has a Center for State Policy and Leadership with active interest in interdisciplinary problem-solving. UIS is in the state capital, and the university has always had close ties to state government. The university began in 1970 with interdisciplinary curricula and majors, emphasizing the idea that faculty, students, and staff would be committed to public and community service. The new Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library have made Springfield an even more popular tourist site and reinforce the relationships between the arts, public policy, social justice, and democracy. The museum and library will be gearing up for the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth in 2009. The theme would also allow us to explore the development of initiatives related to the Spellings Commission.

V. Possible Speakers

Given the theme we are working with, the following suggestions for speakers have emerged:

§ Illinois Based

o Dick Durbin, U.S. Senator (based in Springfield)

o Barack Obama, U.S. Senator (based in Chicago)

o Jim Edgar, former Republican Governor

o Larry Golden, head of the Downstate Innocence Project (Professor Emeritus, UIS)

§ Nationally Known

o Thomas Friedman, New York Times columnist

o Carol Geary Schneider, President, AAC&U

o Azar Nafisi, author of Reading Lolita in Tehran; Visiting Fellow, Foreign Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies

o Jagdish Baghwati, globalization expert, Economics Professor, Columbia University

o Steven Levitt, Economics Professor, University of Chicago [author of Freakonomics]

We’d take any suggestions for speakers!

VI. Tentative Conference Schedule

Wednesday
5:00-8:00 Registration
2:00-6:00 Afternoon meeting of AIS Board (sponsored?)
6:00-7:00 Reception
7:00 Catered dinner at hotel or dinner at one of the area restaurants

Thursday
8:00-8:00 Registration
9:00-12:00 AIS Board Meeting (sponsored breakfast and lunch for AIS Board Members?)
9:00-12:00 Workshops
12:00-1:30 Lunch/Welcome to the Conference
1:30-2:45 Concurrent Sessions
2:45-3:15 Break
3:15-4:30 Concurrent Sessions
5:00-7:00 Dinner Reception at UIS (buses from hotel to UIS)
7:00-8:30 Book Conversation or Other Event in the Studio Theater, UIS

Friday
8:00-5:00 Registration
8:00-9:00 Continental Breakfast
9:00-10:15 Concurrent Sessions
10:15-10:45 Break
10:45-11:45 Concurrent Sessions
12:00-1:30 Keynote Lunch
1:45-3:00 Concurrent Sessions
3:00-3:30 Break
3:30-5:00 Workshops?
3:30-4:45 Concurrent Sessions
5:00-6:30 Reception
6:30 Dinner Circles (at local restaurants) or dinner on your own

Saturday
8:00-5:00 Registration
8:00-9:00 Hot Buffet Breakfast
9:00-10:15 Concurrent Sessions
10:15-10:30 Break
10:30-11:45 Concurrent Sessions
12:00-1:30 Keynote Lunch
1:45-3:00 Concurrent Sessions
3:00-5:00 Sightseeing excursions hosted by UIS Faculty (free city buses)
5:00-7:00 Dinner on your own
7:00 Possible performance at Sangamon Auditorium or Hoogland Art Center (buses from hotel to UIS or walk to Hoogland [2 blocks from hotel])

Sunday
8:00-9:00 Continental Breakfast
9:00-10:15 Concurrent Sessions
10:15-10:30 Break
10:30-11:45 Wrap-Up Session hosted by AIS Board Members

Questions:

1. Are lunch keynotes to be preferred over dinner keynotes?

2. Are keynote occasions always limited to AIS conference participants? We can get access to more funds from the university and other resources if we open up the keynotes to the university and Springfield communities.

3. Should we plan on one or two dinners to be paid for in the conference fees?

VII. Sources of Funding

§ Provost’s subvention: $6,000

§ Likely Subventions from College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and College of Public Affairs and Administration: $4,000

§ Likely Contributions from the Capital Scholars Honors Program: $500

§ Possible student club money: $500

§ UIS Speaker’s Fund: varies; will fund speaker’s honorarium and expenses, but events must be open to UIS and Springfield communities

§ Illinois Humanities Council grant: up to $2,500; events must be open to UIS and regional communities

VIII. Special Events

Possible pre-conference workshop at Presidential Museum or Library, perhaps with our UIS Lincoln scholar, Dr. Richard Paludan; pre-conference workshop could also be hosted by the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership.

Friday evening reception and possible dinner could be hosted at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. Cost is $3,000 - $5,000, so we’d have to find additional sources of funding.

Possible Saturday evening performances at the Sangamon Auditorium (national touring companies) or at the Hoogland Art Center (regional theater, ballet, etc.). Question: How does the ticketing work for such events (can it be included in or added to the cost of registration)?

Conference Hotel Information and Analysis

Location

We’ve opted to hold the conference in downtown Springfield. UIS has conference facilities, but the campus is on the southeast side of town, remote from the tourist attractions, which are mainly downtown. Downtown is extremely walkable, with shops, restaurants, and tourist attractions only blocks away from the two conference hotels (which sit side by side).

There are two choices in downtown Springfield:

§ Springfield Hilton

§ President Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Conference Center http://www.presidentabrahamlincolnhotel.com/home.html

	Springfield Hilton	President Abraham Lincoln
Room rate	September $104.00 single or double occupancy rate, plus 10% occupancy tax 1 complimentary room per 50 occupied, paid rooms (1) One one-bedroom suite available at group rate (2) two JR suite upgrades at group rate October $99.00 single or double occupancy rate, plus 10% occupancy tax 1 complimentary room per 50 occupied, paid rooms (1) One one-bedroom suite available at group rate (2) Two JR suite upgrades at group rate	(information not received as of 10/4/06)
Included in room rate	Complimentary USA Today at the front desk	Complimentary newspaper at room door
Rooms	Coffee maker, hair dryer, iron & ironing board, 2 phones, high speed internet access. Charge for local calls Rooms open into interior walkway.	Coffee maker, hair dryer, iron & ironing board, dataport. Toll-free calls Offers a Presidential floor, where board and speakers might stay ($20.00 more per room, but perhaps this could be negotiated)
Airport and Train Transportation	Free shuttle 6:00am – 10:00pm	Free shuttle 6:00am – 10:00pm
Parking	Municipal Lot next to the hotel ($7.00/day for hotel guests)	On-site parking ($6.00/day for hotel guests)
Technology	$9.95/day charge for room internet access UIS can supply equipment for conference rooms at no charge	$9.95/day charge for room internet access UIS can supply equipment for conference rooms at no charge
Meeting Room Fees	Less than 175 rooms picked up: $1500.00 for whole conference	(information not received as of 10/4/06)
Ballroom	Grand Ballroom seats 1,100 and divides into 3 sections (Capitol – 180; Illinois – 300; Prairie – 340)	Presidential Ballroom seats 720 and divides evenly into 2 sections
Breakouts	Breakouts are separated; we’d have to provide good maps and signage to direct people. Conference Center 2 Conference Center 4 Plaza I-IV Rendezvous Room	Breakouts are all on one long hallway on the Second Level, which would keep conference participants together. Ottawa A and B (can be divided) Freeport A, B, and C (can be divided) Gov. Yates Suite Gov. Bond Suite Gov. Altgeld Suite
Board meeting	Conference Center 3	Governor’s Cabinet Room
Exhibition and Breaks	Mezzanine around the central tower (good visibility)	Gov. Horner Suite (close proximity to other rooms)
Breakfast	Continental Breakfast (Thursday and Friday) - $10.75/pp Hot Breakfast Buffet (Saturday) - $16.95/pp	Continental Breakfast (Thursday and Friday) - $7.95-10.95/pp Hot Breakfast Buffet (Saturday) - $15.25-17.25/pp
Lunch	Box Lunch - $14.25/pp Buffet - $15.95/pp - $24.95/pp Entrees - $14.95/pp - $40.95/pp	Box Lunch - $14.95-15.95/pp Buffet Lunch - $14.95-19.50/pp Plated Lunch - $16.00-18.00/pp
Dinner	Buffet - $15.95/pp - $24.95/pp Entrees - $14.95/pp - $40.95/pp	Buffet – $28.50-29.95/pp Plated Dinner - $18.75-$31.75/pp
Breaks	Build a Break – morning break (coffee and tea @ $27.95/gallon; bottled water @$2.25/bottle; soft drinks @ $2.00 each) $7.25/pp – afternoon break “Cookie Jar Break” “Munchy Bar” “Ice Cream Break”	Morning break - $4.50-6.50/pp Afternoon break - $6.95-12.00/pp “Sports Break” “Snack Time” “Chocolate Fondue Celebration” “Chocolate Lover’s Dream” “Cookie Jar” “Ice Cream Parlor” All day Packages available $10.25-15.00/person
Reception for Board	Vista rooms on the 29^th floor (great view of the Capitol and the city)	One of the Suites (windows, but no great view)
Within a Short Walk (<10 minutes)	§ Starbucks (in hotel) § Pharmacy § Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library § Wright-designed Dana-Thomas House § Old State Capitol § Lincoln Home § Restaurants § Shops	§ Starbucks (across the street in the Hilton) § Pharmacy § Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library § Wright-designed Dana-Thomas House § Old State Capitol § Lincoln Home § Restaurants § Shops
Overflow Hotels	President Abraham Lincoln	Springfield Hilton
Additional Amenities	Executive Fitness Center and Indoor Pool (6:00am – 10:00pm)	Fitness Center and Pool
Additional Considerations	Hotel is large, so there is no guarantee that we would be the only meeting/event there at that time	AIS would be the only meeting/event there at that time.

Hotel Analysis:

The Hilton is a much larger hotel, with a great view of the city from the upper floors (tallest building in town with 30 floors); lobby is choppy and small. Hilton has the advantage of being a franchise. The President Abraham Lincoln is a much smaller hotel (12 floors), but prettier, more aesthetically pleasing, particularly in the lobby; locally owned. The conference rooms at the Hilton are more versatile, more modern and high-tech (recently renovated). The conference facilities at the PAL are pretty, but old-fashioned; in Ottawa A-B and Freeport A-B-C there is a wall that juts into the rooms; seating occurs in a way that doesn’t obscure the view, but the wall is still a bit odd. I think the food will be better, and perhaps a bit less expensive, at the PAL. I personally preferred the Event Manager at the PAL—less pushy, easier to work with. Bathrooms in Hilton hotel rooms are small. PAL doesn’t have wireless internet access except in the lobby and restaurants (but that’s supposed to change in the near future).

Photos of Hilton:

(included in original)

Photos of President Abraham Lincoln:

(included in original)