Request for Proposals AAA Regional Meetings

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Request for Proposals—AAA Regional Meetings

Goals Purpose

To provide close-to-home development opportunities for those interested in the anatomical sciences.

The regional meetings will provide AAA members and participants an opportunity to present their

scientific and educational research via platform and poster sessions. Targeted audiences can include

undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty and researchers, and possible

introduction of high school students to the anatomical sciences. The goal is to provide national meeting

level programs and benefits to serve members preferring a smaller venue, a place to hone their

presentations and interact with local colleagues, or that may not otherwise be able to attend the annual

AAA meeting.

Application Process

AAA regional meetings should be held in a different location from that of the annual AAA meeting and

last regional meeting. AAA regional meetings have been typically held during the fall each year and the

program should be designed as a one-day event.

The application must include:

A. The names and contact information of the principle organizers (it is highly recommended

co-chairs be identified) and list other potential organizing committee members.

B. A statement on how the proposed program fulfills the purpose and addresses goals of AAA

regional meetings.

C. A list of multiple colleges, universities, and institutions willing to participate.

D. A prospectus for the number of projected attendees (with the expectation of at least 100

participants attend) as well as a

description what steps will be taken to promote and attract

participants.

E. An outline of the proposed daylong program with possible topics and activities. The program

should include research presentations, professional development components, outreach elements,

an awards component, and opportunities for attendees to interact with one another. It should

emphasize participation of undergraduate, graduate students, postdocs, and faculty and

educators in the program. The program could also include workshops providing training and

educational opportunities to attendees that they wouldn't normally have access to (or may not

have been aware of within the region). Outreach programs and educational activities geared

toward area high school educators and students are also encouraged.

F. A list of potential local sponsors.

G. Possible dates for the meeting (must not overlap with other large national/international

scientific/education meetings).

H. A list of possible meeting facilities sufficient for holding the venue (campus, institution, convention

center, meeting rooms, dining, area hotels and housing, etc.)

I. Estimated costs/budget (e.g., for, room rentals, AV equipment, poster setup, catering, housing

options for participants, etc.).

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Submission deadline is March 15 for a regional meeting to be held the following year in the fall

(approximately 18 months prior to the meeting date). For example, the submission deadline for a

proposal to hold an October 2016 regional meeting would be March 15, 2015. A decision would be

made by May 1, 2015.

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Organizer Resources

AAA Contacts

Philip Brauer, Professional Development Committee Chair,

prbrauer@creighton.edu

Shawn Boynes, AAA Executive Director,

sboynes@anatomy.org

Colby Shultz, Director, Meetings and Education,

cshultz@anatomy.org

Regional Meeting Planning Timeline

(see Appendix A)

Sample Program Template

(see Appendix B)

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Appendix A

Regional Meeting Planning Timeline

14 months before meeting

 Invite members to be on the Regional Planning Committee [PC Org]  Set up first conference call for the planning committee [PC Org, S] 13 months before meeting

 Hold the first conference call with the regional planning committee to discuss dates, location, tentative agenda, potential sponsors and frequency of conference calls [PC Org, PC, S]

 Send PC Org the meeting location specifics. Include # of meeting rooms needed and room sizes [S]  Request meeting space from university and include AAA Staff Contact as the contact for logistics [PC

Org]

 Create a budget for meeting [S, ED] 12 months before meeting

 Submit tentative agenda/program to AAA Staff Contact [PC Org]  Run tentative agenda/program by PDC for approval [S]

 Recruit potential speakers and submit symposium/session proposals for committee consideration [PC Org, PC]

 Sign contract with university for meeting space [S]  Secure necessary meeting liability insurance [S/ED]

 Secure small room block with a group rate at local hotel for staff and attendees [S]

 Write copy for save-the-date promo flyers in time for various professional society newsletters [S] [PC] 11 months before meeting

 Finalize speakers and program. [PC]

 Send email to speakers to confirm their talk title, provide them with deadlines/specifics and thank them for participating [PC] [S]

 Write copy for regional meeting webpage and meet with staff about design ideas [S]  Create webpage for regional meeting based on staff input and update as necessary [S]  Write copy for flyer template and discuss design ideas [S]

 Design flyer template for meeting [S]  Begin soliciting sponsors [PC] [S]

 Promote meeting to local colleges/universities, medical, dental, veterinary schools (as appropriate) - [PC] 10 months before meeting

 Update existing meeting web page with session descriptions and content [S]

 Send platform judging guidelines and poster judging guidelines to PC for review and edits [S]  Determine poster and platform award competition criteria and reward amount. [PC, S]

 Continue to promote meeting to local colleges/universities, medical, dental, veterinary schools (as appropriate) - [PC, S]

 Have PC confirm abstract submission categories [S]

 Continue to promote meeting to local colleges/universities, medical, dental, veterinary schools (as appropriate) - [PC, S]

PC Org = Planning Committee Organizer PC = Planning Committee

S = AAA Staff

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 Set up online meeting registration and abstract submission [S]  Create save-the-date flyer based on copy provided by staff [S]

 Send save-the-date flyers to PC to distribute at their institutions and share with colleagues [S]  Continue to promote meeting to local colleges/universities, medical, dental, veterinary schools (as

appropriate) - Ongoing until meeting [PC, S] 7 months before meeting

 Continue to promote meeting to local colleges/universities, medical, dental, veterinary schools (as appropriate) - Ongoing until meeting [PC, S]

 Registration webpage goes live [S]  Abstract submission page goes live [S]

 Announce meeting registration on website and Education Listserv [S]

 Run credit card payments when necessary for all faxed/mailed forms – ongoing until meeting [S]  Process registrations and send confirmations to attendees – ongoing until meeting [S]

 Promote meeting during EB at AAA booth, Anatomy Lounge, and AAA Business Meeting [S]  Promote meeting during EB with other attendees and colleagues [PC]

 Write promo copy and advertise meeting in newsletter [S] 5 months before meeting

 Continue to promote meeting to local colleges/universities, medical, dental, veterinary schools (as appropriate) - ongoing until meeting [PC, S]

 Select judges for abstracts and posters competition [PC]

 Schedule staff flights to AAA Regional Site [S, ED] 3 months before meeting

 Promote meeting among colleagues [PC]

 Submit room list to hotel for AAA Staff and VIP’s [S]

 Recruit volunteers (students, members, etc.) to assist on the day of the meeting [PC, PC Org]  Draft scripts for session moderators, welcome remarks, thank you’s and closing remarks [S]  Continue to promote meeting to local colleges/universities, medical, dental, veterinary schools (as

appropriate) - ongoing until meeting [PC, S]

 Write promo copy and advertise meeting in newsletter [S] 1 month before meeting

 Send final reminders to submit abstracts before deadline [PC, S]  Abstract submission deadline (6 weeks prior to meeting)

 Compile list of submitting abstracts and send to PC for abstract review [S]  Finalize platform speakers [PC]

 Notify abstract authors if their abstract has been selected for a poster or platform session [S]  Create award judging schedule [PC]

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 Notify award finalists of judging criteria and judging schedule [S]  Create final agenda and sent to PC for final review [S]

 Create final program and sent to PC for final review [S]  Order any supplies needed for regional meeting [S]  Order signage [S]

 Send final program to be printed [S]

 Finalize scripts for session moderators, welcome remarks, thank you’s and closing remarks [S]  Submit final catering order [S]

 Pre-registration closes [S] Month of meeting

 Submit final headcount to venue [S]

 Confirm room setup and A/V [S]. If it is possible, changed room accommodations to more closely match the number of registrants.

 Send final reminder email to speakers and platform authors with any onsite details such as AV, parking, agenda, etc. [S]

 Email final reminder email to attendees with any onsite details such as parking, agenda, etc [S]  Print award certificates [S]

 Print attendee name badges [S]

 Get blank checks to be written on site for award winners [S]  Print final attendee list [S]

 Create onsite welcome power point slides [S]  Ship all materials to meeting location [S]

 Distribute scripts for session moderators, welcome remarks, thank you’s and closing remarks [S] Post meeting

 Have organizer(s) provide post-meeting summary (what worked, what did not, suggestions, etc.) [S]  Send thank you to all who helped make meeting possible (including sponsors) [S]

 Update website with award winners [S]

 Send details of award checks to accountants for posting [S]  Send out follow-up survey to attendees [S]

Request for Proposals AAA Regional Meetings